Ben Barrett (Page 142)

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Dale Gorman scores his penalty vs Weymouth
Credit: Weymouth Flickr

Yeovil Town midfielder Dale Gorman has been speaking ahead of the Glovers’ FA Cup tie vs Bournemouth and says that a quick start could be a good way to get at their Championship opponents.

“We look to start every game fast, and that’s been key to our success recently.”

Yeovil have scored a divisional best six goals in the National League this season, conceding just one in the league during the opening 15 minutes of games so far, whilst the Cherries are yet to find the net away from home in the first quarter of an hour on in the 2nd tier.

“It might be a bit different (vs Bournemouth) with the way they set up, we don’t know that until we encounter it tomorrow, but look, it’s something that we’ve talked about and something we’ve got into a routine of doing over the past two or three months”

“So, we will be looking to start fast tomorrow and be focused and be ready to do our jobs”

Yeovil have scored a divisional best six goals in the National League this season, conceding just one in the league during the opening 15 minutes of game, 

Gorman said that returning to working under Darren Sarll means he’s now enjoying his football again and is proud to play for a ‘great club‘ like Yeovil.

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Dion Pereira in action against Notts County.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Luton Town midfielder and former Yeovil loanee Dion Pereira has joined League Two side Bradford City on loan.

The ex-Watford man was at Huish Park towards the start of this season, playing 90 minutes in a 2-0 loss to Notts County in October.

Following that single performance he was not seen in a match day squad again, with Luton boss Nathan Jones citing a slight injury the cause for his return whilst Glovers’ manager Darren Sarll said the player was “massively fatigued” following his appearance.

On October 22, Sarll confirmed the player would not be returning to Yeovil.

 

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

Josh Staunton is the most important player to the future of Yeovil Town Football Club since Terry Skiverton.

That’s a statement isn’t it? I’ve said it, heck I’ve written it down for you the humble reader of the Gloverscast.

You’ve read the headline, you’ve taken the click bait and now you’re waiting to see what I have to say for myself.

Well, I stand by it.

Skivo hung up his playing boots in 2010.

Since then, the Glovers have been okay, been very good and been utterly rubbish sometimes all at the same time.

We hung around in League One, got out of League One, fell back through League One before treading water in League Two and eventually well, here we are a non-League club again.

During that time, there are maybe only a couple of standout moments and teams, the main one of course being winning promotion to the Championship.

I’d argue that, of course, the 2013 team was full of these incredible players, but for me, it felt like a team who had won the Lottery. Marek Stech in goal, Ed Upson, Paddy Madden, Luke Ayling, Joe Edwards, Sam Foley, Jamie McAllister and so on and so forth.

How many of those players, honestly, at that point in time had their next five years planned out at Huish Park? Arguably, none.

We’d have wanted them all to stay but they were snaffled up, pushed out, on too much money, sold for big bucks, given opportunities at clubs they could only dream of playing for just a few months before that group got together.

Josh Staunton rises highest to a header. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

My argument here is that if you said to me, Josh Staunton has signed a deal at Huish Park until the summer of 2026, I’d not only believe you and I’d know we’d be able to build maybe more than group around him. The last player we could honestly say that with… Terry Skiverton.

Skivo marshalled our 2003 side out of non-League, he led the rampage through League Two, and even that incredible 2007 side to the League One play-off final against all odds..

The Yeovil sides that dropped out of League One with a whimper or sleep-walked out of League Two had a couple of good players and maybe if I’d have written this at the moment of relegation in 2019, this blog would have had a similar feel to it about Carl Dickinson – but he wasn’t exactly reaching his peak years.

Then there’s that first non-League side.

I’m still staggered Darren Sarll found the group he did in less than a month after being appointed, but knowing that group as we now do, I’m not surprised he galvanised them to a play off spot.

It wasn’t to be for Stuart Nelson, Luke Wilkinson, Dicko, Lee Collins, Charlie Lee, Rhys Murphy and Co., and, of course, only one of those names still plays for us.

Yeovil Town defender Luke Wilkinson.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Wilkinson isn’t exactly old at 31, he’s got a few more seasons left in him at this level, he could probably give the EFL another crack if the chance came along.

But, here again, Josh Staunton is just 26.

His best five or six years are just starting now.

He’s a leader, a midfielder, a central defender, he’s fronted up to the media after losses, and is right now the first name on the team sheet as something of standard setter.

Gloverscast CEO Ian spoke of how his arrival off the bench in the FA Trophy game against Woking from the bench– to protect the already booked Luke Wilkinson – helped change the game. We noticeably missed him in the only 45 minutes he wasn’t on the pitch.

His comeback story from being given a “20% chance of playing again” last season is, quite frankly ridiculous – even our Hollywood friends in North Wales wouldn’t write that script.

The idea of loyalty in football to the level Skivo has shown Yeovil is all but gone, it would be bonkers to think any player from this generation would be with this club until 2042 in some way, shape or form.

But in the following scenarios at the end of this season, with the next four or five campaigns in mind, does this current Josh Staunton not make every single one of them better?

  • We don’t go up, we fall short by 15 points finish 12th and have to rebuild with most of the squad leaving this summer.
  • We don’t go up, we lose the play-off final on penalties, we have to pick up this dejected young squad who would have never felt football anguish like it before.
  • We do go up, (yay!), but our best players are snapped up by rich non-League clubs and those more geographically suitable to their families.
  • We do go up (yay, again!) and we keep the bulk of this squad together.

In each of those four scenarios, Josh Staunton provides the on or off the pitch leadership we haven’t really seen since… you guessed it, Skivo.

So, yeah, sure we’ve all made fun about how much I think of Josh this season and how much we clearly missed him last season.

But if we turn the year with a new owner, or start to plan for 2022-23 counting every penny in just the same way we have this campaign, the first signature we should aim for is that of our number 32.

Not just short-term either, let’s set our stall out early as he is likely to be the mainstay of this side well beyond Wilkinson, Reuben Reid and Mark Little – the three elder statesmen of the group.

Staunton has (at time of writing) played just 24 league games for us, he’s about half way to playing more games for us than any other side in his career.

He can lead this side for 100 more games easily, maybe into the Football League and certainly through rocky patches ahead.

There will not be many 26-year-olds at this level with 150 games already behind them and playing at the level where 150 more are perfectly feasible.

Sign him on. He’s the present and future of our team, we cannot throw this chance away.

It has always taken a certain type of player to play for Yeovil. We’ve heard the stories of Staunton joining the other injured players last season in playing a key role in getting the side through the end of the campaign and we’ve seen him don the captain’s armband on a few occasions this term too.

Qualities are not always easy to define, but you know what I mean. We’ve had loanees that ‘get it’ and some that don’t, we’ve had plenty of permanent signings come and go without so much as a shrug of the shoulders, we’ve had short term flashes of brilliance… we haven’t had all those positive attributes wrapped up into one person, one leader who can shape what this football club looks like for the next generation… since, you know who.

I cannot stress this enough, Josh Staunton is the most important player to the future of Yeovil Town Football Club since Terry Skiverton.

Editor’s note.

I have gone back and forth with writing and publishing this, I’m fully expecting a level of ridicule and outrage, but the reason I’ve gone with it, is that, I want to start the chat about getting contracts sorted beyond this season and quite how our squad looks in the medium to long term and I believe Josh Staunton has every attribute Skivo had and we should everything in our power to harness that.

If Staunton isn’t the most important player to YTFC, why? Who else has affected us (or will affect us) on the pitch in that same time frame?

Let us know! 

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Yeovil Town have announced the signing of Jamaican goalkeeper Dillon Barnes from Championship side Queens Park Rangers.

The 25-year-old signs as the club have depleted numbers in the goalkeeper position, due to Grant Smith’s two-match suspension. 

The announcement from Yeovil refers to it as “a short-term deal” whilst the keeper’s parent club confirms the loan runs until January 26.

Arriving with League experience, Barnes has made 25 appearances in the EFL in both League One and League Two for Burton Albion and Colchester United.

Last season, he spent a short spell in the Scottish Premiership with Hibernian, where made eight appearances in all competitions. 

Earlier this year, Barnes made his full international debut for Jamaica, starting in a narrow 1-0 defeat to Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

A quick check of the records shows that Barnes has come up against Yeovil twice in his career, both during the 2018/19 season whilst at Colchester.

A 3-1 Glovers win and a 1-1 draw at Huish Park, a game in which he was sent off, just before the hour mark.

After clashing with a Glovers player shortly after conceding… none of that kind of shenanigans please Dillon!

Everyone at the Gloverscast wishes Dillon well on his stay in Somerset.

 

 

 

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On loan midfielder Sonny Blu Everton has had his suspension confirmed by the FA following his red card vs Torquay.

The FA have confirmed that the 64th minute sending off has been classed as ‘Violent Conduct‘ and as such comes with a three game, cross competition suspension.

He will miss games with Torquay and Southend in the league and also the FA Cup 3rd Round tie with Bournemouth.

The attacker is back for the FA Trophy tie with Needham Market on January 15th. His original loan deal was due to expire on January 16th.

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On loan Millwall defender Dan Moss will be absent for the January 2nd game against Torquay United after getting his 5th yellow of the season on Boxing Day.

As expected, the FA’s Club Discipline site has been updated to show the full back’s upcoming spell on the sidelines. 

He’d already been booked against; Wrexham, Bromley, Eastleigh and Solihull.

Following the match on Sunday, Manager Darren Sarll said;

“Mossy is always going to get five bookings in his season, he tackles more than anyone, that’s a tackle, that’s what he does, that’s why we play him, because he puts in those tackles.”

“That’s part of the season of having Dan Moss, the other stuff, the two sendings off, if they are for what I think they are, we will deal with that internally.”

The full back will be available for the FA Cup tie against Bournemouth the following Saturday.

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Yeovil Town goalkeeper Grant Smith. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Grant Smith looks set to miss the upcoming games against Torquay and Bournemouth following his post match red card against Torquay on Boxing Day.

Multiple reports suggested the Goalkeeper was shown a red card following the conclusion of the 3-0 defeat, an incident which has now been confirmed as an act of “Foul and Abusive Language”, something which Darren Sarll seemed to assume after the game;

“I don’t know what happened with Grant (Smith), I can make an assumption that he has said something to the referee after the game. If he has and that is the reason why, then I don’t condone that, I’m all for tackling, competing, I’m not great defending players for dissent, if it’s dissent, but we’ll find out.”

We face Torquay and Bournemouth in the next two games which, unless there are any appeals, will see Max Evans (or a loan replacement) between the sticks.

 

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Yeovil Town may have Bournemouth and Needham Market on their minds in cup competitions in January, but in February, the Somerset Premier Cup comes back into the schedule with the Glovers playing away at Cheddar FC.

Cheddar have confirmed to the Gloverscast the expected date and details of the 3rd round tie which will be played on February 15th, squeezed in between Eastleigh away on Feb 12th and Dagenham at home on February 19th.

If anyone fancies a Valentines trip to the Cheesemen, details can be found below…

Cheddar FC v Yeovil Town
Somerset Premier Cup Third Round
Tuesday 15th February – 19:45pm

Tickets: £6 Adults, £3 OAPs, £1 Under 12s.

Address:
Bowdens Park
Draycott Road
Cheddar
BS27 3RL

Directions:
From M5 Junction 22 follow signs for A38- Bristol Airport, turn right onto A371 signposted Axbridge/Cheddar.
Follow through village and club is located on the right of the A371 heading towards Wells.
From Wells follow signs for A371 Cheddar/Weston Super Mare, club is located on left just before entering village.

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Josh Staunton.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town midfielder Josh Staunton fronted up to the media after the 3-0 Boxing Day defeat to Torquay United and couldn’t hide his disappointment  at the result or performance.

He told BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins: “We weren’t anywhere near our best today, but we were still competing for probably 65 minutes, and then we’re disappointed at the ending, because we’ve been finishing games so strongly, the way we’ve come to the end of the run is really disappointing.

“I think it’s important as a group, we don’t feel like it’s the end of the world, it gives us a chance to start a new run. We’ve got a chance to put it right after New Year’s Day”

When asked about the impact of Sonny Blu Lo-Everton’s red card on 64 minutes with the game still goalless, he said the team could have responded better.

He added: “I think that’s where we have to take a bit more responsibility, remain calm, I think we lost our composure and that’s something which we haven’t done the last two months even when we’ve faced a bit of adversity, we’ve stood up to it, and today we didn’t.

“We let the red card (for Lo-Everton) really affect us, not in terms of numerical advantage, but in terms of mentality on the pitch. It’s something which we can’t allow to happen again.”

Staunton was questioned on what he and the side would take away from the defeat and he was adamant that the team would be stronger for it.

“You learn from every loss and every win, and unfortunately today, we’ve learnt the hard way. It’s a good lesson for us as a group, in terms of – we went behind against Woking but managed to come back – but we just lost our composure and lost our cool and it just goes to show, at this level, you can’t afford to have those days.

“Even for 65 minutes we weren’t at our best, but still competing, and we were in the game. We didn’t agree with things on the pitch and it’s cost us today. It’s important we learn those lessons that not everything is going to go our way, but we remain as a group and stand up and face them head on.”

Attention turned to the reverse fixture with Torquay again in the Glovers’ firing line, this time at Huish Park next Sunday.

“We take every game on it’s merit, but it (playing Torquay again so quickly) adds a bit of fuel to the fire, because, just like when we played Weymouth (in the FA Cup) we’ve got a point to prove.

“It’s disappointing, we haven’t got the game on the 28th to have a quick rebound, so we have got to hang fire for a week, but it gives us chance to right some wrongs in training, work hard and get back to what we have been doing previously.

“The most important thing is that we don’t get too down after today, because over a campaign you have ups and downs and today, we’ve had one of those downs.”

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Darren Sarll spoke to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins regarding the two red cards (and five yellows) picked up by the Glovers during their 3-0 loss to Torquay United on Boxing Day.

In a feisty affair, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton was sent off after 64 minutes, goalkeeper Grant Smith saw red after the final whistle and Adi Yussuf, Matt Worthington, Dale Gorman, Luke Wilkinson and Dan Moss all saw yellow.

This is what the manager had to say on the three players who will be missing as a result of today’s indiscretions.

Sonny Blu-Lo Everton – red card – 64th minute.

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

“I thought it was petulant, that’s how I saw it, I have no idea what players think they’re ever gaining from those actions, I’ll have to see it again, but at the time it looked petulant. I don’t understand what they get out of it, the team don’t get anything out of it… listen, Sonny doesn’t help us stop those three goals, what Sonny was doing during the game very, very well was stay on the ball for long periods and get far more territory.

“So very disappointing, we’re disappointed in that type of behaviour, but we will keep those thoughts and comments in house.”

If confirmed as ‘Violent Conduct’ the Watford loanee would miss three games; Torquay, Bournemouth (FA Cup) and Southend before being available for the FA Trophy game with Needham Market Town on January 15th, one day before his initial loan spell from Watford is due to elapse.

Grant Smith – red card – after full-time

New Glovers’ ‘keeper Grant Smith

“I don’t know what happened with Grant (Smith), I can make an assumption that he has said something to the referee after the game. If he has and that is the reason why, then I don’t condone that, I’m all for tackling, competing, I’m not great defending players for dissent, if it’s dissent, but we’ll find out.”

If confirmed as being for ‘Foul and Abusive Language’, the Glovers’ number one would be subject to a two-game ban which would rule him out of the games vs Torquay next Sunday and Bournemouth in the FA Cup. Subject to an appeal process.

 

Dan Moss – fifth yellow card of the season – 75th minute.

Dan Moss. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

“Mossy is always going to get five bookings in his season, he tackles more than anyone, that’s a tackle, that’s what he does, that’s why we play him, because he puts in those tackles.”

“That’s part of the season of having Dan Moss, the other stuff, the two sendings off, if they are for what I think they are, we will deal with that internally.”

It is expected that the Millwall loanee will only be absent for the game against Torquay, his loan was recently extended until January 24th which would give him four more games after his suspension whilst with the side.

 

As a side note, Jack Robinson, the loanee from Middlesbrough was seen with the side today after being out of contention with injury since the win over Yate Town. Alex Bradley missed out on the squad together as did youth team graduate Ollie Haste whilst the Gloverscast have asked Hemel Hempstead Town for clarification on the situation with midfielder Toby Stephens as his one month loan spell had been due to end.