February 2022 (Page 6)

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Portsmouth teenage midfielder Alfie Bridgman has been training with Yeovil Town ahead of a possible loan move, according to reports on the South Coast.

The Portsmouth News has reported that the 17-year-old, who made his first-team debut last season and has appeared just once this year, spent last week training with the Glovers ahead of a move.

Alfie Bridgman. Credit: portsmouth.co.uk

The report suggests his parent club require him for their Hampshire Senior Cup tie away at AFC Stoneham on Tuesday night, a game they won on penalties after a late equaliser cancelled out the midfielder’s “classy first half finish“.

The report suggests he turned in an “eye-catching performance” under the gaze of Pompey first team manager Danny Cowley, whose side’s next county cup fixture is not until February 23 when they visit Farnborough Town.

If keeping Bridgman closer to home to meet the demands of this competition were the reason for delaying a loan move, it would seem a deal could be wrapped up sooner rather than later.

He made his debut as a substitute in a 5-1 defeat at Peterborough United in the Papa John’s Trophy last January

This season, the youngster came on as a late substitute a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace Under-21s in the same competition back in November.

The Portsmouth News reports his two-year scholarship at Fratton Park ends this summer, with the youngsters waiting to learn whether they have futures with the club.

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Yeovil Town 2 Hartlepool 0 – Saturday 7th January 2006

In 2005/06, following two promotions in three years, it took some time for Yeovil to adjust to life in League One – it was a big step up in quality, and the team which scored over 100 goals and only failed to hit the target in three league games in 2004/05 was finding defences much more solid and difficult to break down. Yeovil only scored one goal in their first four games – from a defender, Kevin Amankwaah – and it took until Hartlepool away in September to register their first win, a scrappy 1-0 thanks to new signing Pablo Bastianini. Despite the difficult start and the loss of Gary Johnson after 11 games to Bristol City, as the games progressed the team did gain confidence under Steve Thompson and start to drag their way up the table. Thommo’s Yeovil won 13 points from his first 6 games in charge, including impressive wins over Swansea, Scunthorpe and a 3-0 stuffing of Nottingham Forest. The Glovers gradually moved up to mid-table and even once or twice were in a position to potentially think about playoffs.

The Christmas period was a mixed bag, with decent wins against Barnsley and Doncaster, a 4-1 hiding at Tranmere and a slightly disappointing draw in the first ever league tie against Bristol City, given they had lost nine in a row and had been bottom of the table in December. Following a decent 1-0 win at Doncaster, the Glovers welcomed Hartlepool to Huish Park, who were despatched 2-0 with both goals coming from Phil Jevons, the first an overhead scissor-kick following an impressive run from Kevin Amankwaah, who had been one of the most consistent performers in the first part of the season, and one of those who seemed most at home at his new level.

The win took Yeovil up to 10th, with 36 points from 27 games and seemingly any fears of relegation behind them. However, a takeover was happening behind the scenes, and everything was about to change. Former manager David Webb became the new owner, purchasing the majority of shares from Jon Goddard-Watts. Webb immediately set about reducing the budget despite the crowds being around 6,500, even higher than League Two and increased revenue in the previous two seasons from two significant FA Cup runs including televised matches. Yeovil started to sell their assets, with Darren Way sold to Swansea for £150,000, and Lee Johnson to Hearts for the criminal sum of £50,000. The two players who had been ever-present from 2001-2005 and were the heartbeat of the team, left the club within days of each other. Efe Sodje was also sold, to Southend, and more would depart at the end of the season.

Hartlepool would be Lee Johnson’s last game for Yeovil, after around 4.5 years, 230 appearances, 28 goals, 80 assists and two promotions. He had settled in well at League One – going on to play around 130 times in the Championship for Bristol City – and appeared to be playing with more freedom once Gary Johnson was no longer the manager. He was ever-present from the moment he arrived to the day he left, playing around 50 games a season aside from the occasional suspension. His usual midfield partner Darren Way had been out of the team for part of 2005/06 due to injury, and last played in November 2005 against his future club Swansea. 18-year old Chris Cohen had already come in on loan from West Ham to cover for Way and was an instant hit but Anthony Barry, signed from Accrington to replace Johnson, only played a few games before sustaining a horrific injury against Chesterfield and missing the rest of the season. In also came Daniel Webb who, being signed from non-league Weymouth, did not appear to be a League One striker. In two years at the club, he made ten substitute appearances, making no starts and scoring no goals before dropping back into non-league, where he failed to hold down a first team place at Isthmian League AFC Wimbledon.

As soon as those key players were sold, results began to suffer. After Hartlepool, which was Lee Johnson’s last game, there followed a run of only two wins in 13 games, as Yeovil slid down to 20th and relegation suddenly became a real possibility again. A vital 3-0 win at Chesterfield halted the slide despite major injuries to Anthony Barry and on-loan Tommy Doherty, and another crucial win at struggling Walsall in March gave the Glovers hope. Still hovering around 20th, a late rally with victories against Gillingham and a surprise away win at Huddersfield courtesy of another Phil Jevons brace, was just enough to see the Glovers safe and finish the season in the dizzy heights of 16th, six points clear of relegation.

The departures did not end there, as the playing budget was cut further and more players were sold or allowed to leave for nothing. At the end of the season Phil Jevons and Chris Weale both left on free transfers to re-join Gary Johnson at Bristol City. Amankwaah was sold to Swansea for £250,000. There was not much sign of the proceeds of these sales being put back into the team, except for the absolute steal of making Chris Cohen a permanent signing from West Ham for around £90,000. New manager Russell Slade saw his playing squad reduced from over 20 to around 16 as a revolving door of loan players became the new recruitment policy. Fortunately, Slade proved himself able to work with a small budget as he had done at his previous clubs, and also a canny mover in the transfer market, bringing in players such as Marcus Stewart, Lee Morris and Leon Best. Despite the apparent decrease in resources, Yeovil were able to stabilise in League One for several years and even get to the playoff final in 2006/07, very much against the odds. In the summer of 2006, Webb sold his shares to John Fry who became the owner after many years as Chairman.

At the start of the 2005/06 season, nine players in the Yeovil squad had been at the club since the Conference days. By the start of the following season, only Skiverton and Lindegaard remained. By the start of 2007/08, only Skiverton and Guyett remained of the team who had won League Two just two years earlier.

Team that day: Steve Collis, Kevin Amankwaah (sub. Andy Lindegaard 35), Nathan Jones, Terry Skiverton, Scott Guyett, Chris Cohen, Lee Johnson, Paul Terry, David Poole (sub. Arron Davies 85), Matt Harrold, Phil Jevons (sub. Kevin Gall 86). Subs not used: Chris Weale, Luke Oliver

 

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The Yeovil Town Under-18s team from its Elite Player Development Programme (EPDP) made it through to the quarter-finals of the British Colleges Knock-Out Cup.

The young Glovers beat Merthyr College from South Wales 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out following a 1-1 draw salvaged by a late equaliser from Charlie Bateson.

The EPDP is run in partnership with Yeovil College.

The shoot-out success follows a 1-1 draw at Bridgwater United Under-18s in the South West Counties Youth League last weekend when Benjani Junior was on target.

They are back in action this weekend with a home match against Paulton Rovers at the Alvington Playing Fields on Saturday (10.30am kick-off).

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Yeovil Line Up vs Weymouth

Yeovil Town have the fourth worst goal scoring record in the National League this season. Not one of our 26 matches so far this season has seen more than three goals scored.

As of Wednesday, February 9, our record against the current bottom six, reads: Played 6, Won 0, Drawn 4, Lost 2.

We need some goals. So if Glovers manager Darren Sarll has quite a lot on his plate taking on multiple roles, I thought I’d step up to the scouting department and do my bit.

Following the 2-1 defeat to Wealdstone Sarll said he would ‘ask the question’ to try and get a ‘spike’ or a ‘character’ onto the pitch.

So I got out the notepad and pen, headed off to the ‘Free Agent’ section of Transfermarkt, set the filters to ‘has boots, will travel, play for little, has hit cows arse with banjo at least once’ and had a scroll…

It wasn’t all 45 year old washed up nobodies, there were even some names I’d heard of.

I’ve tried to be realistic, assume we have a maybe a couple quid and an out of date bovril to pay a player from the Joe Quigley sale and here’s who I have found.

We will start with former Tottenham, Morecambe and YEOVIL TOWN striker, Shayon Harrison.

Shayon Harrison in one of the 15 appearances he made in 2017. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Remember him? His one contribution as a very young loanee from Spurs was one of the goals in *that* 3-3 draw with Exeter back in 2017 (shudders)

He was released from his Morecambe contract at the end of last month having only played a few games for them and you’d assume would be open to offers on a short term basis.

He at least knows the area, knows what to expect and can probably take a short term deal knowing he wouldn’t be confined to deepest, darkest Somerset forever.

Next up a young lad by the name of Brandon Barker, a one time Man City youth prospect who spent a short stint on loan at Oxford from SPL champions Rangers last season and did score a few goals.

He has represented England at youth levels and has been let go of his deal from Rangers on the final day of January presumably to allow easier access to other deals either North or South of the border.

Yes, Yeovil is a LONG way from Glasgow, but how about it for 3 months, make a name for yourself and alert a few EFL clubs for the new season?

Ok, this next one is very much pie in the sky, but you know, I’m straw clutching.

Remember Jerome Sinclair? All the talent in the world as a youngster at Liverpool and Watford and was meant to be destined for greatness.

But, unless ‘Greatness’ is a small suburban area just outside of the Bulgarian city of Sofia where he was last seen on loan in 2021, it never really happened.

Of course, at just 25, he’s probably setting his sights much higher than the middle of the National League, but he and Sarll would have crossed paths at Watford as he bounced around between the first team and reserves… fancy doing your old gaffer a favour, Jerome?

Hylton and Yussuf ? TomKingPhotography

And finally, Jermaine Hylton is on the list, only 28, plenty of games (and not a shabby amount of goals) at the likes of Motherwell, Ross County and Solihull Moors

He was released from his deal at Newport earlier this year and needs a new club.

Rewind back to 2018/19 he and a certain Adi Yussuf scored nearly 30 goals between them for Solihull as they finished in the National League play-offs, have a word Adi, get the band back together!

There are forwards out there, and of course I know it seems the money has run dry and the questions the Manager refers to seemingly never get answered the way he’d like, but I enjoyed the process of seeing what is out there, even if nothing really comes of it.

…and don’t worry Darren, I don’t charge scouting fees.

 

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Yeovil Town slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Wealdstone on Tuesday night. Darren Sarll said he was ‘angry and frustrated’, Josh Staunton said the team had ‘let everyone down’. The Gloverscast has asked one of BBC Somerset’s finest co-commentators, Marcus Duncomb what he thought… here are his Five Conclusions.

Reuben Reid. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

We could really do with some more goals. This one is somewhat obvious but it’s the main thing which is holding us back. In our 26 league games this season, we’ve only managed to score more than one goal in six games – the last time we did so was away at Wrexham in November. While it’s all well and good having a solid defence (not last night mind you…), you cannot rely on scoring one goal a game to win you matches. The more concerning factor is that it wasn’t like we had missed opportunities against Wealdstone. Reuben Reid was fairly ineffective and his replacement Adi Yussuf had a similar impact on the game. I heard there’s a striker Chesterfield have just signed who they don’t seem to be starting – wonder if they’re willing to loan him out yet?

I wonder if it might be time to start playing some full-backs. Morgan Williams has been one of our most consistent performers this season but, through no fault of his own, I wonder if we need to begin playing a back four of two centre-backs and two full backs rather than three centre-backs and one full-back. When we’re defending a lead or trying to keep a clean sheet, Williams is perfect for that role. Similarly when playing against a big side, you can see why Sarll puts him at full-back. However, when chasing an equaliser and struggling to create chances (as has been the case more often recently), I think it’s worth having a natural full-back there who can take on players and put quality balls into the box.

Lawson D’Ath. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz

We needed a playmaker to unlock Wealdstone’s defence. Throughout the game, as soon as we brought the ball to the halfway line, Wealdstone’s back five would drop deep onto the edge of their penalty area and their midfield trio would be just in front. At this point our midfield would pass it around and be unable to find that crucial pass. Sarll has said previously that it doesn’t suit his side to have more of the ball and that was evident last night. I think we missed someone like D’Ath last night to orchestrate play for us.

Defensive errors are starting to creep into this team. When a team is built on its defensive stability and ability to win games by not conceding, there can be no room for errors. We saw it with the goal we conceded against Weymouth and both goals against Wealdstone were really poor goals to concede. If you concede goals like those then you have to go up the other end and make amends by scoring a few. Unfortunately, this team never looked like doing so and the only way we scored was by being gifted a penalty.

Finally, and this isn’t exactly a revelation, but we are mid-table team. Before the season I think pretty much everyone predicted a mid-table finish this season. The pre-Christmas run gave us some great memories and away days, but what it also gave fans was a tiny glimmer of hope to sneak into the play-offs. Sarll said during that period that his players were playing at levels much higher than they should and that fans need to manage expectations. Unfortunately, the way of mid-table is that if you go on a good run, you should expect it to be balanced out by a not so good run later on and that is exactly what has happened this season.

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Yeovil Town captain Josh Staunton.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town midfielder, Josh Staunton spoke to the club’s YouTube channel after the defeat to Wealdstone saying the game was a “really hard one to look back on“.

Staunton was speaking to club media manager Sam Collard after the game and admitted it’ll take some time to get over a defeat of that nature.

He said: “We looked completely disjointed probably from start to finish, the goals were very bad timing for us, we found ourselves in the game, but we weren’t playing well, we had no harmony”

“Second half, we mounted and effort, but to be honest, we let everyone down.”

Speaking out conceding just before the half time interval, Staunton said they had no one other to blame but themselves.

He said: “We were probably the masters of our own downfall, we were guilty for the two goals we conceded were poor goals and to be honest, they just summed the performance up.”

Looking forward, he admitted that it won’t be easy, but that the team knew what they had to do as they prepare for a trip to Eastleigh on Saturday.

Staunton added: “This will be a hard one to let go, because we were so devoid of any flow or creative spark, it makes it very difficult to galvanise a group… we’ve got to focus on the next one and hopefully we can move on from this, find some sort of flow, some sort of rhythm to our play and push forward.”

 

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll told BBC Somerset he is dealing with a lot of “anger” and “frustration” following his side’s 2-1 defeat away at Wealdstone.

Speaking directly after the final whistle, the boss gave a frank and honest interview on how he saw the game.

He said: “(I’m) very disappointed for our travelling supporters, because they’ve come so far tonight, I think it’s very hard for any coach to defend any performance when the fundamentals of any game are not met and we had a unique habit of just giving the ball away.”

Sarll said on a couple different occasions that he felt his side played too many long passes and failed to show their optimum level of technical ability.

“Two of the worst goals (to concede) I’ve ever seen, by the way, and then you chase – and we’re not a great team at having a lot of the ball and creating lots of chances, we haven’t got a lot of creativity or that individual ability in the final part of the game to do something out of the ordinary, it’s an indefensible performance in my eyes”

Sarll said he’s left his players know in no uncertain terms how he felt, and said he was frustrated at his sides couldn’t figure out how to break down an ever increasingly defensive host.

“We did our absolutle best to take any momentum out of the game after that (Dale Gorman’s goal), we went from scoring goal – a bit of a razz – there was a bit of a melee and then we did our best to have a goal kick, which we will kick again on their head, then we give away a throw and not defend that properly and then we will give away a free kick where we are trying to fight and jostle our way back into the game… they take the sting out of the game”

There was praise for the introduction of Sonny Blu Lo Everton, but the manager highlighted the absence of Lawson D’ath who he did want to “break” with so many games in quick succession but he reiterated that he needed to find reinforcements on and off the pitch.

Sarll said: “This needs a spike in the changing room, it needs some characters, it needs some players, I’ll ask the question because it does need some freshness in there.

“I think some of the young ones are being worn down by a campaign, some of them are at the 25/26 game mark where they probably haven’t been before.”

“I definitely need to look at the structure of the coaching staff, who and how we replenish the position left by Terry (Skiverton) because I think that can be a big one at times”

Yeovil Town will hope to have a “spike” or two added before the away game at Eastleigh on Saturday.

 

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Venue: Grosvenor Vale
Tuesday, February 8th, 7.45pm kick-off

Conditions: Dry and still
Pitch: A bit thin in places and a bit of a slope

Attendance: 1,175 (135 away supporters)

Scorers: Josh Umerah 38 (0-1), Nikola Tavares 43 (0-2), Dale Gorman pen 62 (1-2)

Referee: Aji Ajibola

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Williams 77, Wilkinson 85
Wealdstone: Wickens 63,

Sending off: 


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Grant Smith

Morgan Williams (for Alex Bradley, 78) Luke Wilkinson Ben Barclay Jack Robinson

Matt Worthington (for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 57) Josh Staunton Dale Gorman

Charlie Wakefield Reuben Reid (for Adi Yussuf, 57) Tom Knowles

Substitutes: Max Evans, Alex Bradley, Toby Stephens Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Adi Yussuf.

Wealdstone: Wickens, McAvoy, Cook, Okimo, Tavares, Mascoll (for Mundle-Smith, 73), Ferguson, Henry, Elito (for Browne, 82), Umerah, Jackson (for Cooper, 64).
Substitutes: Browne, Sesay, Dyer, Mundle-Smith, Cooper.

Match Report

Shoddy defending and a lack of goal threat saw Yeovil Town‘s awful form against the National League’s lower ranked sides Wealdstone.

The performance lacked the energy which has characterised many performances this season, whilst their part-time opponents displayed it and got themselves 2-0 ahead at half-time.

A penalty kick from Dale Gorman gave the visitors almost half-an-hour to salvage some respectability from the performance but our powder puff attacking play let us down yet again.

 

First half

Reuben Reid was brought in as part of a front three supported by Tom Knowles and ex-Stones’ man Charlie Wakefield in place of Jordan Barnett, who missed out with an ankle injury which saw him go off in Saturday’s goalless draw with Solihull Moors.

The other change saw Jack Robinson replace Mark Little, who played 76 minutes at the weekend as he continues his recovery from foot surgery, with the Middlesbrough loanee in at left-back with  Morgan Williams coming on the right side.

It was an end-to-end start with the home side starting the fastest. The speedy Ira Jackson which Grant Smith in the visitors’ goal had to turn over after six minutes, and five minutes later a poor goal kick from the stopper landed to Josh Umerah whose shot well blocked by Williams.

The first meaningful effort for the visitors fell to Wakefield who twisted and turned and unleashed a shot which Fulham loan keeper George Wickens did well to keep out.

On 21 minutes, Yeovil had the ball in the net when Dale Gorman surprised us all by floating a ball in (rather than his trademark shot) and he effort was well turned home by Josh Staunton whose run was mistimed and the flag was raised against him.

Knowles had an effort stopped by Wickens soon after and if the either side could finish a chance, this could have been a lot more entertaining. Give us Kabongo Tshimanga and we could be top – honest!

The big difference with this first half performance from Yeovil was that defensively we looked wobbly against one of the few teams who have scored less than us this season.

But, out of nothing, the shot from Jackson was partly blocked by Ben Barclay and despite that taking the sting out of the ball, Josh UMERAH was quickest to get in front of Luke Wilkinson and the ball to stab it home. 1-0 to the home side on 38 minutes.

Then four minutes later it was 2-0 through more shambolic defending, this time from a corner. Aaron Henry’s ball found its way to the back post and, whilst the visitors’ defence were statuesque and it landed at the feet of Nikola TAVARES.

We’ve been told that our lack of goals means we cannot afford to make mistakes, but there’s two we’ve made. Ugh.

Half time: Wealdstone 2 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

A high, wide and not so handsome effort from Gorman and a 20-yard shot from Knowles were as near as the visitors got to testing Wickens in the hosts goal.

But, in an attempt to change the game, Darren Sarll introduced Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, who spent the end of last season with Wealdstone, and Adi Yussuf in place of Matt Worthington and Reid.

Dale Gorman scored the visitors only goal from the penalty spot.
Credit: Weymouth Flickr

It seemed that something had to come from nowhere for Yeovil and on 62 minutes it did. Gorman appeared to be going nowhere inside the box and he was brought down and GORMAN stepped up to coolly slot home the penalty. 2-1.

You would have hoped that would have put the visitors’ tails up, but unfortunately it did not seem to spark much of a reaction.

In the final 30 minutes, the biggest problem for Yeovil seemed to be getting the ball off their hosts with the next biggest problem doing anything with it when they got it.

It took until ten minutes from time for either side to fashion a chance. Initially Umerah had a shot blocked for the home side and then the game swung to the other end where Knowles and Gorman both had efforts before the ball broke to Robinson whose effort went wide.

Former Glovers’ winger Rhys Browne, on as a substitute, nearly added the old boy’s curse to the indignity already felt by his old employers but one effort crept just the wrong side of the post and then was denied by a good save from Smith.

The result in one of our games in hand over those in the top half of the table was yet another missed opportunity for the Glovers.

We remain in 12th place in the National League, ten points off the play-off places and 19 points off W*ymouth who occupy the division’s last relegation spot.

Full time: Wealdstone 2 Yeovil Town 1

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Reuben Reid. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Reuben Reid is given his first National League start of the season for Yeovil Town‘s trip to Wealdstone tonight (7.45pm kick-off).

The striker takes the place of Jordan Barnett who is missing from the squad having gone off with an ankle injury in the 0-0 draw with Solihull Moors at the weekend.

But, there is also no place in the squad for Mark Little with Morgan Williams presumably slotting in at right-back with Jack Robinson coming in on the left.

Lawson D’Ath, who played 70 minutes on Saturday, is not in the squad for the trip to Grosvenor Vale.

 

Yeovil Town: Grant Smith, Morgan Williams, Ben Barclay, Luke Wilkinson, Jack Robinson, Josh Staunton, Dale Gorman, Matt Worthington, Tom Knowles, Reuben Reid, Charlie Wakefield.
Substitutes: Max Evans,  Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Toby Stephens, Reuben Reid.

 

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It has been ten days since Wealdstone kicked a ball in National League anger.

A 2-1 defeat from a long trip to Grimsby Town the weekend before last was their last outing, making it seven defeats in their last nine matches.

For context, those losses have come against some of the division’s toughest oop
with home defeats to $tockport County and FC Halifax Town and losses on the road at Bromley, Boreham Wood and….errr….Woking.

There was also a loss in the FA Trophy away at Needham Market – and we’ve all been there right?!

The points they have picked up have come from a creditable home draw with Notts County and a 2-1 win at home to bottom club Dover Athletic .

Defender Connor Stevens scored our hosts’ winner in that victory, but his form this season saw him join Boreham Wood and make his debut in his new club’s FA Cup giant-killing at AFC Bournemouth at the weekend.

Forward Craig Fasanmade is the other departure since the Stones’ last outing. He joined Hemel Hempstead Town where he had previously been on loan.

But, boss Stuart Maynard has been able to recruit with midfielder Nathan Ferguson joining from National League rivals Southend United, and teenager Aaron Henry coming in on a one-month loan deal from League One side Charlton Athletic.

Ferguson has already tasted success against Yeovil this season having come on as a second half substitute against the Glovers in Southend’s 2-1 win last month.

FROM THE MANAGER

Wealdstone manager Stuart Maynard is hoping the conditions of a midweek match can work in his side’s favour against Yeovil Town.

The Stones have a decent record under the floodlights having only lost twice in midweek, away at Notts County and in their last midweek outing at home to Boreham Wood.

At Grosvenor Vale, they have beaten Grimsby and Dover and drawn with Solihull Moors.

Maynard said: “We try and move the ball quickly and in the day games the pitches can be a bit dry, we don’t have the sprinkler systems set up that other clubs have.

“On a Tuesday, you have a bit of dew and it makes the game higher tempo.

“I know the fans get frustrated about use going round the back, we don’t want to do that slowly, we want to do that quickly to open up an overload against the opposition.

“But at times when the pitch is a bit sticky, the ball travels a bit slower and it allows the opposition to get a bit closer.

“That has probably been the main differences between a Saturday and a Tuesday, that tempo of the game.”

 

TEAM NEWS

New signings Nathan Ferguson and Aaron Henry are both in line for their Wealdstone debuts having joined since the Stones’ last outing at Grimsby Town ten days ago.

Midfielder Ferguson has joined from National League rivals Southend United whilst Henry is on a one-month loan deal from Terry Skiverton’s Charlton Athletic – that’s what they call themselves these days, right?

There is a possibility of a return to fitness for former Glovers winger Rhys Browne making a comeback having been out since the end of November with an ankle injury.

Injured defensive pair Jack Cook and Nikola Tavares will have both benefited from the gap in fixtures and could be in contention, but defensive colleague Andrew Eleftheriou is a long-term absentee.

FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS

There will be two very familiar faces in the Yeovil Town squad which arrives at Wealdstone in the form of forwards Charlie Wakefield and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton.

The pair were both on the books at Grosvenor Vale last season with Wakefield starting the season with the Stones with Wakefield playing – and getting booked – in the 2-2 draw at Huish Park at the start of last season.

He departed for full-time football with Bromley last January before being released at the end of the campaign.

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in action for Wealdstone against Yeovil Town last season.

Sonny played ten times for Wealdstone on loan from his parent club Watford including as an 18th-minute substitute following an injury in Yeovil’s 2-0 win in London last May.

For the hosts, winger Rhys Browne could make it back after two months out with an ankle injury tonight. He played more than 60 times in two years at Huish Park before joining Port Vale in the summer of 2019.

His father, Steve Browne, is another connection having had two spells at both clubs. In green and white he was part of the side which won promotion back to the then-GM Vauxhall Conference under Graham Roberts in 1996-97. In 2017, Steve sadly died after a battle with bowel cancer. He was just 52.

However, the strongest links to these two clubs date back to the late 1980s and early 1990s when Brian Hall was manager at both clubs, bringing a number of players with him.

Hall had led the Stones to the Conference and FA Trophy double in 1985 before taking the move to Huish in January 1987 where he picked up a Yeovil side in the game’s sixth tier.

A team photograph from 1988 showing Brian Hall’s Yeovil Town with a plethora of former Wealdstone players features in the matchday programme for tonight’s game.

The Glovers were beaten to promotion back to the Conference by Wycombe Wanderers in 1987, but won promotion back in Hall’s first full season, switching places with Wealdstone who came down that year.

The success of Yeovil and the demise of Wealdstone was down in no small part to Hall attracting a number of players to join him in Somerset.

Central defenders Neil Cordice and Steve Rutter, the latter who would go on to manage the Glovers, made the move along with full-back Tiv Lowe, Steve Tapley, goalkeeper Bob Iles, and midfielders Gary Donnellan and Andy Wallace.

Hall was sacked after four years and replaced with Clive Whitehead who had an unsuccessful six-month spell before being replaced by Rutter, who was one of a number of ex-Stones who remained in Somerset.

When Rutter left in 1993 his eventual replacement was Hall who brought a number of his old Wealdstone players with him, unfortunately, he could not match the success of his previous spell and lasted just under a year.

If you’re heading to Grosvenor Vale and are interested in the connections between the two clubs – make sure you pick up a copy of the matchday programme which features an interview with Neil Cordice about his time in both camps.