Netflix to recreate famous day when Bryn the dog saved Torquay United from relegation

It still bristles with Jim McNichol that his long and successful career (Ipswich Town, Luton Town, Brentford, Exeter City, Torquay United) will forever be remembered for what happened on one day – May 9, 1987 – at Plainmoor and his painful encounter with a police dog called Bryn.

Bryn is no more, of course, and McNichol has been landlord of Ashburton’s Exeter Inn since he retired from playing more than 20 years ago.

But now a New York-based production company is doing the groundwork for a documentary about that famous day which has slipped into Plainmoor legend. Even Gulls fans who are much too young to have been there know the gist of it.

On the last day of the 1986-87 season, with first-ever automatic relegation staring the Gulls in the face, right-back McNichol first hauled them back into the game against Crewe Alexandra with a goal just after half-time (1-2).

Then, with nine minutes to go and after United boss Stuart Morgan had made his only permitted substitution, McNichol went to clear the ball in front of the Popular Side, where alsatian Bryn was patrolling because of a mini-pitch invasion after McNichol had scored.

Bryn thought that McNichol was a threat to his handler John Harris, whipped round and sunk his teeth deep into Jim's thigh.

The Scot was not about to let United try to save themselves with 10 men, so he limped on after four minutes of treatment time while physio Alan Morris bound up his injury.

It was in the 93rd minute when striker Paul Dobson pounced on a mistake in the Crewe defence and equalised.