Ian Perkins (Page 98)

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Former Glover Marc Richards has been appointed the first team coach at Northampton Town after Jon Brady was announced as the permanent manager today.

Richards’ role was described by club Chairman, Kelvin Thomas: “Within the new structure, Marc Richards will have a particular focus on developing the young professionals.”

In September, Richards took up the role of Youth Team Assistant Coach at Northampton under Brady. Brady, a former Ru$hden & Diamonds player was appointed first team manager on an interim basis following the sacking of Keith Curle in February.

Richards will be best remembered for his worldy at Dover. The last goal Yeovil Town scored before the pandemic.

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Future National League sides Grimsby and Southend are lodging a proposal against their relegation from the EFL saying it’s “unfair” to be relegated into a league where there was no relegation.

Speaking to the Southend Echo, Southend Chairman, Ron Martin has said that the proposal will be discussed at the EFL.

Martin claimed the proposal had been submitted by Grimsby, with input from Southend, and the Mariners are yet to comment.

Let’s see how that goes, eh?

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Grimsby Town will be opponents of Yeovil’s next season after relegation from League Two. Yesterday, the club confirmed that the majority shareholder John Fenty had sold his shares to the newly formed 1878 company owned by Jason Stockwood and Andrew Pettit.

There’s a Yeovil Town FC link at the heart of the new Grimsby operation, a certain Mark Palmer. Palmer would be assisting them in the assessment of and options for the football operations. Palmer has aided the consortium through the takeover process in his role as managing director of Insight 63, a UK-based advisory firm working in football.

There’s an interview with Francios Zoko following Yeovil’s relegation in 2019, which provides some insight into Palmer’s contribution at Huish Park.

Zoko told the paper that he was aware of Palmer’s involvement back at the club during November 2018, and said that the Football Advisor was directly engaging with the club’s first team players, even to the point of entering the dressing room. He felt that was crossing a line that ‘office’ people should never do: “I felt it from the start. When we were speaking to someone who wanted to take over at the club, as soon as they stepped in and crossed the line the club got worse and worse. From November, Mark Palmer was there and they ruined the club. That’s it. You have an office and dressing room. When someone from the office, like Palmer, crosses the line and comes into the dressing room speaking to players, promising things, you’re killing it.” READ MORE HERE…

Stockwood, the new Mariners chairman said: “Grimsby Town belongs to the fans and the community; we are truly honoured to now be the custodians of the club, running it on their behalf. To that end, involving the fans is essential for us. We will listen carefully to them and will want their help in running the club properly and setting an ambitious, progressive, and crucially, sustainable vision for progress.

“We’re fully aware we’ve inherited a club in a challenging situation and we commit to be open and transparent about what we can and can’t do – and to be realistic about the job in hand. We wish to give special thanks to Paul Hurst for all the hard work and commitment he and his team have been putting in to build the squad from a tough position. We look forward to continuing to work with Paul and the team into next season and beyond. Andrew and I are working as close partners on all decisions. We are passionate about Grimsby Town and I am deeply honoured and privileged to take on the role of Chair and have the opportunity to try and help the club improve over the next few years.”

As well as changes to the club’s board, the new owners also announced that

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Yeovil Town club captain Francois Zoko has blamed the uncertainty of the club’s takeover situation as being at the heart of the club’s fall out of the Football League. The outgoing striker has expanded on views he gave earlier this month in an interview with the Western Daily Press, where he feels the playing squad were much too exposed to the takeover issues surrrounding American businessman Rob Couhig‘s failed plans to assume control at Huish Park.

In particular, Zoko was highly critical of Yeovil Town’s Football Advisor Mark Palmer – a man initially recruited by current owner Norman Hayward to advise him on the future of the football club. Palmer initially came in during the latter part of 2017, and into early 2018, when club Director Andy Rossiter was attempting his own takeover – something that appeared to dissolve after the club gained an unexpected cash windfall in the form of an FA Cup Fourth Round tie against Manchester United.

Palmer was understood to have left the building during the latter part of the 2017-18 season, but was spotted back at Huish Park on December 8th 2018 for the home match against Forest Green Rovers. On this occasion, the lines seemed to be rather more blurred. Whilst initially he was returning as Hayward’s Football Advisor, it also transpired by February 2019, that Palmer was to become Couhig’s Chief Executive under the new organisation – an appointment that was never realised when the takeover plans collapsed earlier this month.

Zoko told the paper that he was aware of Palmer’s involvement back at the club during November 2018, and said that the Football Advisor was directly engaging with the club’s first team players, even to the point of entering the dressing room. He felt that was crossing a line that ‘office’ people should never do:

“I felt it from the start. When we were speaking to someone who wanted to take over at the club, as soon as they stepped in and crossed the line the club got worse and worse. From November, Mark Palmer was there and they ruined the club. That’s it. You have an office and dressing room. When someone from the office, like Palmer, crosses the line and comes into the dressing room speaking to players, promising things, you’re kiling it.”

Zoko felt that the levels of uncertainty at the club got into the dressing room. He said his concern was that the situation was still unresolved – both at management and ownership level – and had barbed words for the way that Palmer had sowed those seeds:

“I think the mistake was that they (Mark Palmer) don’t know the professional world of football and how it works. They stepped in and did exactly what you shouldn’t do. This is my own opinion on the situation. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think so. Uncertainty is the worst thing that can happen at a football club. Yeovil have had that for many long months and uncertainty is killing the club. They’re still in it. Todsay we are still talking about the same things we were talking about a few months ago. This is what is shocking me. It scares me for next year.”

Zoko said he remained neutral on the subject of sacking first team manager Darren Way – a decision made by the current Yeovil Town Board at the end of March 2019, following a defeat against Milton Keynes Dons. However, he added that he felt the Caretaker Manager appointment of Neale Marmon was the wrong choice, saying that the nature of it, and Marmon’s plans to move ‘upstairs’ at the end of that season into a Sporting Director role under the new ownership extended the levels of uncertainty at the club. He felt the club needed to make a bigger decision than that in order to stay up:

“If you sack Darren, you sack him – it’s the club’s decision. The players respect that. You like it; you don’t like it – football is not personal. You have a job to do. We needed to win games to stay in the League. Neale (Marmon) is a very kind and nice man but we’re talking about one of the hardest and most ruthless leagues in English football. It’s not his fault. At that moment we needed certainty. You can’t build anything on uncertainty and that was the case this year.”

Although he has now officially been released from the club, Zoko revealed that his original intention had been to remain at the club as a coach, gradually moving from his position as a player into an off-the-field role within the club. The 35 year old has recently taken two coaching badges and has gained an FA Youth Award as well as an FA Level 3 (UEFA B) in Coaching Football. At present it would appear that he will have to look elsewhere to put that into practice, although doesn’t plan on retiring from the playing side at this stage.

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Over the last few days, there have been several hints about the future of Reuben Reid. Last week during the press conference ahead of the trip to Wealdstone, Darren Sarll said: “Reuben is a fantastic player for us now, for next season and for plenty of time to come.”  BBC Radio Somerset  alluded to the striker signing a new contract during commentary of the win last weekend. The noise is all very positive coming out of Huish Park regarding Reid, and the indications are that we are extending Reid’s stay at Huish Park.

Reid’s signing on the 5th of January caught many off guard. The experienced forward returned for his second spell ahead of our fixture against W*ymouth and was cited as ‘our top target this season’ by Scott Priestnall as we announced the departure of Courtney Duffus.

Since arriving, Reid has made 21 appearances for Yeovil, scoring three times, twice from the penalty spot. His influence, on the pitch, has been mixed. With Reid’s experience at higher levels, many expected more goals. While Reid was prolific at Plymouth Argyle and Exeter, those spells were a peak in his return in front of goal. On the Gloverscast, Ben regularly makes the point that he “won’t judge Reuben Reid on the number of goals he scores”, and this is fair. Reid’s strength is in bringing other forward players into the game. Rhys Murphy’s hottest period this season came when he was paired up with Reid. Those two seemed to strike up a good relationship together, but he seems to have gelled less well with other strikers.

Reid’s post-match interviews have also drawn attention. Some supporters are appreciative of his honesty. Following defeat at $tockport, he bemoaned the quality of the performance and described some of the play as “nearly football.”

He was also critical of his teammates after Yeovil let a 2-0 lead slip against Notts County. Although his performance on that evening was hardly a four out of seven. This mentality, and character, is a key part of a Darren Sarll dressing room.

Reid is, undoubtedly, a big influence in this dressing room. If he can bring young players along with him and help them grow develop – as Sarll has suggested he has with Quigley lately – then that’s ideal. However, I don’t think it’s unfair to to expect more from him on the pitch, if he’s going to publicly call out his teammates.

We received official confirmation of Joe Quigley’s new contract after his hat-trick against Solihull a week ago. We know Darren Sarll likes having a few strikers and based on Monday’s performance in the 3-0 home defeat to FC Halifax Town, Reid and Quigley have a long way to go to be an effective partnership.

The biggest question come out of the latest updates from Huish Park is, what of the future of Rhys Murphy?

Despite two unsettled seasons which have seen him spend long spells on the sidelines, Murphy’s been the striker we were crying out for during our descent down the Football League, and our most natural finisher since Paddy Madden.

His return of 30 goals in 60 appearances in green and white has been superb and will be very difficult to replace, should he leave. At 30-years-old, and with a couple of disrupted seasons, it would be hard to begrudge Murphy a move to a League club. If he gets a payday from another club in the National League, though, that would be a big disappointment.

It’s promising that we’re hearing noises about contract renewals, you can read the current status of the squad here. As you’ll see, we’ve got a long way to go yet.

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Torquay remain top of the National League following their 2-0 win away at Furlough FC Chesterfield. The victory leaves Gary Johnson’s side 4 points clear of Sutton United, who conceded a penalty at the death to lose 3-2 at Notts County.

Ex-Glover (sort of) Kabongo Tshimanga scored three in Boreham Wood’s 5-1 at Kings Lynn.

Playoff hopefuls Bromley picked up a crucial 1-0 win at Hartlepool.  Dagenham & Redbridge beat Woking 3-1 with Angelo Balanta scoring their third goal.

Wrexham came from behind to get a 2-2 draw away Maidenhead. Solihull Moors returned to winning ways with a 4-0 victory at home to Altrincham. $tockport also won 4-0 against Wealdstone.

Rather hilariously, National League also-rans Barnet have done the double over W*ymouth. The Bees won 2-0 at the seaside.
Read the match report of our home loss to Halifax here, if you’re that way inclined.