Tim Sills on management, Torquay United and Weymouth

You may clash trolleys with a former schoolmate in the supermarket, get your barnet chopped in the barber’s seat next to an ex-colleague or maybe exchange glances with an old flame walking down the high street.

But in the world of football, reuniting with days gone by can take a little longer.

In Tim Sills’ case, two of his former employers have played on his New Cuthbury doorstep this season.

The former Torquay United and Weymouth striker has had the distinction of managing Wimborne Town in cup competitions against both of his previous clubs.

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He has experienced varying success as the Gulls of Torquay claimed a 3-0 victory in the FA Cup before an under-strength Weymouth were thrashed 8-1 in the Dorset Senior Cup on Tuesday.

For Sills, both games presented him with the opportunity to reminisce upon his playing days at Plainmoor and the Bob Lucas Stadium.

Inevitably, his mind took him back to when he first signed for Weymouth, back in 2014.

“When the opportunity came up, I remember being in the car with Jason Matthews’ dulcet tones coming through the Bluetooth,” he told Echosport.

“It was an opportunity I was always going to jump at because of the size of the club and the times I’ve played against them at Weymouth and realised the potential it had, especially being Southern Premier at the time.

“I knew it was well supported and so, it was one of those. Obviously, a player in the first season and assistant-manager in the second season.

“Disappointment in the end really in the fact that we didn’t get promotion in those two seasons, having got so close to the play-offs. It was a lottery after that.

“I really enjoyed my time there, it was just a shame we couldn’t get the cherry on the cake. A couple of Dorset Senior Cups but not the big prize.”

Sills would go on to score 14 goals in 71 games for the Terras and, during his two seasons with Weymouth, played a pivotal role in the county cup, especially in the 2015/16 campaign.

Tim Sills won 47% of his games at Weymouth (Image: DORSET ECHO)

First, he scored against arch-rivals Dorchester in the semi-final, before grabbing a brace in a 2-1 victory against Gillingham in the final.

And it is his respect for this competition that led him to field a competitive side against Weymouth, who were always intent on deploying their under-23s.

But how did it feel coming up against a former club for the second time this season?

“This competition we always did quite well in, I did quite well in it personally as well,” he said.

“I remember scoring a couple in the final against Gillingham and scoring a decent goal against Dorchester in the semi-final.

“It holds good memories in that respect. It’s always going to be strange coming up against a former team. I’ve done it with Torquay so far this year.

“It’s different when you’re on the sideline and you’re not affecting the game as it goes on.

“It’s one of those you’ve just got to get on with and focus on your own team.”

Sills’ exploits as a manager have generated huge interest on the south coast so far, and he is showing no sign of letting up.

In 2021/22, he won the Wessex League Premier title with Hamworthy United and was a penalty shootout away from reaching Wembley in the FA Vase, only for Newport Pagnell to wreck the Hammers’ dreams 6-5 on spot-kicks following a 1-1 draw.

Wimborne came calling in 2022 and, after losing the play-offs last season, Sills has piloted the Magpies to the top of the Southern League Division One South table in the current term.

But would promotion to Step 3 be enough, or could there be a bigger prize in store for Sills?

A cursory glance at his former stomping ground Torquay reveals a manager under intense pressure in Gary Johnson, who has received vitriolic abuse from Gulls fans in recent weeks.

So, how about chucking his name in the hat if the Torquay job came up?

“Phwoar, that’s a question! It’s one where here I’m more than happy (at Wimborne). There’s so much potential at the club,” he insisted.

“Torquay is all over the place in terms of the engagement with the fans and the ownership that seems to be not very trusted at the moment.

“Obviously, the manager’s not having a great time. It’s a tough place to be at the moment, whereas here everything’s on the up.

“Crowds are on the up and we’re hoping we’re going to start moving the club up through the levels as well.

“At the moment, I’m more than happy and can’t see myself leaving unless it would be an absolute dream job that came up. I’m not thinking of anything else other than promotion here.”

Moving to a club like Torquay would present him with his first full-time management role, something Sills is keen to progress to.

“Yeah, why not? If I was ever going to move on from here, or take this club to where it should be, then we’ll be looking at a full-time role next, if that was the case,” he explained.

“But then I’m also very clear on the fact that it only takes six or seven games of a bad run and then all of a sudden you’re looking in the other direction.

“So, you’ve got to be very philosophical as a manager. Yes, I’m ambitious for Wimborne and myself but you’ve got to not take your eye off the ball and make sure you’re performing week in, week out.”

Having already stalked the touchlines at the Bob Lucas as assistant in 2015/16, Sills would also not be averse to managing Weymouth one day.

Tim Sills playing for Weymouth during his stint at the Terras between 2014 and 2016 (Image: FINNBARR WEBSTER)

However, he reiterated his commitment to Wimborne and the belief in their project when faced with the question.

Sills said: “Again, it’s one of those. It’s a local one, a big club, but for me it’s hard to look beyond these four walls just with the rise and where it could go, the potential it’s got.

“I’m just excited to be on the journey here.”

And so it’s full steam ahead with the Magpies, who currently have a one-point advantage over Frome at the top of the standings, plus a game in hand.

However, talk of the league title is premature, for now at least, in Sills’ eyes.

“We’ve put ourselves in a good position,” he added. “The league is ridiculously competitive from top to bottom.

“You look at some of the results week in, week out, where you’ve got teams that are struggling who go on a little run and start beating the teams at the top.

“It’s just about maintaining consistency. There are three or four teams at the top who’ve done that all season.

“It makes for a real exciting business end, every game is crucial. It’s just about trying to maintain that consistency, our standards and maybe add one or two, freshen up the squad if we can.

“That’s important, especially as you go towards that latter end of the season. We’re confident we can do it but we know we’re going to have to fight for every ball, every game and every point.”

If Sills can add a second league title in three years to his CV, he may find himself in high demand from a host of local clubs.

Whether at Wimborne he bumps into any more old friends remains to be seen, but if he continues to impress on the touchline he may find those fleeting moments become a little more permanent in future.