Ben Barrett (Page 123)

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Adi Yussuf in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town striker Adi Yussuf has spoken to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins following the Glovers’ 3-1 win over Woking in the FA Trophy.

Yeovil, with Yussuf’s second half brace to thank, move into the fourth round of the Trophy and extend their unbeaten run to 12 first team fixtures.

The forward said the manager had a few words at half time which spurred the side into action.

“The team are doing well at the minute, the gaffer’s speech at half time, motivated us to kick on, he reminded us about the start at Dover (Yeovil went 1-0 down inside 2 minutes), he reminded us to push us on, to do what we’re good at which is run, tackle and that’s what we’re good at”

“We didn’t do that first half, but the gaffer’s half time speech – we came out second half a completely different team”

Yussuf now moves onto six goals across the League, FA Cup and Trophy games of which three have come in his last two, the Tanzanian said he knew the goals would come once he was at peak fitness.

“I’ve got absolutely no doubt about the goals, I just wanted to get fitter, so I could do what the gaffer has asked me for, I’ve never doubted myself about scoring, I’ve always believed I would score”

“You can’t buy fitness, it’s the one thing you can’t cheat and I know the hard work I’ve put in, the dedication, the sacrifice I’ve put in, I always know it is going to pay off”

Adi Yussuf celebrates vs Weymouth
Credit: Weymouth Flickr

With four trophies still up for grabs and a small squad, Yussuf – like so many others – has pointed to an immense team spirit in the camp as a reason for the recent success.

“The team bonding is probably the best I’ve seen, and every time we’ve had a team bonding like this at every other club I’ve been at, we’ve always had success, I’ve got absolutely no doubt we are going to be a success this season.”

“I’m a big believer in hard work, dedication will always pay off, no doubt, and self belief, everyone has got to believe we can do it…”

“The way we train, everyone is going to be ready. I’ve never been at a club where it’s that intense, every single day.

“On a Friday, it’s like a Monday, that’s how intense it is, anyone who comes in, everyone is putting a tackle in, every single day, the gaffer demands a lot from us, it’s only going to show on the pitch.”

Yussuf finished off his post-match chat by looking forward to local derbies vs Torquay and W*ymouth over the festive period, but he was adamant the side had ‘enough in the locker’ to keep this run going.

The fourth round draw of the FA Trophy will be announced on Monday 20th at 1pm with games played on Saturday 15th January 2022. 

 

 

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll was proud of his side’s comeback after the Glovers turned a 0-1 deficit into a 3-1 in the FA Trophy game against Woking.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins he said that he needed to give his players a ‘polite’ word at the half time interval.

“When we went in at half time, I thought about the interview afterwards and have to say I’d picked the wrong team, for the right reason, to try and give some players some extra minutes.”

“I reminded them the amount of balls we had to defend at Wrexham, the amount of commitment we had to show at Bromley, the amount of quality we’ve had to show over the last two months and I said ‘are you ready for that to be all in vein, for all that to end today?’”

“The second half, there was a different energy to us, the body language was different, because first half was absolute garbage”

“The attitude and energy of the players was magnificent second half and their spirit and their fightback – that’s a really experienced side, Woking, good players, good manager and I thought once we built our momentum and speed of our play I thought we became the team we’d become accustomed to seeing.”

Adi Yussuf in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The introduction of Adi Yussuf on the hour mark was a key moment in the game as the Tanzanian international scored a brace to send the Glovers into the fourth round.

Sarll was full of praise for all three subs and the introduction from the start of Max Evans, Alex Bradley and Jeheim Headley

“It’s like a team of misfits and they’re broken pieces of a puzzle, so when any of these lads do well, there’s a real sense of achievement… we like to celebrate their successes and Adi is no different.

(He’s) another one who has done so well for us, it’s taken its time, but he looks so much fitter and stronger now and he made a real difference when he came on.

He was powerful, disruptive and destructive and took his goals well.”

“Young Max (Evans) in goal, didn’t have a lot to do, but I thought he kicked very well, I thought Reuben (Reid) did well – we are a different team to last year, so the service to him was different … Reuben is going to need time, Alex (Bradley) I thought did much better in the second half, I was worried about his booking, so instead of having him suspended and we go to Torquay with one sub, that we save him…”

Sarll also confirmed that winger Charlie Wakefield had a slight injury and had been ill this week and was unlikely to come off the bench, and hoped to have Morgan Williams back in contention for Boxing Day’s trip to Torquay.

 

 

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Yeovil Town Under-18s Head Coach Mark Challen has confirmed via social media that he has departed the club.

Writing on Instagram via his coaching company’s account “M1 Coaching” he confirmed that Wednesday was his final day.

He wrote; “Sadly, today (Wednesday) was my last game at Yeovil Town FC.”

He thanked all those who had made his time at Yeovil special during a nine-year stint with the club.

At time of writing, there has been no confirmation as to who will take over the running of the Under-18s.

First- team squad members Toby Stephens and Ollie Haste have both represented Challen’s side this season with Alfie Lloyd, who departed the Under-18s for QPR last season among those who thanked their coach in the comments.

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Matt Worthington drives forward.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

There’s a double reason to celebrate at Huish Park this week with both Matt Worthington and Darren Sarll picking up awards and recognition.

Midfielder, Worthington has been singled out for praise by his manager on more than one recent occasion and it seems others are starting to notice.

The former Bournemouth man made both the Non-League paper and the official Vanarama Team of the Day for his part in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Barnet.

As for the gaffer, he’s been rewarded as the National League’s Manager of the Month for guiding his side through three incredible away wins at Dagenham, Bromley and Wrexham and remaining unbeaten through FA Cup and Somerset Premier Cup ties too.

The official press release stated;
“Yeovil Town weren’t slow to start brewing this season but their cup ran cold just a few days into September.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Darren Sarll never allowed some sticky results to distract from the bigger picture – and his team really started to get going again last month.

They begun November with a 5-0 FA Cup romp at Yate Town before points were earned with wins over Eastleigh, Dagenham, Bromley and Wrexham.

They may not have been able to polish off winless Dover Athletic but the Glovers fans and the Manager of the Month have their eyes firmly fixed on the top seven now.”

As an aside, we here at the Gloverscast can only find THREE FIVE* occasions where the Yeovil manager has been rewarded with the monthly gong since the start of the EFL era. If anyone knows of any awards prior to 2003 or if I’ve missed one, please get in touch – ben@gloverscast.co.uk

● GARY JOHNSON – LEAGUE TWO – SEPTEMBER 2003

● GARY JOHNSON – LEAGUE TWO – SEPTEMBER 2004

● GARY JOHNSON – LEAGUE TWO – DECEMBER 2004

● DARREN SARLL – NATIONAL LEAGUE – SEPTEMBER 2019

● DARREN SARLL – NATIONAL LEAGUE – NOVEMBER 2021

A huge congratulations to both for their well deserved recognition!!

*EDITORS NOTE, 
Originally, I only found three other examples of Yeovil Managers winning Manager of the month since 2003, but, Ciderspace OG, Huish Hugh spotted a gap in the Wikipedia history (imagine!) on the subject and pointed out two more Gary Johnson awards that probably lay atop his mantlepiece.

Happy to stand corrected. 

 

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll has vowed to give his squad players time on the pitch in next weekend’s FA Trophy Tie against Woking.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the Glovers 1-0 National League win over Barnet on Saturday, the manager singled out Alex Bradley, Reuben Reid and goalkeeper Max Evans as being in line for some game tie in the tie.

Alex Bradley in conversation with manager Darren Sarll.

“Everyone knows they are going to be used, especially next week when we play Woking.

“Alex (Bradley) thoroughly deserves to start a game, Knowlesy needs to start a game, it is so important Reuben (Reid) gets a minimum of an hour. Max Evans deserves a game.

“I don’t think I can afford to say it is a good time to rotate the squad because there’s not much after the XI that makes it a squad.“

Alex Bradley hasn’t completed 90 minutes in a National League game since the 1-0 loss to Stockport at the back end of last season, but has come the bench in each of the last five games, with three of those appearances lasting less than five minutes.

Reuben Reid has made a couple of appearances from the bench since his return from injury and the suggestion is he could be in line for a longer stint in the side, whilst back-up goalkeeper Max Evans has only played in the Somerset Premier Cup this season.

Tom Knowles has only played 41 minutes since going off having been judo slammed to the floor by Dover defender Danny Collinge a fortnight ago, and the boss also hopes to have left-back Jordan Barnett back from an illness which has kept him out for the last two matches.

Despite the changes, Sarll promised that he still has a desire to go far in the competition, speaking of Terry Skiverton’s desire to try and repeat the Glovers’ 2002 success.

The manager added: “It is a competition Terry speaks so well of, so we will not degrade it, that keeps us making sure we have to keep playing the same group.

“Everyone will be involved and we will try and beat Woking, it is important we keep that winning feeling.

“People can change the team too much, but we will only be able to make two or three changes, but it won’t be wholesale at all.”

Tickets for the game are heavily reduced with under-16s going FREE, to get yours visit the official website – here.

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Morgan Williams. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town defender Morgan Williams has been speaking to the media ahead of the Glovers’ game against Barnet.

The former Coventry man has had to bide his time before getting an opportunity at left-back during the side’s recent upturn in form.

“I’m really happy, the last couple of weeks have been big for me, being back in the side, now I’m just looking to maintain that and put big performances in, 

“When you’re not in the side, but the team are winning, you’re happy for the team. Whatever minutes you get, you want to come on and do what you can do, for the last couple of weeks I’ve been getting 10, 15, 20 minutes… even five minutes, but anything I can do to make the team win, that’s the main thing”

Williams had plenty of praise for the more experienced heads around him, citing Josh Staunton, Luke Wilkinson and Grant Smith as well as Mark Little as being big influences in his progression and didn’t mind having to take his chance at left-back, rather than his preferred central roll.

“Not being in the team for a couple of week, you adapt to whatever position the Gaffer and Tel (Skiverton) want you to play, if it’s right winger, left back, right back, centre back, anywhere on the pitch, I’m going to do my best and show that I can do what I can do”

Williams said he’d be doing all he could to keep clean sheets and in his words “get this club back into the league” starting with the game against Barnet on Saturday.

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Dan Moss. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

No less than three Yeovil Town players have been rewarded with a place in the FA Cup Team of the Round for Round 2.

The Glovers beat Stevenage 1-0 live on the BBC to land a record 21st Football League scalp in the competition as a non-league side.

Goalkeeper Grant Smith, and on loan duo Dan Moss and Sonny Blu Lo Everton have been given a place in the side as voted for by Twitter users.

The mythical XI also includes representatives of Kidderminster, Mansfield and Leyton Orient, but Yeovil are the only side with three entrants.

Smith made a number of crucial saves, whilst Lo Everton slid the ball through to assist the match winner from Charlie Wakefield.

Dan Moss was voted Man of the Match by the BBC team and is rightly listed in the side following a string of brilliant performances.

A huge congratulations to all three.

Yeovil Town will host AFC Bournemouth in the 3rd Round on Saturday 8th of January at 17:30pm

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Yeovil players celebrate Charlie Wakefield’s FA Cup winner in Round 2

Yeovil Town’s FA Cup 3rd Round tie vs Bournemouth has been confirmed as kicking off at 5:30pm on Saturday 8th on January 2022.

In a slightly odd move, the game has been switched from a traditional 3pm kick off despite not being selected for live TV coverage.

No reason has been given in the FA’s announcement, with other games spread out across the weekend, presumably to allow for more coverage at once.

Darren Sarll said in his pre match ‘presser’ that he was “confused” at the TV ties as Premier League clubs don’t need the windfall of the extra revenue.

However, the FA have confirmed that Yeovil will get a little bonus simply by being pushed out of the 3pm kick off slot.

As per the FA website; “those involved in fixtures that have been moved away from 3pm on Saturday 8 January 2022 will receive £32,500 respectively unless they have been chosen for live broadcast by the BBC or ITV.”

With a further £82,000 on offer to the winner, the Glovers will be hoping for another (record extending) cup upset.

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Toby Stephens claps the Yeovil fans

Yeovil Town loanee Toby Stephens clocked up another 90 minutes for Hemel Hempstead on Tuesday night.

The young midfielder played the full game in the Tudor’s 2-0 win over Birkhamstead in the Herts County Cup

After missing out at the weekend, sitting on the bench for the game against Dulwich Hamlet, Stephens played in midfield for the much changed Tudor’s line up.

Stephens has a week left to go on his initial one month deal having joined from the Glovers on 19th of November.

Loan Stats

Appearances: 3

Minutes: 257

Goals: 0

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Yeovil Town have been handed a grate away tie at Toolstation Western League side Cheddar in the Somerset Premier Cup

The un-brie-leavable draw took place on Tuesday following the conclusion of the Weston Super-Mare v Keynsham tie to finish off the round of 16

The Glovers have been waiting for sometime to find out their Quarter Final opponents after getting the feta of Larkhall Athletic in the previous round.

Cheddar currently sit 4th in their division, but have a gouda amount of  catching up to do to catch the runaway leaders Welton Rovers.

Full details for the Glovers trip to the Cheesemen will be confirmed in fondu course.

It’s a real cracker of a tie as the Glovers continue on the road to an unprecedented quadruple.