Torquay United

In another extraordinary twist to Torquay United's already eventful season, Mike Bateson has returned as chairman - just five months after stepping down from the post.

And straight away, he pledged to inject the money needed to rectify the club's finances, which have taken a turn for the worse in the last few months.

Mr Bateson - who first became chairman in 1990 - handed over the reins to Chris Roberts in October 2006, ending a spell of 16 years in charge.

However, Mr Roberts - head of a consortium called Torquay United Holdings - resigned in February 2007 after losing the confidence of some of his fellow directors.

One of those directors was Mervyn Benney, who had resigned from the board a week earlier, along with two other long standing directors, Ian Hayman and Brian Palk.

Chris Roberts (Pic: Paul Levie)

Mr Benney returned to the board following Mr Roberts' resignation, and acted as stand-in chairman for two days.

Then, on 21 February, the owner of Torquay's Grand Hotel, Keith Richardson, was unveiled as the new chairman.

He immediately announced his intention to buy the 34% of shares owned by Torquay United Holdings.

However, on 7 March, the club announced that Mr Bateson was back as chairman. Ian Hayman and Brian Palk have also returned to the board, as has Mr Bateson's wife, Sue.

Debbie Hancox - Mr Bateson's daughter - is the club's managing director, and Mr Hayman has been appointed company secretary.

A statement on the club's website says the members of Torquay United Holdings will be "considering their positions over the forthcoming weeks."

Mr Bateson - who still owns 51% of shares at the Gulls - said the club's finances were in a "parlous" state following Mr Roberts' chairmanship, but that things were not irrecoverable.

He will be chairman until the end of the season at least, but is not looking any further than that at this stage.

The Torquay chairman publicly thanked Mr Richardson for stepping in, and he said: "I would like to make clear that my number one priority is league survival.

"I shall be working with the management team (Colin Lee and Keith Curle) in order that we achieve safety.

"My number two priority is to financially stabilise Torquay United Football Club. This will undoubtedly involve my injecting of funds, which I will readily do.

"It is not my intention to hold an inquest into what has gone on in the past. It's vital we put the past behind us and that we treat the remaining 10 matches as the most important games in the club's existence."

Speaking at a press conference at Plainmoor on 8 March, he added: "I think we're all sick of all the changes that have been going on. We've played the game of musical chairmen and that didn't go down too well.

United director of football Colin Lee (Getty)

"I'm here to give the club some stability and we've got the old board back. We know the club inside out. Let's get some common sense back in, and let's get everyone coming in to work with a smile on their face."

Torquay United Holdings still own 34% of shares, and Mr Bateson said: "There are one or two people insistent on being paid and we'll have to get them out of the way.

"I'm going to have to dip my hands into my pockets."

He said money would be available for players - "within reason" - and he believes United can stave off relegation: "It's a perilous situation but we have been in worse situations before."

Mr Bateson has stayed away from games since handing over the chairmanship in October, but he admitted it had been frustrating to watch from the sidelines.

"I need this like Quasimodo needs an extra hump," he said. "But in the past two months I've had more anguish connected to Torquay United than with all my time with the club put together.

"God knows what the supporters are thinking.

"It occurred to me that they're missing out a four-letter word, these people who've been dealing with the club - and that's the word 'club.'

"It's not a football to be kicked around for whatever reasons by various people. It means a lot to those who are involved and it means an awful lot to the supporters. And I've seen it treated pretty badly in the last few months."

Mr Bateson has brought in a 'Hello Again' offer for supporters, with reduced ticket prices for the home game against Wycombe.

"Let's turn out in full and give vocal support to the management and players," he said.