Torquay United could go part-time under prospective new owners

Michael Westcott (right) and his consortium have been taking advice from experienced former Torquay manager Neil Warnock

Prospective Torquay United owner Michael Westcott says the club will likely have to go part-time next season if his consortium takes control.

Westcott and a number of other local business people, along with Torquay United Supporters Trust, are bidding to take over the club.

Owner Clarke Osborne announced he could no longer fund the National League South side in February.

His intention to appoint administrators has led to a 10-point deduction.

The club lost almost £100,000 a month last season when they were relegated from the National League and the Gulls - who were an EFL side until 2014 - are now five points off the relegation places in National League South after their 3-3 draw with Weston-super-Mare on Monday.

"We have to get realistic," lifelong fan Westcott - who has had a successful career in media in the UK and abroad - told BBC Radio Devon.

"This is a club that is losing a lot of money and that's why we're on the brink of administration.

"There isn't this enormous gulf in class between part-time and full-time football at our level - we've sat here in horror all season and seen how we've been played off the park by well-organised, well-marshalled part-time teams.

"Our long-term goal is to get us back into the Football League as a competitive, full-time professional outfit that potentially yo-yo's between League One and League Two, but we need to establish a firm and solid foundation from which we can build on a different model.

"No options are off the table as far as we're concerned and if part of that model dictates that in our first year under new fan ownership that we need to take a step back from being a full-time professional squad in total, then we need to consider that.

"As we progress we can then move to a hybrid model then ultimately to a full-time professional model that we think is required to get back into the English Football League."

'We look to be custodians of this football club'

Westcott's father - who was the touchline announcer at Plainmoor - had his ashes spread on the pitch after he died and Westcott has been coming to watch Torquay since he was three years old.

He expects Torquay to announce a preferred bidder by the end of the week, with that party then doing due diligence before a sale.

The club has yet to technically go into administration and Westcott feels it will make no difference if the club is acquired after going into administration or not.

But he says he is happy for his consortium to step aside if there is another bid which is better for the club in the long term.

"If there is an offer that could provide stability, can save our club, can build for the future and that potentially maybe even better-resourced than we are, we would gracefully step aside, and I suspect the Trust would do the same," Westcott said.

"We just want the best for our football club and in the absence of any alternative this is what we have got and we think it's credible, we think it's sustainable and we all love this club and we want the best for it.

"I don't believe the benefactor model is sustainable in the long term for lower league football anywhere in this country, but if we do have a sugar daddy on the horizon that comes sailing in on the 11th hour, then great and we would we would do everything we can to support their custodianship.

"We don't look to be owners here, we look to be custodians of this football club, put it on an even footing and build for the future."