David Coates (Page 30)

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Striker Aaron Jarvis has said the injured hamstring which has kept him out for three-and-a-half months is “feeling good” and he is hoping to feature in the final match of Yeovil Town’s season at Aldershot Town on Bank Holiday Monday.

The frontman had eight goals to his name when he suffered a reoccurrence of  a hamstring injury which he suffered earlier in his career during the 1-1 draw at Ebbsfleet United in mid-January.

Speaking about that moment to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah on Friday, he said: “I knew straight away because this is the third time I have done it. I knew what I was about to go through rehab-wise, so mentally I was prepared for it.

“I just started chipping in with a few more goals and I felt confident, we had 20 games left and I was trying to think what figure of goals I wanted to end on and then that same night the hamstring said ‘no thanks’.”

Aaron Jarvis. Pic:ture courtesy of Gary Brown

The 27-year-old appeared as a 67th minute substitute in last Saturday’s final home match of the season, a 2-1 home defeat to Sutton United, and admitted it was a “bitter sweet” moment to return to fitness with just two matches of the National League Premier Division season remaining.

He said: “It is a bit bitter sweet because there is only one game left and I did not think I would be back on the pitch this season, but I am glad I am and hopefully we can go out on a high on Monday.

“I have had this same injury before and have re-torn it just before the summer break, so (deciding to play before the end of the season) was a big ‘risk or reward’ situation, but I feel good and I am happy to be out there and help the boys.

“I have been in full training for a few weeks now, so it is just a case of building it up when we can on the pitch. Match fitness is completely different to training, I can do as much as I can in training and extras but you cannot replicate match fitness.”

On Monday’s game, he added: “We want to end the season on a high. Unfortunately we could win the last home game last Saturday, but we can use that as motivation to finish the season on a high at Aldershot. From a personal point of view, if I am selected to get some minutes, hopefully I can progress my fitness. As a team we want to play well and end the season with three points.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKCJZxe–K8

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said he believes he must add “six or seven players” to his squad for them to compete for promotion next season.

The Glovers’ bosses pointed to his side’s lack of goals this season as a major factor in their mid-table finish as they prepare for their final game of the National League Premier Division season at Aldershot Town on Bank Holiday Monday.

They are the division’s fourth-lowest scorers this season with only bottom club Ebbsfleet United (38), Braintree Town (49) and, somewhat ironically, play-off hopefuls FC Halifax Town (48) having scored fewer. Relegated AFC Fylde have also scored 50 this season.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah on Friday, Cooper said: “If you really dust it down we have not scored enough goals when we have needed to and that is something we need to put right in the summer. We have to try and find a way of scoring more goals as a team, we have not scored enough goals from set pieces this year, we have not had enough people chipping in with goals.

“There is a key group of players there that are good enough to compete at this level, as we should at the start and midway through the season when we were up and around the play-offs. If we can keep that tight and add some quality, we can be really optimistic about next season.”

The boss pointed to the uncertainty which remains at Huish Park as we pass the one-month mark since interim chairman Stuart Robins told fans getting new investment was his “highest priority“ following the decision of owner Martin Hellier to step down as chairman.

Cooper said: “I can’t give any definitives at the minute, we are in limbo to see what happens, it could be a good summer, it could be a really long summer. We need to add 6-7 players, like you probably do most seasons. Ideally I would like those to be real quality players that could help us score more goals.

“I can’t do anything at the minute, we have players that are out of contract that we would like to re-engage and there are players we have been monitoring that we would like to bring to the club but until things get sorted, we can’t look too far ahead.”

Brett McGavin could return to the Yeovil Town squad for the final day trip to Aldershot Town. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The manager revealed midfielder Brett McGavin will return to the squad for the Bank Holiday Monday visit to Aldershot Town. The 25-year-old has not featured since picking up an injury in the 1-0 home defeat to York City on 15th April, but has been involved in training this week.

Cooper said: “Brett will not be properly fit because he has not trained for a long time, but we putting him in to give him a little bit of incentive to go away with in the summer.”

Defender Michael Smith remains a doubt with a hamstring injury which has dogged him this season.

Monday’s opponents have the small matter of an FA Trophy final against Spennymoor United at Wembley the following Sunday with a support expected to be pushing 20,000 travelling from Hampshire to support them.

The Shots sit two places and two points behind Yeovil in 16th place going in to the match and are without a win in their last five matches. However, Cooper has dispelled any thoughts that the opposition will have one eye on the final at The Recreation Ground.

He said: “I think they will be full strength and trying to get a bit of form going in to the final and they will want to get this sorted on Monday. I do not buy in to talk about that they will rest players, people told me that about Sutton United (before the 2-1 home defeat at Huish Park last time out) because they had (the National League Cup) final the following Tuesday and none of that happened. It is about on the day, you have to be up for it because otherwise you will get beaten.

“Their budget will be a budget in the bottom half of the league. I know the restraints that Tommy (Widdrington, the Aldershot manager) will be working under, because they will not have one of the big budgets. I think over the last two years, finishing eighth last season and then reaching the Trophy final this year, they have done unbelievably well. They have had two great seasons.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Team News

Yeovil Town have made three changes to their starting XI for today’s final home match of the season against Sutton United (3pm kick-off).

Defender Dom Bernard, midfielder Charlie Cooper, and striker Ciaran McGuckin all return to the line-up with Marcel Lavinier and Kyrell Wilson dropping to the substitutes’ bench having started the 1-0 defeat at Eastleigh on Easter Monday.

Otis Khan is unavailable following his red card five days ago which effectively ended his season-long loan spell from Oldham Athletic with just two games of the National League Premier Division season remaining.

But the real team news comes on the substitutes’ bench where defender Jake Wannell returns having been missing from the squad for the past two games, and striker Aaron Jarvis, who has not featured since injuring his hamstring in January, also on the bench.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Full back Michael Smith has suffered a calf injury which rules him out of Yeovil Town’s final home game of the season this weekend.

Manager Mark Cooper confirmed the Northern Irishman picked up the injury in the Easter Monday defeat at Eastleigh when he came off after 53 minutes and will not be fit to face Sutton United.

Defender Jake Wannell is expected to train before the match, but the boss is not sure whether he will be fit to feature.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah on Thursday, Cooper said he was expecting a tough game against a visiting side which has a National League Cup final against Leeds United Under-21s next Tuesday night.

Asked if he expected a below strength opposition, the Glovers’ boss said: “They have had the massive disappointment of coming out of the Football League and the hangover that brings and they have recovered from that well. I am sure they will be looking to kick on next year. Knowing Steve (Morison, the Sutton manager), he will be desperate to win every game. I think they were quite close (to staying in the League), but once you come down it is difficult. You lose players and have to recruit. Steve has steadied the ship well there and they have some really good players.”

The manager added he expected midfielder Charlie Cooper to “get more minutes” at the weekend having featured off the bench in the past two games as he works his way back from tendonitis in his Achilles.

Mark Cooper speaks to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah ahead of the fixture with Sutton United.

Results elsewhere in the National League Premier Division on Easter Monday confirmed Yeovil’s place with two games to spare and the manager believes the having the pressure off them in recent weeks has led to improved performances. The Glovers have won three and drawn one of their last six matches.

Cooper said: “We have had to concentrate more as a team without the ball because we have had so many disruptions (with injuries) to the squad, so we have had to concentrate more on winning the ball back higher up the pitch and having to get after teams. I just think when they are in that moment they understand they have to run and win their battles and if we have seven or eight players that do that, we win the game. We have at times let ourselves down because we have had a disjointed team and that is understandable and at the moment we are on the front foot and having a go.

“If you are not playing for anything, the pressure is off a bit and you can play a bit more freely, so you have to factor that in. You have to respect the boys that keep winning when they are at the top, like we did last year, because there is so much expectation and pressure to win games. We have not had pressure on us for a couple of games and you can see that in our performances.”

Saturday’s game marks the final fixture at Huish Park and Cooper has called on the home supporters to get behind his side as they have done in recent games.

He said: “Whether you win at home or away it is just about getting enough points and we are starting to pick up points at home. At the club we all have a part to play. I think we can make this place a really difficult place for opposition teams to play, like we did against Forest Green and Oldham, and the fans have the biggest part to play in that, because when they get behind the players it is a really tough place to play for the opposition. Hopefully we have a good summer, recruit well, and get more players that understand what it means to win and the more you win, the happier everyone is.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News
With thanks to Michael West of the Yeovil Town Heritage Society for allowing us to reproduce his tribute to former Yeovil Town manager Cec Irwin who died on Easter Monday at the age of 83.
 
𝐈𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐞𝐜 𝐈𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐧 (𝟏𝟗𝟒𝟐–𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓)
 

We are deeply saddened to share the news that Cecil Irwin – known fondly to many as Cec – passed away peacefully on Easter Monday at the age of 83.

Born in the small mining village of Ellington in Northumberland in 1942, Cec was a proud Sunderland supporter from boyhood who lived the dream of playing for the club he loved. Turning down a move to Arsenal, he made his debut for the Black Cats at just sixteen against Ipswich in 1958. He would go on to make 348 appearances for Sunderland, earning a reputation as one of the game’s early overlapping full-backs – tough in the tackle, yet always fair, and blessed with an exceptional positional sense. He also represented England at youth level on six occasions.

In June 1972, having turned down opportunities with Reading and South Shields, Cec was appointed player-manager of Yeovil Town at the age of thirty. With a young family in tow and a house included in the deal, Cec embraced life in Somerset wholeheartedly.

He succeeded the popular Mike Hughes and inherited a squad brimming with talent. Though faced with early challenges – including the task of rebuilding a side after key departures – Cec’s Yeovil made an immediate impact. The 1972/73 season saw thrilling football and an FA Cup run remembered fondly for the dramatic 2–1 win over Brentford at Huish. That season, Yeovil finished just one point behind Kettering in the Southern League – a near-miss that still evokes “what ifs” today.

Picture courtesy of Michael West, YTFC Heritage Society.
 

Although the following campaign brought setbacks – including early cup exits and disappointment in the FA Trophy – Cec remained dignified, dedicated and respected by all. He convinced the board to invest in promising talent and worked tirelessly for the club, both on and off the pitch. The 1974/75 season saw Yeovil again battle for top spot, but a shock Trophy defeat to Canterbury City proved a turning point. In April 1975, it was announced that Cec’s contract would not be renewed.

Despite the disappointment, Cec remained the consummate professional, continuing to manage the side with commitment and grace. His final appearance as a substitute against Bath City was met with a warm ovation from the Huish faithful, and a presentation by his players – a silver salver given with genuine affection and respect.

After leaving Yeovil, Cec returned to the North-East, going on to manage Gateshead and Ashington while also running a newsagent in his native Ellington. Ever loyal, he would continue to help Yeovil with scouting reports when the Glovers played in his region. Until recent years, Cec remained an active presence at Sunderland, attending matches at the Stadium of Light and enjoying rounds of golf whenever he could.

Remembered fondly by those who played under him and those who watched from the terraces, Cec Irwin was a kind-hearted gentleman and a dedicated football man. As the late Stuart Housley once said, “a lovely man and a very good manager.”

Cec leaves behind a legacy of loyalty, integrity and warmth that will be cherished both in the North-East and in Yeovil, where he is still held in the highest regard..

Our thoughts are with his family. Rest in peace, Cec.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Midfielder Harry Kite says he is enjoying his start to life at Yeovil Town as he works his way back of a lengthy period out of football with injury.

The former Exeter City youngster arrived at Huish Park at the end of March having not played all season due to injuries he suffered after leaving his native Devon at the end of last season.

He completed 76 minutes of the 1-0 defeat at Eastleigh on Easter Monday to take him over the 300-minute mark from his five appearances and feels be is finding his fitness.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins after the match, he said: “I feel good. I had obviously been out for a long period of time but I am very thankful for the manager and to the club for allowing me to come here and get some minutes before the end of the season.

“That will benefit me in terms of my fitness and to help the team. I got 15-20 minutes in the first game to build my minutes up from there and then played two games in four days over Easter, but I am feeling good.

“It is a shame we only have a couple of games left because I feel like I am getting in to my stride a little bit now. It is a difficult one because I have missed so much football this season, but I am hoping my performances and how well the team is doing will put me in good stead for the summer.”

Harry Kite is a product of Exeter City’s youth academy.

Results on Easter Monday mean the Glovers are mathematically safe from relegation in their first season back in the National League Premier Division. They went down 1-0 at Eastleigh having played from the 36th minute with ten men after on loan winger Otis Khan was sent off for elbowing the hosts’ goal-scorer Chris Maguire.

Kite said he believed there were plenty of positives to draw from the performance for Yeovil as they prepare for their final two matches of the season at home to Sutton United next weekend and then a trip to Aldershot Town on the final day of the season.

He said: “We had a couple of chances we probably should have scored and we know the red card changes the game, but if we take those chances early on it is a different game. But we went up against a decent team with a man less in the second half and we gave it a really good go, so it would have been a good point but that is football sadly.

“We just had to keep our heads high (in the second half), we had nothing to lose and we were not going to sit back in the second half, so it was important that we went for it. We were so close to getting something out of it.

“It is important we put that result aside because the performance was where it needed to be. Sometimes you have games where you do not perform and end up winning and it is a different feeling to the one we have today. I think it is important we take the positives from today and take that in to Saturday (against Sutton). If we can finish with six points from these last two games, that would be amazing.“

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Manager Mark Cooper  was full of praise for his Yeovil Town side who played the entire second half with ten men in the 1-0 defeat at Eastleigh on Easter Monday.

On loan winger Otis Khan was shown a straight red card after he threw an elbow at the home side’s Chris Maguire on 36 minutes with his side already trailing 1-0 following Maguire’s goal after half-an-hour.

Following results across the National League Premier Division, Yeovil can now mathematically not make the play-off places or get relegated out this season.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins after the game, Cooper said: “I thought the players were fantastic. We dominated the first 30 minutes, we should have been 2-0 up through two really good chances and then we had a five minute spell where they scored.

“We didn’t deal with a bit of pressure down the left-hand side, we didn’t get across as a defence and block the goal but apart from that we I think we dominated the game with ten men in the second half and we should have got something.

“You have to say the red card changed the game. We are a man fewer and so we cannot get as many bodies forward, but you would not have known we had ten men in the second half. It looked to me like the referee did not like us very much, so that was a bit frustrating.

“But I thought the players were tremendous. They ran, they were brave with the ball and we created chances and the only criticism I have today is that we were not ruthless in front of goal. We had two great chances in the first half and could have been out of sight, then in the second half we had bits and pieces around the edge of the box where we have to hit the target. I think Josh Sims hits a great shot, the keeper saves it and the referee remarkably gives a goal kick.”

Some of the 642 Yeovil fans that travelled to Eastleigh

You can probably tell from some of Cooper’s carefully judged words that he was not impressed with the standard of the officials. Asked what he felt needed to be done to improve the standard of refereeing, he said: “If you watch every manager’s post-match interview today up and down the country, I would say four in five managers will mention a referee. The only way you make it better is if you make them full-time because then there is no excuse for them. They get fitter and when they are fitter they make better decisions.”

There was praise as well for a strong travelling support from Somerset with 642 fans filling the away section at the Silverlake Stadium for what could easily have been viewed as an end-of-season ‘dead rubber’, with neither side challenging/threatening at either end of the table.

Cooper said: “I am delighted with the players and the fans, what a turn out. They got behind the team, cheered us on and kept the boys going and they got a performance where we never stopped, even with ten men we never stopped running and kept pushing ahead the whole game. We have got an amazing fan base and we are a big club and we want to start thinking about next year, start planning and have a right good go at the league next year.”

In his final question, Cooper was asked whether he sees defender Jake Wannell or striker Aaron Jarvis being available for the remaining two games of the season, he replied: “No.” 

In his pre-match interview, the manager had put a strong emphasis on the word apparently when discussing Wannell’s absence from the matchday squad, saying: “Jake Wannell is apparently not fit again, so Morgan (Williams) will start.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper is hoping the four players he has brought in to the starting XI for the Easter Monday trip to Eastleigh will freshen up the side.

Defenders Michael Smith and Marcel Lavinier replace Alex Whittle and Dom Bernard with loanees Otis Khan and Kyrell Wilson replacing Josh Sims and Ciaran McGuckin in the forward line from the Good Friday draw with Forest Green Rovers.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins ahead of kick-off, Cooper said: “We can’t go up and we can’t go down and it’s about playing for the shirt and finishing the season properly. Morgan Williams will start, Jake Wannell is apparently not fit again, so Morgan will start. We have some players that did not start on Friday that will start today and hopefully give us some freshness.

“They spent heavily in the summer and have some big names in there and I am expecting a tough game. They had a good result (a 1-1 draw) at Barnet on Friday, so we will see if that has taken anything out of them but we will have a right go at it and try and win the game.“

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

After a last minute heartache saw them settle for a draw on Good Friday, Yeovil Town will be looking to rise again as they travel to Eastleigh on Easter Monday.

FORM GUIDE…

It’s been a tough run of form for Eastleigh without a win in their last eight matches and than coming against relegation-haunted (and now relegated) Ebbsfleet United on home soil back at the start of March.

However, The Spitfires did have a good result on Good Friday with a 1-1 draw away at champions elect Barnet where Paul McCallum, a name synonymous with the top of the National League’s scoring charts, took advantage of a defensive mix-up to put them ahead. 

This should serve as a notice to Yeovil that there is still plenty of quality in their hosts’ squad on Easter Monday. Their last three fixtures at the Silverlake Stadium have seen them beaten by Southend United and held to a draw by FC Halifax Town and Hartlepool United.

In comparison, Yeovil are in good form with three wins, Good Friday’s 1-1 draw at home to play-off candidates Forest Green Rovers, and a defeat in their last five matches.

The performance against Forest Green built on a good showing in the previous match at home to Oldham Athletic and manager Mark Cooper will be looking for his side to carry on that form on Easter Monday.

KEY PLAYERS

Yeovil Town – Sonny Blu Lo-Everton

Who would have bet on Sonny being a key player a couple of months ago? Having been a regular until the end of November, the 4-0 defeat at York City seemed to be the death knell for his career at Huish Park. The former Watford youngster disappeared with a mystery injury and was reportedly placed on the transfer list and had a trial in the Middle East.

Then, come the home match against Tamworth in mid-February, he was back and straight in the starting XI. Since then he has been a revelation, leaving fans wondering where was he during those dark months.

Those last few games I talk about have been the last two in particular, at home to Oldham and then Forest Green on Good Friday. Lo-Everton has scored three in two for the Glovers, showing that he can be a crucial cog in the midfield for Mark Cooper. With three games to go, will the midfielder add more.

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Eastleigh – Tyrese Shade

The winger has been the main man for Eastleigh this season with 12 goals to his name and eight assists.

It’s not only been his goal contributions but the fact he has stayed fit almost all season. Shade has got over 3,200 minutes in 40 appearances for the Spitfires. The last four games have been slow for the St Kitts & Nevis international, with just the one assist.


THAT’S WHAT HE SAID

Eastleigh manager and former Southampton goalkeeper Kelvin Davis spoke about the match following the 1-1 draw at Barnet in Good Friday’s televised match. He said: “The challenge is whether we can recreate that level of focus and determination? It will be a different game, for sure, and Yeovil are going well and have picked up some strong results in recent times, so it will be a tough game. But, we are at home and we do want to finish strong and show every individual that puts on the shirt wants to give their best.”

Eastleigh manager Kelvin Davis speaks after the 1-1 draw at Barnet.

In his post-match comments following the draw with Forest Green, Yeovil boss Mark Cooper said he expected to make changes for the match with several of the team which started on Friday having just come back from injury. He said: “The boys that were bit part today and (Jake) Wannell will have to be fit for Monday to give us a chance to put some bodies out there. The main thing for us is to get as many points as we can and carry that in to the summer, but I was really pleased today. I thought the fans were incredible, that was a real backing for the team and the boys need that every week. If you give that, I guarantee the players will run like they did again today.“

 

WE’VE MET BEFORE

There has only ever been nine games between the Glovers and the Spitfires, with Yeovil having the better head to head record. Yeovil have four wins, Eastleigh have two wins with there being three draws.

The teams last met on Boxing Day, where a 2-2 draw was played out. With Yeovil’s goals coming from Sean McGurk and Morgan Williams.

DON’T WE KNOW YOU?

After the Forest Green match where every other player had some kind of a connection with both clubs, Eastleigh second choice goalkeeper Tommy Scott is the only one for this match.

He started out in the Under-18s set-up at Huish Park before making the move to Southampton’s B team where he made a few appearances before dropping in to non-League where he did a tour of the South Coast with spells at Hamworthy United, Poole Town, Wimborne Town and W*ymouth before signing for Eastleigh in the summer of 2023.

WHO’S BEEN A NAUGHTY BOY THEN?

No one on Yeovil’s side is suspended.