Dean Edwards: Torquay United director of football resigns

Dean Edwards led the consortium which has taken over at Plainmoor, having previously played for the club

Dean Edwards has resigned as Torquay United director of football, just days after the exit of manager Paul Cox.

Edwards took on the role in the summer after leading a takeover of the club by a consortium of local businesses.

He was in joint-temporary charge of the side on Saturday when they lost 7-3 at home to Bromley.

"I realised that it's like pushing a car up a mountain at the moment, it's a very difficult job," Edwards told BBC Sport.

"You've seen the display on Saturday, which didn't help, and it made me realise that this place isn't going anywhere without money,

"I'm talking about a substantial amount of money just to put it back where it belongs, otherwise it's just going to languish where it is.

"I was earning a salary, I felt that it might go towards getting in a manager or a few players just to try and push the club along."

His departure is the latest blow for the National League club after Cox resigned on Friday, with the Gulls suffering their heaviest home defeat for almost 20 years the following day.

Edwards is the only player to have scored twice at Wembley for Torquay and was the club's commercial manager before the summer.

After former owner Thea Bristow announced she would leave the club, Edwards led the consortium which eventually took over at Plainmoor.

Dean Edwards scored at Wembley for Torquay in the 1989 Football League Trophy final and in the Division Four play-off final win over Blackpool in 1991

However, the takeover was followed by a number of cost-cutting measures, with the youth academy closing down and Torquay leasing part of their training ground to Plymouth Argyle's youth team.

And earlier this month Edwards told BBC Sport that outstanding legal claims by former employees against Torquay United "could finish the club".

Despite that, Edwards has not completely ruled out a return to Plainmoor at some time in the future, and will continue to work for the club on a consultative basis.

"We'll always be thankful for Dean because without him this club would not be running now," chairman David Phillips told BBC Sport.

"Dean got the consortium together back in June and the locks would have been on the gates otherwise."

"He'll be doing work for us on occasions when we need scouting and contacts, Dean's got so many contacts in the game you wouldn't believe it."