Thea Bristow steps down as Torquay United chair

Today is a bitter sweet day for me. I have transferred the majority of my shares and it has closed the chapter of my ownership of the club. I certainly have had mixed emotions throughout this whole process, but know that it is the right decision for me and my family.

I look back and hopefully Paul and I made a bit of a difference. There have been some great times and some not so great times, but overall, whatever decisions we made, they were always in the best interests of the club.

One thing I do know is that whenever I come to the ground, I am always so proud of seeing Bristow’s Bench and the lasting legacy to both Paul and the club.

I, like any fan, can’t wait to see us back in the Football League and look forward to cheering the team onto that.

I wish the Directors in luck taking on this challenge. For me, knowing I had to move on, this route has given me the chance to pass my shares onto people who know and care for the club, especially in time for any Conference deadlines.

The Directors have assured me that they will continue speaking to the TUST and other consortiums for further investment or help, plus that they have the capability to run the club next season. I am sure they will announce their plans more formally over the coming weeks.

I look forward to watching and supporting as a fan and thank you for all the support and kind wishes during my time as Chairman.

While this news came as a setback, this is not time for doom and gloom, as talks with other interested parties have already reopened, including a lengthy meeting at the Launa Windows Stadium over the weekend.

The incredible generosity of Thea Bristow has left Torquay United in a healthy position for new people to move this club forward and the hard work of finding fresh investment is well under way.

There has been a lot of hard work to get to this point, and I travel hopefully that we will be able to conclude this deal.

It is a big decision to announce at this point, but we all know the way that football works and it is very difficult to keep anything under wraps once a few people know, so I felt it was important to inform you all of this milestone myself. That way you know that the work is continuing to find a solution.

It is safe to say that this does not mean we are over the line yet, but it is a major step in the right direction. I am also really pleased that the last few results have been positive and I look forward to the final two games of this season.

I am very proud of my involvement with the club and will gratefully accept the title of Lifetime President.

This means that I will step down as Chairman with immediate effect. Whilst I made the earlier decision to go at the end of the season, it has become increasingly obvious to me that the interests of the club are better served by allowing the Board to continue the plans for the rest of this season, particularly as they will naturally impact upon next season as well.

I am afraid I will continue to be an ever-present sight and sound at Torquay's matches, waving and ‘clacking’ in what I hope is a Presidential manner.

I have been thinking about this decision for a while and it is best for me and my family that I step down to allow others to take the club forward.

As I am sure people will appreciate, the role of Chairman can be a stressful one and recently it has had an impact on my health. Therefore, now is the right time to say that I think I have done enough.

Finally, I would like to thank the fans, my family and friends for all the kind wishes and support over the years and I look forward to being a noisy part of the Yellow Army for years to come.