Torquay United: Supporters' Trust chairman confident new owners will be found

Torquay United are currently 11th in National League South, but face a 10-point deduction if they go into administration

The chairman of the Torquay United Supporters' Trust says he is confident the financially troubled National League South side will be taken over.

Gulls owner Clarke Osborne announced his intention to appoint administrators last week and the club is up for sale.

Should the club go into administration they would face a 10-point deduction, seeing them drop to 19th place.

"There are a significant number of people who are seriously interested," Nick Brodrick told BBC Sport.

"We have to let due process take its course and see what develops as the days go by."

• Torquay set to go into administration

• Gulls owner Osborne set to lose millions

• Torquay boss Johnson to step down

The Gulls are one of the few fully-professional sides in the sixth tier and wages for players and staff due at the end of February have been paid.

"I firmly believe that there is going to be a takeover, there will be someone who will take over Torquay United," Brodrick added.

"There will be a football club in Torbay that's going to continue.

"We've had 125 years of Torquay United and we want another 125 years ahead for future generations to be able to go to Plainmoor to watch their football."

'Every penny counts'

Torquay had a bumper crowd of more than 3,600 at their 2-2 draw with Aveley last week as fans came to offer their support financially.

Brodrick says it is important that Gulls fans continue to support the side.

Torquay fans packed Plainmoor to show their support for the financially troubled club

"The message now is to see if we can keep those attendance figures up or better them for the remaining home matches of this season," he said.

"Every penny counts. Every person who pays to come through the turnstiles, every person who goes into the bars and buys a drink, everyone who goes into the club shop and buys merchandise, that's all key money that's really important, especially to keep paying the players and staff wages for March."

The Gulls' opponents on Saturday, Weymouth, will donate £5 from every away ticket sold to the Torquay United Supporters' Trust to help go towards funding the club in the coming weeks.

"It just shows the love there is for Torquay United," added Brodrick.

"Not just people who live in Torbay, but there are fans all around the world.

"When situations like this arise people talk about the football family, but it is true, there is a football family out there

"Rivalry on the pitch is put to one side when clubs are in trouble, and there are so many people who have stepped forward to offer support, in some cases financial support, to help TUST and help the football club, it's been brilliant."

Aaron Downes has been in interim charge of Torquay since the club's problems arose

Former assistant manager Aaron Downes has taken over as interim boss after Gary Johnson stood down in the wake of the financial problems last week.

He was quick to praise the support the Gulls received after their 2-2 draw with Aveley last week, but singled out the resilience of those behind the scenes at Torquay for special praise:

"The dedicated support staff have bene phenomenal this last week," he told BBC Radio Devon.

"The news that they heard on Thursday could have been absolutely devastating and broken a few people.

"We all know what it's been like this last week, but the resilience, the character, the support, the understanding that our staff, on and off the pitch, have shown this week has been unbelievable.

"It's been very humbling, so hopefully we can put on a performance that is worthy of the support they've shown to this football club."