Picture the scene: it is Saturday night, you have just watched your team lose 4-2 away at the club who are second from bottom in the league, and now you face the long return leg of a nine-hour round trip.
But it will not be on the comfortable coach you travelled on, because that has been taken from supporters — and given to the club’s players and staff.
It is very possible some choice language followed when Torquay United fans learned of the swap affecting their 247-mile (around 398 kilometres) journey home to south west England from Eastbourne, on the country’s south east coast, after their game in the sixth-tier National League South.
Some of them posted on social media to complain about the situation. By Sunday evening, one post had been viewed more than 800,000 times.
At that stage, the suggestion was the switch happened after the players complained about the coach they had originally travelled on, as they wanted more legroom.
The Torquay United Travel Club, which books coaches for its members, vented on its Facebook page.
“Sadly we are on our way home after a terrible trip, shocking performance and now have had to swap coaches,” it read. “So POOR on Torquay Utd, do hope club & players enjoy our COACH!!!
“As you all know I always appreciate the support the travel club gets from the FANS but today is (a) hard one to take, the coach situation is shocking on top of such a long trip and day.
“We are finally on our way home without any points, safe trip all!!”
Plenty of other fans weighed in.
Can’t quite believe what I’m reading here…
Torquay United played away @ Eastbourne today, they lost 4-2 against the 23rd placed side.
On the way back, the Torquay players complained that the TUFC Supporters Club coach had more leg room.
The coaches were then swapped over,… https://t.co/4AYENMRO8a
— Callum Hallett (@CallumHallett6) February 21, 2026
“Absolutely disgusting,” replied one. “Fans that have paid their hard earned money being treated this way after a long journey and a terrible performance.
“I’m not sure where the entitlement is coming from but I think some need a bit of a reality check of where we are.”
“It’s true,” said one person on the Torquay United Yellow Army Facebook page. “I’m on the supporters’ coach. Moaned about our coach having more legroom, unbelievable really.”
The indignation, understandably, began to grow. The narrative was that pampered, spoilt players had got their own way, despite letting the fans down with a terrible performance — and many football fans were quick to criticise what they saw as the latest episode of “the game gone mad”.
As Torquay’s women’s team were beating Gloucester on Sunday, commenters left sarcastic replies under the club’s social media updates. When Connie Pengelly completed her hat-trick, one wrote: “She didn’t need extra legroom.”
But on Sunday, Torquay released a statement apologising to the fans, while also saying the issue had been a misunderstanding that had nothing to do with them.
They said the decision to switch was all down to the coach company.
“Following discussions this morning with the Torquay United Supporters’ Trust (TUST), the club is aware of concerns and online speculation regarding supporter travel to and from Eastbourne on Saturday,” Torquay said in an official statement.
“The team travelled to Sussex on Friday and, due to two significant breakdowns en route, our official operator, Roselyn Coaches, arranged a temporary replacement transport to be sent to Reading at short notice to ensure the squad could reach the hotel in a timely fashion.
“Roselyn agreed to supply a different coach for the club for the squad’s return journey after the match yesterday.
Torquay United play in the National League South, the sixth tier of English football (Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“We have since been informed by Roselyn that, for their operational reasons, the replacement vehicle being sent for the club’s return trip was used for the supporters’ outward journey to Eastbourne and allocations were then returned for the journey back to Devon.”
The club added that The Torquay Supporters Travel Club (TSTC) is an independent organisation and that they were unaware of any arrangement the fan group had with the coach operator.
They added that Roselyn had provided a larger coach to TSTC than the one that was originally contracted.
“At no point did the club instruct that any supporters be removed from a coach, and at no time were any members of the squad or football management aware of the logistical discussions.
“The club has spoken to Roselyn this morning and understand an explanation was also provided by them directly to TSTC regarding the logistics for yesterday.”
Roselyn Coaches did not respond to a request for comment.
Torquay co-chairman Michael Westcott said he could understand how supporters got the wrong end of the stick.
“We recognise emotions are running high after a disappointing result, and we are sorry for any disruption and confusion caused,” he said.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all Torquay fans for their incredible support to the team, as always.”