TORQUAY UNITED are poised to re-sign their former striker Martin Gritton, and he could well appear in tonight's Plainmoor friendly against his old club Plymouth Argyle (7.45pm).

Gritton, 32, is believed to be returning to United initially on an extended loan deal from League Two rivals Chesterfield.

His current contract with the Spireites still has another year to run.

They paid Macclesfield a reported £40,000 for him 18 months ago.

Gritton, 6ft 1in tall, was high on United manager Paul Buckle's list of possible targets, should he lose last season's loan striker Scott Rendell this summer.

With Rendell recently being sold by Peterborough to Wycombe, Buckle stepped up his interest in the Glasgow-born player.

"Martin is an experienced player who I think will benefit from joining us at this moment in his career," said Buckle.

"He can also do a good job for us, because he is a different sort of player to the other strikers here.

"He's good technically, he's mobile, a good finisher and he's decent in the air."

Gritton's family moved to Cornwall when he was a teenager, and Argyle spotted him playing in the South Western League.

Despite scoring eight goals from 17 starts at Home Park, he was never a first-team regular.

He moved to United, at first on loan in 2002 and then permanently.

He formed a potent partnership with David Graham for a while — he scored 16 goals and Graham 15 during the 2002-2003 season.

He was a valuable alternative to first-choice strikers Graham and Jo Kuffour in the squad which won automatic promotion under Leroy Rosenior in 2003-2004.

Eventually, after scoring 26 goals in 78 starts (22subs) for the Gulls, he was sold to Grimsby Town for a small fee midway through the 2004-2005 season.

He has since played for Lincoln, Mansfield on loan, Macclesfield and Chesterfield, putting together a career record of 71 goals in 223 starts (126subs).

He fell out of favour with Chesterfield manager John Sheridan last season, but was a regular scorer for their reserves.

Whether he starts against Plymouth tonight remains to be seen, for Buckle is keen to give his less experienced players plenty of 'air time' at the moment.

"I want some of the younger players to start," he said.

In that bracket, Buckle includes wingers Saul Halpin and Lloyd Macklin, midfielder Eunan O'Kane and striker Billy Kee, fresh from his hat-trick at Weymouth on Saturday.

"We have eight friendlies this summer, plus a closed-doors game against Exeter City, which is a deliberate decision," said the Gulls' boss.

"Fitness work is fine and very important, of course, but the plan is to bring the players up to the level required as much through playing games.

"Playing Plymouth will be a big jump from the Weymouth game.

"They are always good friendlies against Argyle, played in the right manner.

"The quality that Plymouth possess will push our players, which is what we want."

United have no injury worries at the moment.

League One Argyle, under new manager Peter Reid, also opened their pre-season programme on Saturday, with a 2-0 win at Truro City.

Midfielder Yannick Bolasie and striker Steve MacLean, who looked set for a move back to Scotland at the end of last season, scored the goals at Treyew Road.

Amid the usual barrage of substitutions, Argyle took off defender Kari Arnason and midfielder Jim Paterson because of injury concerns, but both should be fit to play tonight.

Reid is also giving a trial to Bermudan international goalkeeper Freddy Hall, who has been earning rave reviews on the US college circuit.

With players like MacLean, Joe Mason, new signing Rory Patterson and pacy wingers Bolasie and Craig Noone around, United's defenders should be in for a busy hour and a half.

But United are not without inventive young players of their own — Kee, O'Kane, Halpin and Danny Stevens have all impressed so far — and the Plainmoor crowd should be in for an entertaining evening.

In a busy week, the Gulls also play Bovey Tracey away tomorrow night (7.15pm, before returning to Plainmoor to take on Queen's Park Rangers on Friday (7.30pm).

Before tonight's kick-off United are expected to hold a minute's silence for the late Paul Bristow, the club's vice-chairman who died recently.

Another tribute is being planned for the first league match against Northampton Town on August 7.

FORMER Rochdale, Carlisle, Preston and Shrewsbury manager Paul Simpson has been appointed as the new boss of relegated League Two club Stockport County.