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Yeovil Town 2 Hereford Utd 2 – Tuesday 21st April 2009

It’s always a special moment when your goalkeeper scores, as it’s usually when you are in desperate need of a goal and are throwing the kitchen sink forward in a last ditch hope of getting something out of a game. Whether it’s Paul Robinson for Leeds, Jimmy Glass for Carlisle or Alisson for Liverpool, it’s usually fairly dramatic. And when it’s the locally born lad returning to help his home town avoid relegation by scoring in injury time against their old rivals, it doesn’t come much more dramatic than that.

Yeovil have had their share of scoring goalkeepers down the years, as Tony Pennock not only scored a penalty in the 4-0 win over Chertsey in 1997, he also saved and then scored a penalty in the FA Cup First Round shoot-out the following year. Back in 1991, David Fry famously scored from his own half with a wind-assisted goal in the 7-2 demolition of Slough Town. Former loan goalkeeper Asmir Begovic scored a similar goal in the Premier League for Stoke in 2013.

Following the sacking of Russell Slade in February 2009, it took some time for rookie manager Terry Skiverton to steady the ship. Following a run of three points from eight games, the Glovers were able to get back on track thanks largely to a trio of loan signings from Spurs in the shape of Andros Townsend, Jonathan Obika and Danny Hutchins. In addition came former player and legend Chris Weale, who left for Bristol City in 2006 but came back on loan to help out in 2009. Yeovil-born Weale had come up through the youth and reserve teams at Yeovil, making his Conference debut in the 2-1 win against Boston in February 2001, just after his 19th birthday. He made over 200 appearances between 2001 and 2006, winning the FA Trophy, Conference and League Two. He memorably pulled off a blinding save in the first minute of the FA Trophy from future team mate Kirk Jackson, and saved a penalty from Conference top scorer Paul Barnes in the 4-0 demolition of Doncaster on the day the Glovers sealed the Conference title. In the League, he also saved a penalty in the 1-0 win over Kidderminster in 2004.

All four players made their debuts at the same time, in the home draw against MK Dons. This began a run of 11 points from the next five games, as Weale kept an impressive five clean sheets in his first five games. This run took Yeovil up to 16th and almost to safety, but they just needed a few more points to get them over the line. Potentially winnable games against Cheltenham and Hartlepool were both lost, leaving the Glovers hovering above the relegation zone and running out of games.

With just three games to go, the visit of old rivals Hereford seemed like a home banker. Experiencing a brief spell out of their depth in League One, they were bottom of the league and heading for relegation. A win would be enough to mathematically secure league status for Yeovil. However things didn’t go to plan as a first half goal from Myrie-Williams put the Bulls ahead and another after the break from Guinan put them 2-0 up. As the lowest scorers in the division, Yeovil were up against it. Luke Rodgers did pull one back on 78 minutes but it didn’t look like it would be enough, until in injury time the Glovers got a corner and Weale decided to go up for it. He could not get to the resultant ball in, but it did end in a shot from Peltier that was saved by the keeper, resulting in another corner. Last chance saloon, and Weale stayed up. Rising like a salmon, he smashed a header home for the equaliser, resulting in the kind of pile-on usually only seen in primary school playgrounds.

He had secured a point that, while not making Yeovil mathematically safe on the night, would turn out to be enough – it put the Glovers on 50 points, and in the end Northampton would occupy the last relegation place with 49, so effectively you could say Wealey’s goal did save Yeovil from relegation. As soon as the match re-started the referee blew his whistle, and we’d scored with literally the last kick of the game.

Team that day: Chris Weale, Danny Hutchins, Nathan Smith, Aaron Brown, Lee Peltier, Kieran Murtagh, Danny Schofield, Paul Warne (Andy Welsh, 62), Andros Townsend, Jonathan Obika (Luke Rodgers, 73), Gavin Tomlin. Subs not used: Wagenaar, Alcock, Maguire

 

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Former Yeovil Town loanee Josh Neufville may be loaned out again next season by his parent club Luton Town.

The speedy forward is one of three young prospects which Hatters’ boss and former Yeovil defender Nathan Jones is considering sending out on loan to get more experience.

Josh Neufville. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Jones admitted there had been “a lot of interest” in the 21-year-old who was recalled early from his second spell at Huish Park one game before the end of last season.

He also said that Dion Pererira, who had an ill-fated one-game spell in Somerset before returning to Kenilworth Road, may also be loaned out after a two-month stint at League Two side Bradford City last season.

Speaking to LutonToday, Jones said: “We’ve got a lot of young players here, we’re really establishing the football club and with Paul Hart’s appointment in the academy, the Under-23 group is now stronger.

“That will filter all the way through the age groups, there’s a clear way of thinking now with the academy, it’s aligned with what we do, and it’s strengthened all that.

“By doing that we can afford to one, keep young players in the building and not necessarily let them go out on loan, but there’s some at the point that they may need to.

“Dion Pereira may need a loan, Elliot Thorpe may need a loan, Josh Neufville, we’ve had a lot of interest in him, but if they don’t go out then they’ll be in and around our group and get game time in the 23s as well.

“So we’re in a real good position at the minute and we want to continue to get better.”

Speaking to the Gloverscast last month, Yeovil Town boss Chris Hargreaves said he had spoken with Neufville about making a third return.

He said: “I have spoken to Josh Neufville about a potential return to the club. With him, the manager will want him to go to the next level and he probably wants to show himself in pre-season, but he knows if there’s any glimmer of him coming back, he’s coming back.

“The door is open. The way he performed in some of the game, he looked like he gained from being here, so I would love him to be here.”

Neufville played 11 times in his second spell, scoring the winner in a 2-1 home win over eventual champions Stockport County, after returning to Huish Park at the end of March.

His previous stay in the 2020-21 season lasted five months and saw him score five times in 31 appearances.

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New Yeovil Town director Stuart Robins has said a return to the Football League is his top priority.

The businessman, who has been a season ticket holder at Huish Park for the past 15 seasons, joined the board last month alongside chairman Scott Priestnall

Speaking to the club’s YouTube channel about his first month at the club, said he was also targeting making the club financially self-sustainable and said the sale of Huish Park and surrounding land to South Somerset District Council had given the club “a framework to build on.”

New director Stuart Robins speaking to the club’s YouTube channel.

Robins said: “There’s two main objectives and the first is to get us back in to the Football League as quickly as we can. I would love to think we can do it this year, but that is putting an awful lot of pressure on Chris and his team.

“The other thing is to make sure the club is self-sustainable going forward and we are looking to do that as quickly as possible.

“The transaction with the council has been key to that and has given us the framework to build on and to make the club totally self-sustainable.”

He spoke about the need to increase season ticket sales and acknowledged that this could only be achieved by winning matches.

There were no details around any plans for other people to the club’s board despite Priestnall saying he was having “a number of conversations with people” about joining the board two months ago.

But, the new director did say that plans were afoot to improve the experience at Huish Park, assisted by the lifting of covenants on the ground lifted by the sale to SSDC.

He said: “There are plans to make a fan’s area behind the Thatcher’s Stand to create a nicer environment with other things going on, with the help of one of our sponsors, Thatcher’s, and make it more accessible to people. As well as other places around the ground.”

This week the club posted on its social media feed that a contractor had been hired to clean the outside of the stadium, publicly thanking the Green & White Supporters’ Club, the club’s official supporters’ group.

Stuart Robins added: “We are working closely with the Green & Whites Supporters’ Club to make an environment for their members because they have been huge supporters of the club.

“One thing I didn’t realise is how much work they do to help the club on a voluntary basis. One of my aims to do all we can to help them to help us because they are incredibly loyal and supportive.”

When he was appointed last month, the club described the new director, whose uncle is former club chairman Gerry Lock, and daughter is BBC Somerset commentator Sheridan Robins, as having “significant experience in growing and developing successful businesses” predominantly in the telecommunications business.

In his interview, he admitted it had taken him “some time to get my feet under the table” and said he had “no idea how complex running a business like a football club would be.”

He said: “It’s taken me some time to get my feet under the table and in particular all the stakeholders which you don’t tend to have in a standard business.

“One of the key ones is supporters or what we’d call ‘the customers’ in business terms. Everybody is so emotionally involved and I have been for most of my life – some good, some not so good.

“So getting to understand the requirements of those stakeholders, both supporters and the wider community (is important).

“The integration and relationship with the other groups, particularly Disabled Supporters’ Association, the Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust, what we are doing with schools, are really important for the immediate and long term success of the football club.”

Malachi Linton chases down Dan Moss whilst playing for King’s Lynn on the opening day of last season at Huish Park.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

On the pitch he said he believed new manager Chris Hargreaves was doing “an incredible job in producing a team that will compete” with strikers Malachi Linton and Ollie Hulbert having been added to a number of players retained from last season.

Of the new boss, he said: “Understanding (Chris’) motivations are and how he works has been quite fascinating, he is clearly a true professional and looks like he is developing to squad which can get us back where we belong.”

The director also stated his ambition to re-open the club’s Academy upon its promotion to the Football League and hailed the achievements of the club’s Under-18s coach, Matt Percival, following the signing of youth team product Ollie Haste on a professional contract.

The Gloverscast recently spoke with Matt about the work of the Under-18s and the partnership with Yeovil College through its Elite Player Development Programme (EPDP) which you can listen to – here.

Robins added: “One of the critical aims of getting in the League is we will put back together the Academy and further develop that community feel, but we can only do that when we get back in to the EFL and get the funding to do that.

“The relationship with Yeovil College is critical and hopefully Matt can help unearth more talent, like Ollie, for the club.

“Hopefully it gives other young people in the local area an incentive to want to come and be part of the club because that’s our future – not just them, their entire family because we need everyone we can in to the club to support the team and therefore support the community.”

In July 2020, the club closed its Academy after failing to return to the Football League at its first attempt in the 2019-20 season and losing the funding it received to support the set-up.

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Alex Bradley. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Former Glovers defender/midfielder/yellow card collector Alex Bradley has signed for Southern Premier League side Tamworth.

Dropping down a few levels, Bradley will be playing against the likes of Needham Market.

Originally joining on loan from Harrogate before making the switch to Huish Park permanent in January 2021.

Bradley played just over 50 games for the Glovers across all competitions, scoring just one league goal in a 1-1 draw against Notts County.

All the best at Tamworth, Alex

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Yeovil Town new boy Malachi Linton has said the opportunity to play under the club’s new management team played a major part in his decision to sign.

The 21-year-old, who joined last week following his release by Wycombe Wanderers at the end of last season, said boss Chris Hargreaves was “a driving factor” in his decision.

He admitted that the first day of pre-season training on Monday had been a signal of intent from the new manager, saying: “It’s been no joke, we’ve been straight in and hitting it hard. The Gaffer obviously has some ambitions and is setting the pace really early.

“The manager was the key driving factor, I spoke to him, he’s up front and honest with great values and along with the other management it is a no brainer.”

The former Ipswich Town scholar also spoke to the club’s YouTube channel about his desire to learn from Marcus Stewart, the club’s new Head of Player Development.

Stewart scored 19 Premier League goals in one season for Linton’s hometown club, Ipswich Town, in 2000-01, although admittedly the new boy was only born in December 2000.

He said: “I’m all about bettering myself and what better person to learn off and do that?”

The striker, who describes himself as “a dynamic forward with a lot of energy“, believes he can pick up where he left off after a loan spell in the National League with King’s Lynn Town last season.

He scored eight times in 31 appearances, including six goals in his final ten games, before departing to undergo surgery on a leg injury.

Linton said: “That was my first full season in men’s football, so I found it eye opening. I really enjoyed my time there, playing games and scoring goals.

“I feeling fighting fit, I’m nice and healed and just building back up and I will be ready to go (when the National League season gets started) on August 6.”

He added: “I’m hungry to win and I’m hungry to score. I’m looking to bring as much as I can, win as many games and score as many goals as I can.

“It is a big club with big ambition and hopefully I can help it fulfil those ambitions. It is a pull and a massive bonus because every player wants to play for a big club in front of a big crowd.”

The club’s social media account was awash with pictures from the first day of pre-season training at Huish Park on Monday.

As ever, the pictures were carefully selected to only showing already announced members of the squad.

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Yeovil Town’s kit for the 2022-23 season will see a return to green and white stripes, the club has revealed.

The shirt, manufactured by Hummel, will be matched with green socks and shorts with delivery expected “in the coming weeks” with pre-orders available from midday tomorrow – here.

There is no suggestion as to the design of the away kit but we’d assume that is stripes as well.

Josh Staunton modelling the 2022-23 kit. Picture courtesy of YTFC.net.

The design is an echo of the club’s origins in 1895 when Yeovil Casuals, the club’s original name when it was established, turned out in green and white stripes.

The last time stripes were worn by a Glovers’ side was four seasons between 1991 and 1995 following the club’s move to Huish Park but, following relegation out of the Conference in 1995, the kit reverted back to solid green and never returned.

The decision should go down well with most supporters with more than 60% of the 275 who voted in our snap poll on the design over the weekend saying they preferred ‘Classic Stripes’.

The club has also confirmed that Pittards, which describes itself as “makers of beautiful leather goods“, has signed up as the back of the shirt and sleeve sponsor with broadband provider Jurassic Fibre remaining as the main sponsor.

The company, which has its headquarters on Sherborne Road, once employed tens of thousands of people making leather gloves back in the 1800s, giving the club its nickname.

Speaking of the new deal, Chief Executive Reg Hankey said: “Pittards has been part of Yeovil since 1826, first as manufacturer for the glove trade, now as a maker of high performance leathers that are exported to major sporting brands around the world.

“The reason that so many international companies want to use leather made in Yeovil? It’s down to innovation and the passion of our people – much like following football.

“Generations of the same families from have been involved in the Pittards ‘team’ through the years and now as we approach our 200th anniversary it seems only natural that the ‘glovers’ come together with the ‘Glovers’ both on and off the pitch.”

The club has also revealed it will donate unused kits to Saris Addis Sefir, a football team based in suburb of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, where Pittards has a tannery and factory.

Tsedenia Mekbib, Managing Director of the company’s operation in Africa, said: “This young team has a great potential and is filled with a huge determination.

“The support of YTFC only adds to their motivation and they are very grateful to the ongoing commitment from Pittards who have seen them develop and grow over the past four years.”

Find out more about the history of stripes in our latest Gloversblog – here.

 

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Although green and white stripes were the original kit design of Yeovil’s first organised football team, Yeovil Casuals, they have not been the choice of design for a large part of the club’s 127-year history.

The history of the club compiled by late chairman Bryan Moore – see here – confirms that when Yeovil Casuals started out playing at the Pen Mill Athletic Ground they were in green and white stripes. They also turned a profit of £11.18s. 1d that season – no pressure, Scott.

The history goes on to add that when Yeovil Casuals became Yeovil Town FC in 1907-08 the stripes were replaced by a solid green kit with white cuffs.

1991-1992. Picture courtesy of Tim Lancaster.

But, as far as the history books appear to show, up until the 1919-20 season Yeovil Town (or Yeovil & Petters United as they were between 1914-1946) side turned out in stripes.

In that season, Yeovil & Petters United opted for white shirts and navy blue shorts, an amalgamation of both the green and white of Yeovil Town and the amber and blue worn by Petters United. They earned the name The Lilywhites.

In 1920, the club moved to Huish, now the site of a Tesco supermarket in Yeovil Town centre, where stripes were not on show. In fact, they did not return until the club moved to Huish Park in 1990.

Having started live at their new home with the same kit as at Huish – white shirt, green shorts and green socks – the stripes were back for the 1991-92 campaign.

The season stripes returned saw Bass brewery as the sponsor and they remained for the following three seasons – with sponsors selected through a draw run by the club’s Commercial Manager, Alan Skirton.

This famously saw Preston Plucknett Post Office as the shirt sponsor when the club faced Arsenal in an FA Cup third round tie in January 1993 which was shown on Match of the Day. You can watch that match – here.

1992-93. Picture courtesy of Tim Lancaster.

Cardboard box manufacturer Martock Watermans was the sponsor of another green-and-white striped design when Steve Rutter’s Glovers pulled off another FA Cup shock the following year.

Andy Wallace was the scorer of the goal for non-League giant-killers Yeovil which put Football League side Fulham out in the first round of the competition in November 1993.

But the 1994-95 season, which saw supermarket chain Tesco which had built a branch on the site of the club’s old Huish stadium a few years prior as sponsor, was the last time a Yeovil side turned out in stripes.

That season was a far from vintage one which Brian Hall, who had returned to take over the club following the surprise departure of Rutter, was removed midway through the season and replaced by ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers defender Graham Roberts.

Kevin Dillon fires home a penalty in the last match of the 1994-95 season, the last time Yeovil Town wore stripes. Picture courtesy of Tim Lancaster.

In his autobiography, Hard As Nails, Roberts says that the club’s green and white kit was one thing he never liked about Yeovil – presumably the similarity with his former Glasgow rivals, Celtic, played a part there.

It was a final day 4-4 draw with Northwich Victoria at Huish Park which saw Roberts’ side relegated out of the then-GM Vauxhall Conference in to regional football and the green and white stripes went with them.

In the summer of 1995, Roberts changed the kit to a solid green and white arguing that stripes made his team look weaker.

The team failed to make it out of the ICIS League Premier Division, the equivalent of today’s National League South, at the first attempt despite their more solid look. The following campaign they turned out in a slightly stripe-ier number and were promoted as champions. Just saying.

Graham Roberts, who did away with the stripes design worn for the previous four seasons, applauds Yeovil fans at the end of the 1995-96 season. Picture courtesy of Tim Lancaster.

Since then it was solid green and white with the emphasis on green – the one exception being the 1998-99 season which featured far more white – until promotion in to the Football League 2003 when the hooped design arrived.

Having been given a number of options, Gary Johnson put the question to the club’s supporters and hoops were adopted by popular demand – well, a majority at least.

They remained until the club were relegated out of the League in 2019 when – after an ill-fated design by Hummel – solid green returned for the past three campaigns.

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Malachi Linton chases down Dan Moss whilst playing for King’s Lynn on the opening day of last season at Huish Park.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Former Wycombe Wanderers striker Malachi Linton has become the second striker to join Yeovil Town this summer.

The 21-year-old, who was released by the Chairboys at the end of last season, had a loan spell in the National League with King’s Lynn Town and was part of the side which won at Huish Park on the opening day of the season.

He scored eight times in 20 league starts on loan in Norfolk, including six in his final ten appearances, before undergoing surgery of a leg injury in April  which kept him out for the rest of the campaign.

Speaking to the club’s website, the former Ipswich Town youngster said: “I’m excited. Yeovil is a big club with a good core of players and staff. I’m looking forward to coming in and adding to that.

“The manager has been a big pulling factor. We’ve had some good conversations. We share similar traits, but the main one being ambition. I’ve played here before, I’ve seen what it’s like, I simply couldn’t refuse.

“I can’t wait to meet up with the boys and get on the pitch.”

He was announced on Friday just 48 hours after the arrival of former Bristol Rovers youngster Ollie Hulbert, who became manager Chris Hargreaves’ first signing when his arrival was announced on Wednesday.

Speaking about the latest arrival, Hargreaves said: “Malachi is a player all of the coaching staff have seen. His goal record for games played at his age in this league is very good.

“He’s a player with an excellent attitude and is someone who is hungry to succeed. He arrives with a strong recommendation from Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth. I think he will be an excellent addition to the squad, and I look forward to working with him.”

Greg Plummer, King’s Lynn reporter for the Lynn News, for his thoughts on the signing of Malachi Linton.

Having been released from the academy at his hometown club Ipswich Town where he played from under-10s to under-16s, Linton was awarded a two-year scholarship in the famous Crewe Alexandra academy.

Having turned out for the Railwaymen at under-23s level, he dropped in to non-League in search of first team football, signing for Isthmian League Lowestoft Town in August 2019, scoring 13 goals in just 10 appearances.

His form earned him at trial at Wycombe and he impressed enough to earn a move at the start of the 2020-21 campaign and spent five games on loan at Slough Town at the end of 2020.

The striker impressed enough to earn a new deal at Adams’ Park before being loaned out to King’s Lynn at the start of last season, making 30 appearances and scoring eight times.

He played just once for Wycombe, a 3-1 defeat at home to Aston Villa under-23s in the Papa John’s Trophy last August.

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Another week, another Gloverscast and another top level guest.

On this week’s podcast, we are joined by England and Team GB international Goalkeeper Giles Moore, he tells about his time growing up in Somerset, supporting the Glovers and how he turned his disability into an international football career that has seen him win 62 caps for England and go to Rio for the 2016 Paralympics… an incredible story.

Then, Ben and Dave chat Charlie Wakefield staying, Ollie Hulbert joining and take some GCQs as well.

As ever, thanks so much for all your recent feedback on the chats with Chris Hargreaves and Under 18s Manager Matt Percival on recent episodes, we really appreciate it.

Like, share, subscribe and make sure you visit Gloverscast.co.uk for plenty more brilliant YTFC content.

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Reuben Reid opens the scoring in the 2-0 win over Southend. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Former Yeovil Town striker Reuben Reid has joined Southern League side Weston-Super-Mare ahead of the 2022/23 season.

Reid was released from the Glovers at the end of last season after 18-months back at Huish Park.

In total, he scored six league goals in 50 league appearances during his second spell at the club, he won’t have long before he faces his former club, Yeovil are scheduled for a trip to Weston-Super-Mare on July 30th in a pre-season friendly.

The 33-year old told the WSM website;

“Approaching the biggest crossroads in my life certainly from a career perspective of the last 18 years, everything about this decision and opportunity has just felt ‘right’.

“I’m grateful and humbled by the manager’s pursuit, approach and eventual opportunity he has given me for myself and family.

“At this stage in my career, I want to be a part of something exciting and progressive. After speaking to and confiding with a solid friend of mine in Scott Laird, I realised that this is exactly what I need.”

All the best at Weston, Reuben!