With less than an hour to go, they heard the news they really wanted to - they would be cashing in on a former player.
Defender Angus MacDonald is now a Hull City player after the Barnsley captain completed a transfer to the KC Stadium.
Torquay officials inserted a 15 per cent sell on clause, according to Devon Live, when he left the club in 2016 for £100,000.
Although Wednesday’s transfer is undisclosed, press reports suggest fee could be seven figures.
That would hand the struggling Gulls a minimum of £100,000 - a year and a half after making that amount from the original deal.
It against demonstrates the power of the sell-on clause with so much money changing hands at the top end of the football world.
Torquay are in trouble, bottom of the National League and this weekend face a crucial match with Barrow at Plainmoor.