Torquay United: 'Rebuild' hampering results says boss Gary Johnson

Torquay have won just four National League games all season

Torquay United manager Gary Johnson says his side's poor form is down in part to trying to rebuild the side.

The Gulls are second from bottom just 18 months after finishing second in the National League and losing the promotion final to Hartlepool United.

Johnson's side have won just two league games since mid-September and are four points from safety.

"We've lost a lot of our players who went into the league and so you have to rebuild again," he said.

"It's easy to rebuild in the Conference South to get into the National League, it's no so easy to rebuild quickly in the National League for getting into the league," added Johnson.

Torquay have only won four times all season and took one point from their festive double-header against fellow strugglers Yeovil Town, results which saw the Glovers open up a six-point gap to the drop zone.

"We're hurting as much as anyone else, but I'm certainly not going to lie in a corner and hide, we're going to get out of it," he added.

"The club, including the board of directors, our staff, the players, are giving it what we've got at the moment.

"If we can keep improving by bringing in players, maybe moving out players and that rebuilding process.

"But we need to rebuild, and stay in this league, that's what is key to the whole club."

Asked if he would take 20th place - and survival - if offered it now Johnson said he would.

"That's not defeatist, we want to finish as high as we can," he added to BBC Radio Devon.

"But you can't have your head in the clouds and suddenly start saying 'well we're still only however many points away from the play-offs'.

"You can say that in 10 games time if we put a good run together, but you've got to deal with the situation you're in now, you've got to keep the boys as confident as you can, because they are playing with a bit of confidence."