How Hargreaves' Renaissance Gave Gulls A Chris Of Life!

It’s 2007, and an increasingly weary midfielder counts down the weeks until his days patrolling the middle of the park were over.

Not that he didn’t love his career, that long hair a symbol of that bit of flare fused with a swashbuckling style made him an instant favourite as well as captain and most clubs he walked into.

But aged 35, the Oxford United man had had just about enough.

How different life could have been for Torquay United had he followed through with his gut feeling to call it a day.

“I was very close to retiring,” he told us in our latest Promotion Final flashback.

“It was a number of things. Injuries were catching up with me, I was 35 and my business in Northampton was starting to take off.

“I was involved with a good group of people so it made sense to focus on that rather than trying to play on at my age.

“I just thought the timing was right. Not too many players go on much longer than that and even fewer have success. It was probably the right time to retire.

“But then I met Paul Buckle and my mind changed. He convinced me I had to play on.”

How crucial that conversation proved to be for so many reasons. Not only did Hargreaves continue with the Gulls, but he was arguably better than ever.

He was at the epicentre of the club’s 2009 Promotion Final success over Cambridge United, not only skipping them to glory but scoring a fantastic opening goal which totally transformed the direction of a match quickly getting away from them.

His reawakening maybe proves it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

“I wouldn’t say the start was the problem with my career, more the middle bit!” the former Northampton, Plymouth and Hull City man joked.

“But two years after coming so close to retiring I was thrilled to enjoy a day like that.

“It was a bit of a renaissance. I didn’t expect to score at Wembley and to go up and collect the trophy as captain. Torquay are a fantastic club and we deserved it that year.”

Hargreaves got the Gulls on their way with a 35th minute bullet but it was the man in the mask who inflicted Zorro on the travelling Cambridge masses.

A trademark Tim Sills header put the seal on a 2-0 win which didn’t look like it was coming before the midfielder’s excellent long range drive put Torquay in front.

“They were better than us before we went ahead, we started very slowly,” added the midfielder.

“But we got a grip of the game from that moment and Tim did what Tim does.

“The year before inspired us. The way we lost to Exeter in the play-off semi-final was so tough to take. We couldn’t have that heartache for a second summer running.

“Personally I didn’t think I would get such a moment again when I was ready to quit a few years earlier so to do that aged 37 is something I am still very proud of.”

It was a result which meant the Devon club returned to the EFL after two years away, and it was somewhere they would stay for another five seasons.

Talking of big returns, Hargreaves has been keeping a close eye on events this week.

Now a regular BT Sport pundit, he lends his expert eye pitchside as the channel’s excellent National League coverage gets better and better.

Hargreaves, highly-rated under 23 head coach at League One Bristol Rovers, does more than talk a good game.

Now he hopes the phone rings in the weeks ahead.

“The fact the play-offs will be taking place after all that has happened is great news,” he said. “Who knows what’s around the corner, but isn’t it exciting to be talking about football again?

“I would love to play some part in the coverage if asked, but it’s wait and see - I love being there at the games, and even in the current situation it would be great.

“The coverage BT Sport offer is second to none. People don’t realise League One clubs would love the type of exposure National League sides get - whatever happens the play-offs are sure to be a great watch.”