Ben Barrett (Page 114)

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The YTFC Legends and South West Legends have learned who will be guiding them in the much looked forward to match to remember Adam Stansfield and those close to Yeovil who have sadly passed.

The Glovers, a team made up of the 2002-05 squads who led Yeovil from a Trophy win at Villa Park, out of Non League and through into League Two will be managed by, who else, but Gary Johnson.

Johnson had two stints in the Huish Park hot seat (the second one wasn’t exactly terrible either ? ) and will of course be assisted by Steve ‘Thommo’ Thompson.

In the away dug out will be none other than Darren Sarll.

Former Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
? Mike Kunz.

Sarll, who left for Woking in March, returns to Huish Park for the first time since his departure and will guide the South West Legends XI with a bit of help from Bath City Manager Jerry Gill, who may be donning his boots for a bit and playing too.

Sarll will be given a chance to say thanks to the fans after his sudden exit and conversely, the supporters will get chance to thank the man who guided the Glovers through a Non League Play Off campaign, and the behind closed doors era as well as being an immaculate leader during a time of immense sadness when tragedy fell over Huish Park after the passing of Lee Collins.

Tickets are available now for the Legends game on Saturday May 14th!

 

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The Somerset Premier Cup is down to three teams, Bath City await either Yeovil Town or Odd Down in the final with the latter two playing off at Huish Park this Tuesday.

The Glovers haven’t won the SPC since 2005 and will be hoping that Charlie Lee’s first home game in charge takes them to final.

Yeovil have, due to squad size, have taken this competition fairly seriously this season

The Glovers have already beaten, Bridgwater United 4-1, Larkhall Athletic 0-2 and Cheddar 2-0.

Odd Down received a bye in the first round before progressing past Paulton Rovers and Wells City, both on penalties.

Odd Down currently sit 7th in the Toolstation Western League, Division one.

They’ve played 35, won 15, lost 13 and drawn 7.

Their man attacking threat comes from Luke Bryan, who has 31 goals this season in 32 games, a tally which includes six penalties, although he was absent in their defeat to Sherborne Town.

TEAM NEWS

From a Yeovil point of view, Charlie Lee suggested on Friday that a number of first team players would be included, whilst prior to his departure, Darren Sarll had indicated that young goalkeeper Max Evans would get some game time.

With Grant Smith, Jack Robinson and Max Hunt edging towards fitness after injury, they could play a part alongside others who have been without a huge amount of game time recently.

Whilst, the Down will be able to call upon former Glover Omar Simpson in their squad.

Former Glover, Omar Simpson in action for Odd Down.
? J Healey/JRH Media

 

We’ve met before

This is actually a repeat of the 2004/05 Somerset Premier Cup final, you’ll remember it well.

The Ciderspace report goes as follows;

“In a one sided contest, completely dominated by Yeovil Town Reserves, the Somerset Premier Cup returned to the Huish Park trophy cabinet tonight for the first time since 1998.

Goals from Andy Lindegaard (28 mins), Richard Cullingford (33 mins), Stephen Reed (66 mins), Andrejs Stolcers (68 mins), and an own goal from Tony Quoi (79 mins) wrapped up a comprehensive victory. Odd Down were never in the match, and were fortunate to escape a real thrashing.

The one black spot of the evening from the point of view of the hosts was an absolutely diabolical tackle on Dale Williams by the Odd Down goalkeeper at the nine minute mark. He should have seen two red cards: one for violent conduct and one for the professional foul as last man. Referee Mr Buller opened a poor performance of bizarre decision making that continued all night by merely issuing a yellow. The game was held up for some minutes as Dale was stretchered off and then rushed to hospital. It was feared he had had his leg broken, but the latest update is less pessimistic.

Final score : Yeovil Town Reserves 5-0 Odd Down

Attendance : 2,164″

 

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Tom Knowles turns home the second in the 2-0 home win over Southend. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

In perhaps the least surprising news of the week, Tom Knowles has been named in the Vanarama Team of the Week.

Knowles has been performing well for a while now and bagged another goal in the 2-2 vs Barnet.

Don’t fall in love with footballers.

Full team below.

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

Yeovil Town goal-scorer Reuben Reid has said there was a tinge of disappointment not to get caretaker boss Charlie Lee a win in his first game.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins, the striker said that there was plenty of positives to come out of the 2-2 draw at Barnet, but he felt it was another ‘what if?’ story for the Glovers.

He said: “We were good in parts, from minute one to ten, we looked red hot, with Knowlesy who is in a run of form – he’s in a good moment – I thought then we would be runaway winners, it wasn’t to be.

“We then went to looking like a group of players who hadn’t played together or trained together, we didn’t stick to what our principals were in the formation we were playing,

“It wasn’t so much Barnet being good, it more us being maybe not on it'”

Tom Knowles’ ninth minute opener set the Glovers on their way, only for the hosts fought back to retake the lead, before Reid grabbed a late equaliser with his second goal in as many matches.

There were chances for both side to win the game, most notably a header from on loan defender Ben Barclay, but Reid felt the second half was as patchy as the first.

He added: “We came into the second half and for blocks of the game, it looked like we had cracked it and we looked like a good team.

“We’ve had chances, I’m just disappointed for Charlie Lee really, it was a great opportunity to get him up and running as a manager, I think we didn’t really capitalise on the opportunity”

“It’s not all doom and gloom, we came on strong… as the game started it was a strikers game, thinking ‘fill your boots’, … as I said at the start, it shows how frustrating it is, it shows what could have been, but also it shows what it is.”

“Everyone is in there, head in their hands, like I say disappointed for Charlie Lee, it would have been nice to get the win”

Reid stated that the standards would remain high between now and the end of the season, despite the mid-table position.

He said: “I don’t think you become a professional player without having your own standards within you, our old manager has gone, you don’t down tools.

“I know people are saying, we can’t get the play offs and we can’t get relegated, but that’s irrelevant, as a player you’ve got a duty to come in and perform in training, and there’s certain characters in the group, that won’t allow you to come in (and down tools) because certain people will be onto you.”

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Venue: The Hive
Saturday, 2nd April, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: All four seasons in one
Pitch: “Crumbly” – Reuben Reid.

Attendance: 1,393 (288 from Yeovil)

Scorers: Tom Knowles (0-1) 8, Ephron Mason-Clarke (1-1) 23,  Adam Marriott (2-1_) 70, Reuben Reid (2-2) 82.

Bookings:

Yeovil: Wakefield ’30, Gorman ’36, Gorman ’85, Wilkinson ’90
Barnet: Beard ’26, De Havilland ’29

Referee: Tom Bishop

Yeovil Town : (4-4-2)

Ted Cann

Mark Little, Luke Wilkinson, Ben Barclay, Morgan Williams

Matt Worthington, Dale Gorman, Lawson D’Ath (for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 62), Tom Knowles

Charlie Wakefield (for Josh Neufville, 72), Reuben Reid (for Olufela Olomola, 86)

Substitutes: Jordan Barnett, Alex Bradley.

Barnet: Askew, Richards-Everton, Hall, Marshall, Mason-Clark, Marriott, Greenidge, Fonguck, Beard, Woods, Grego-Cox. Subtitutes: Howe (for Hall 82) Walsh (for Marshall 87) De Havilland (for Woods ‘3), Granville, Azaze.

Charlie Lee’s first game in caretaker charge of Yeovil Town saw him earn a point after an action-packed draw at Barnet.

Having taken the lead when Tom Knowles robbed the hosts from a hapless free-kick, burst forward and smashed home an eighth minute opener, only for Ephron Mason-Clark and Adam Marriott to put the Bees ahead with a goal in each half.

But, with just eight minutes remaining and the visitors finishing strongly, Reuben Reid grabbed his second in as many games to grab a well-earned point.

The travelling contingent from Somerset were in fine voice at The Hive and our own David Coates (who didn’t travel from Somerset, of course) was among them – here’s how he saw it…..

Match Report

Caretaker boss Charlie Lee changed absolutely nothing about the line-up – and why would you after three wins in your last three? – and stuck with the same squad which beat Southend United seven days earlier.

He and his ‘assistant’/injured midfielder Josh Staunton arrived on the the touch line to chants of ‘Charlie Lee’s green and white army’ from the away end, and the players he put out showed from the off that they were picking up where they left off.

Matt Worthington burst forward from the kick-off and within seconds of the start and testing Barnet keeper Jake Askew with an early effort.

If that was a signal of intent that Yeovil Town were not changing, Barnet boss Dean Brennan’s frustration will have grown after seeing Sam Woods limp off after just three minutes. Brennan had vented his anger at the number of players in the treatment room in his pre-match interview and there was another.

Tom Knowles scores v Southend. Pic: Mike Kunz.

Six minutes later he had even more to complain about as Yeovil took the lead. Barnet made a complete hash of a free-kick and Tom KNOWLES’ pressure saw him win the ball, burst forward and smash a beautiful angled shot home for the opener.

On 15 minutes, Luke Wilkinson headed wide from a Dale Gorman set piece before the centre half was the vital at the other end clearing, off the line as Barnet began to turn up the pressure.

It was a Gorman who had the next effort with a trademark free kick from range, albeit he forced Askew in to a smart stop after 22 minutes.

But two minutes later, a quick Barnet break led by Rob Hall saw the ball drop to Ephron MASON-CLARK who smashed a ball home off the underside of the bar to draw the hosts’ level. Morgan Williams was certainly struggling with the pace and trickery of Mason-Clark, so it was no surprise the see a goal come from that side.

Adam Marriott flashed a shot just wide shortly after and from there the game became a lot more even with Yeovil’s best opportunities coming on the break.

On the stroke of half-time, a set piece found the head of Ben Everton-Richards whose effort was easily stopped by Ted Cann in the visitors’ goal. It seemed both teams were waiting for a offside flag which ultimately never came.

But, the final chance of the half fell to Wakefield. Following good hold up play by Worthington saw him find Mark Little who broke in to the box and his shot was deflected out to Wakefield whose effort was tipped over the bar.

Half- time: Barnet 1 Yeovil Town 1

Second half

The second half started with Knowles, the highlight of the first half, having a shot just wide before having another blocked.

But, as the game progressed, neither side did too much to threaten with an effort wide from Knowles and one over the bar from Marriott the best the game had to offer.

If a goal was going to come, it would be a mistake and that was how it proved with the Bees taking the lead on  70 minutes. A loose ball in midfield gave Hall the chance to break forward and, having been allowed to walk through the Yeovil midfield, the ball broke to  MARRIOTT who shrugged off Mark Little to fire Barnet in front.

The response from Lee was instant sign was instant with Josh Neufville coming off the bench for Wakefield.

Within minutes of coming on, the Luton Town loanee was involved breaking forward and playing in Reid whose laid the ball off to Gorman whose effort was turned aside well by Askew.

From the resulting corners, Luke Wilkinson appeared to take at least two arms to the head, but referee Tom Bishop was unmoved.

Reuben Reid scores v Southend. Pic: Mike Kunz.

But on 82 minutes Yeovil drew level after constant pressure saw the ball ping-pong around the box before Gorman’s ball in from the left break to REID who smashed it home.

Three minutes later the striker found himself in a great position again but took one touch too many and opportunity disappeared as quickly as it arrived.

Great play by Neufville moments after let substitute Sonny Blu Lo-Everton who jinked his way past two defenders but his shot came back off the post.

Moments later Ben Barclay rose highest from a corner and inexplicably headed wide with the goal at his mercy.

If there was a team who was going to win it at the end it was Yeovil, but a point a piece was probably a fairer result.

Full time: Barnet 2 Yeovil Town 2

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

Charlie Lee has named his first starting XI as interim manager and has made a grand total of… zero changes.

Hardly surprising given the Glovers are on a three match winning streak though.

There’s no return to the squad for any of the injured cohort with Grant Smith, Max Hunt and Jack Robinson continuing their comeback.

The only alteration sees Josh Staunton miss out on the squad after having a scan in midweek on a hernia problem, Sonny Blu Lo Everton is back among the subs.

Team in full.

Ted Cann

Mark Little, Luke Wilkinson, Ben Barclay, Morgan Williams

Tom Knowles, Dale Gorman, Matt Worthington, Lawson D’Ath

Reuben Reid, Charlie Wakefield.

Substitutes: Barnett, Bradley, Lo Everton, Olomola, Neufville.

 

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The Football Association has confirmed the Glovers spent £26,834 on intermediaries and agents between Feb 2nd 2021 and January 31st 2022.

This obviously covers all deals done during the summer and specifically references deals for; Grant Smith, Jordan Barnett, Mark Little, Dale Gorman and Adi Yussuf.

Elsewhere in the National League, $tockport County were the biggest spenders, topping £130,000 during that time with £80,000 of Wrexham’s Hollywood pounds also spent on agent fees.

Bath City were the cheapest side listed with just £580 listed.

This was a significant rise from the year ending February 1st 2021 with the Glovers forking out just £1,287 during that previous year.

Meanwhile in the year ending January 30th 2020 saw Yeovil fork out £19,837

The full list for 2022 is below.

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Adi Yussuf trains with Tanzania ? @TanFootball

Yeovil Town striker Adi Yussuf was an unused sub for Tanzania on Tuesday.

The frontman has been on international duty since last week picking up his fourth cap in the win over Central African Republic.

But, he was left twiddling his thumbs during the Taifa Stars 1-1 draw against Sudan on Tuesday.

Yussuf is expected to return to Somerset for the Glovers’ National League game at Barnet on Saturday.

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Carl Dickinson in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Former Yeovil Town Captain Carl Dickinson has given his full support to Charlie Lee as he takes up the reigns at Huish Park following the departure of Darren Sarll.

Speaking exclusively to the Gloverscast, Dicko, a former teammate of Lee said that the former midfielder has all the attributes to make it a success.

“Charlie has played at different levels with different manager that have had success so he will have definitely learned from the them and will take bits that he wants to take from them the he thinks will be successful.

“He’s passionate and demands high standards and is very knowledgeable”

Lee joins Dickinson at Hanley Town and others from the 2019/20 side who have since gone into coaching, Jimmy Smith is now in the Chelsea set up, Dicko says it’s not a surprise to see Lee in coaching, albeit maybe not this soon.

“Charlie has always been passionate about helping people with the experiences he has had, so it’s no surprise to me that he’s now coaching, 

“This will probably have come a lot quicker than he imagined but I’m sure he’s excited and ready for the challenge, he will have people he can speak to and ask for advice as well”

Charlie Lee controls the midfield
? Mike Kunz

One of those people, is Carl himself.

“I’ve sent him a message wishing him all the best, he knows I’m always on the end of the phone if he ever wants to chat about anything.”

It’s been mentioned that Charlie Lee takes over a good group with some experienced heads in the team including Luke Wilkinson,

“He’s got a good relationship with all the lads, let alone Wilko, I think it’ll be a case of just making sure they keep ticking over and maintaining the standards they’ve set over the last two or three weeks.”

Dickinson ended with a simple plea to fans, “Keep cheering Chaz and the boys home”.

We will, Dicko, we will.

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Former Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll has been speaking exclusively to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins following his departure from Huish Park.

The full interview went out on the BBC Somerset Breakfast show (07:48am for anyone wanting to listen back), in it, he told Sheridan that the opportunity at Woking excites him, but that he’ll always have a connection to YTFC.

“We certainly had some hurdles to jump, Terry Skiverton always asked me about whether I’m going to write a book on the three years at Yeovil. 

“It would be very interesting, from the play-offs, the COVID situation – players staying at the ground for weeks on end before the play off game, and then obviously the worst of the lot, losing Lee Collins and dealing with that personally, but also kind of leading the club out of that situation, I don’t want to have to do that again.

“This year, being reenergised by a brilliant, young group, with a wonderful spirit with a big future ahead of them.”

“Every year was different in terms of coach, every year was different in terms of management of it, every year was different in terms of the challenges we had to face and overcome, but it’s all maths isn’t it? You just have to work out the problem and try and come to the solution.”

“You add resilience to your coaching style and to you keep moving.”

Sarll and Skiverton
Terry Skiverton & Darren Sarll.
Pic: Mike Kunz.

Sheridan pointed out that the reaction to Sarll’s departure was one of disappointment and the former gaffer admitted it wasn’t easy to make the move.

“I’ll always have a connection with the football club, more so because of Lee and those events, I had a wonderful time there, year one was fantastic in terms of the winning, some of the performances and the results, the people I’ve met over the three years have been absolutely great and I’ll keep in touch with them for life.

“It came to point where decisions had to be made and I was really excited by this option, this was an option of a journey, really trying to help a club maximise it’s professionalism on the pitch and off the pitch”

“My trade is football management, I’m not arrogant enough to think that management jobs are just going to come to me and fall in my lap wherever I am in the country”

“When I was made Yeovil manager, I moved to the South-West, took my children out of another school, put them in another school, and we will move back to our family home now and that process will happen again”

Looking ahead, Darren Sarll said he had full faith that interim manager Charlie Lee could help the Glovers get through to the end of the season in a positive vein of form.

Charlie Lee watches over the warm up ? Ben Barrett

“I recommended to Scott (Preistnall) that Charlie do it, the players absolutely love him, they’ve a huge amount of respect for him, he was a brilliant player, he’s a very, very good coach, and that’s something I am well qualified to say, he’s got a good eight or nine games and the team is in a bit of another winning run… he can’t lose, can he?”

 

 

Charlie’s first game in charge will be against Barnet, this coming Saturday.