Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 294)

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Ian’s off on his holibobs, so it’s Dave, Ben and Elliot Watts who team up to chat the 1-0 to Dorking, the Solihull game on Saturday… and all the shenanigans in between.

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Yeovil Town striker Malachi Linton has said revealed his team-mates have been told to “walk out the door” if they aren’t up for the fight for National League survival.

The 22-year-old, who is the club’s joint top scorer albeit with just five goals this season, said he believes that everyone in the Glovers’ dressing room is up for the fight.

But, speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to Solihull Moors, he admitted the players have “let down” the club’s supporters with their performances in recent weeks.

He told BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins: “It’s been pretty blunt – if you’re not up for the fight, you may as well walk out the door. We are all here, everyone still has to believe, it’s not done until it’s done and we have to keep fight, claw, do anything we can to get those wins.

“It’s about having belief in each other and the thing we have lacked is cutting edge in the final third, myself included. If we had a bit more belief with shots and attacking crosses, we could have done a bit more and hopefully can do more in these next few games.

“We are all in this together, we know what it means, so I am confident we are all up for the fight. Winning cures all so a win will push in the right direction and we can start looking upwards.”

He also spoke of his frustration about the off-the-field noise’ that there has been at Huish Park – if you’ve been under a rock for the past few weeks, read the latest instalment – here.

He said: “There’s been a lot of noise throughout the year which is quite frustrating, but I am a player and I just have to focus on what I can do on the pitch and the team has stuck together and tried to be united. Whatever else goes on, goes on.”

But, he was full of admiration for club captain (and his house-mate) Josh Staunton who has won praise for a series of stirring post-match interviews after recent losses.

Mal added: “Without Josh Staunton we would be in a much worse position. I live with Josh and he’s just a great bloke who I know will look after me.

“He goes out and does interviews on the toughest of days when nobody wants to talk, he has done that all season.“

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said he wanted to retain his integrity as he was quizzed about comments from prospective owner Matt Uggla.

Following the 1-0 defeat to Dorking Wanderers on Easter Monday, he made a series of comments on his Twitter account claiming he had backed the manager in the transfer market after Cooper claimed a decision not to sign striker Frank Nouble had damaged any hopes of surviving in the National League.

The posts have now been deleted, but Cooper said on Thursday that he was contacted by a number of players who had read the posts.

Speaking about the incident ahead of Saturday’s trip to Solihull Moors, the manager said: “For me it is about trying to be as professional as I can be in really difficult circumstances and trying to be there for the players and prepare them as best as I can for the last few games.

“There was a period not so long ago when we played really well against Eastleigh when everything was rosy and since then it has been downhill for one reason or another.

“I want to try and retain my integrity and be professional and, if I’m not, then I lose the respect of the players and I think it is important that I am there for them and they know I have got their back.

“We can’t change what has happened, it is done. It’s been a challenging few weeks for everybody, and we have to go in to these next four games and give it all we’ve got.”

On Nouble, who has since joined relegation rivals Torquay United, he reiterated that he wanted the former Colchester United striker to come to Huish Park, adding: “Frank was on his way here but somewhere along the line it didn’t happen, I would have loved Frank here, but we can’t change that, that’s gone.”

Cooper now takes his side to Solihull Moors on Saturday sat third from bottom of the table, six points adrift of safety, knowing that relegation to National League South is now just a matter of time.

And, just in case the task was not any harder, they then travel to top-of-the-table Wrexham on Tuesday night when the big-spending Welshmen could clinch promotion back to the Football League.

Asked about the task, the manager added: “If we won on Saturday, the picture could change and, of course, we have an unbelievably difficult game on the Tuesday where Wrexham can probably win the title and be promoted, so we will be there to see the champions led in – but this is football, you never know. We have to be professional right to the very end.

“I gave the players a couple of days off to try and clear their heads, they’re not going to get any fitter, it’s about clear heads and getting focused now. There’s been a lot of emotion, chaos behind the scenes, but we have to rise above it all.

“Our performances have not been bad, from our goal to the edge of their box, we have been fine, we just have to be a bit more of a threat inside the penalty box.”

Speaking about an interview given by on loan striker Reo Griffiths – which you can read here – Cooper responded to claims that the Doncaster Rovers player was ready to score goals.

He said: “Talk’s cheap, it’s actions I need to see and that is not just on the pitch, that is during the week as well. If there is somebody in that squad that I see is going to score goals to give the team a lift, I am not going to cut my nose off to spite my face.”

Cooper also spoke about the performance on Easter Monday of referee Elliott Swallow who he described as “horrendous” after sending off defender Chiori Johnson.
The boss also pointed to a penalty appeal from striker Malachi Linton, saying: “It’s a clear red card when you see it back, I can’t see how you can’t get that right.”

He also revealed that he sent a video nasty of the 1-1 draw at FC Halifax Town last month in to the Professional Game Match Officials League (PGMOL).

The boss said: “There were some incredible decisions – there were two penalty shouts in there and a horrendous tackle on Edwin Agbaje that broke his leg, and the feedback I got was that the referee was correct in all their decisions.

“Until that changes, there is no point me doing a report for a referee or ringing up an assessor because they are just going to back the referee. So until that changes, we are wasting our time.”

Sadly, Mark, the Gloverscast’s Rule #1 agrees with everything you say. For reference, Rule #1: All National League referees are useless, there’s no point wasting your breath on them.

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The Football Association’s disciplinary portal has updated to show Chiori Johnson’s one match suspension following his red card against Dorking Wanderers.

Johnson was given the second of two yellow cards just before the half-time interval with the game at 0-0.

After the game, Dorking’s Manager/Owner Marc White said that his side were “fortunate” to be playing against 10 men thinking that the second of the two yellows was a potentially harsh decision, a sentiment echoed by Mark Cooper.

Johnson will miss this weekend’s game against Solihull Moors, but will be available for the Wrexham away fixture the following Tuesday.

The portal also confirms Mark Cooper received his fourth yellow card of his tenure during the game.

 

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In the next installment of the Gloverscast’s trip down memory lane, we are able to bring you the full Ciderspace coverage of Yeovil Town’s incredible 4-0 demolition of Doncaster Rovers on the way to a most incredible Nationwide Conference Title.

By clicking on the link below, you’ll find a full match report from Jeremy Gear, the Man of the Match voting, a full gallery of post match celebrations, as well as not one, not two but THREE videos from Chris over at Green and White Goals on YouTube.

How does the song go..? “… we won the blummin’ Conference, in 2003″ we did, exactly 20 years ago today.

CLICK HERE

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Yeovil Town on loan striker Reo Griffiths has said he is fit and ready to play if and when required by manager Mark Cooper.

In an interview with the Somerset County Gazette, the former Tottenham Hotspur man has said he is “desperate” to played a little over an hour in two substitute appearances since joining on loan from League One side Doncaster Rovers at the start of March.

The 22-year-old has not featured since appearing off the bench in the 1-0 defeat to Bromley three weeks ago despite the Glovers being the lowest scorers in the National League.

Griffiths said: “I’m desperate to play and help the team stay in the National League. I’m 100% fit and ready to score some goals for the team.

“I have been patiently waiting for my chance and I know the fans have been asking why I’m not playing but I honestly don’t know why.

“I was brought in to score goals and that’s what I would love to do for the club and fans.

“We have incredible fans and they travel up and down the country spending hard earned money to watch us.

“We have four cup finals left and there is enough quality in the building for us to score goals and finish on a high.

“I’m really fired up for the challenge ahead and whilst we still have a chance of staying up we have to fight for that.”

Griffiths has  missed out due to loanee rules on a number of occasions but has travelled to games with the squad including at Halifax where he did extensive post match running.

It was following that game, Mark Cooper had said the frontman had “missed training.”

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In keeping with the entire season (and probably the one before), rock bottom fell even lower for Yeovil Town with defeat at home to Dorking Wanderers putting another nail in the coffin of their National League status.

Marcus Duncomb was on co-commentary duties for BBC Radio Somerset at Huish Park on Easter Monday and here are his conclusions on what he saw….

Everything about that game summed what’s been wrong with us this season. We played some nice football, had more of the ball and were trying to do the right thing. But as soon as we got anywhere near the final third there was no-one in there making a lung-busting run or screaming for the ball. It’s as if we have no idea what to do when we get near the opposition goal. Then Chiori Johnson decided to get sent off by making a stupid and needless decision which ultimately doomed us. Self-capitulation seems to be a theme in Yeovil’s recent history. Finally Dorking rubbed salt into the wounds to win the game, showing us just what we were missing. A decent pot-shot from range was parried and first to react was Jason Prior who showed predatory striker’s instinct. Just what we’ve been missing. He was signed in February and has scored six in 11 to rocket Dorking towards safety…

We’re not achieving by unity and ultimately that has relegated us. Managers, players, owners and directors all come and go but they all occasionally manage to mention the club’s motto of ‘Achieve by Unity’. Never has it been so far from the truth. Alex Fisher hobbled out just before kick off to give a heartwarming message of thanks to the Huish Park faithful and he ended his speech with the club motto which roused the crowd. The match and the aftermath showed how little that phrase is being followed though. The problem isn’t wholly that we didn’t sign striker X who could have saved us (although it definitely could have helped). It’s that we’re in a farcical situation where our manager is telling fans through interviews that he plainly doesn’t agree with how the club has been run in the past few months. And then our not-yet-but-probably-soon-to-be owner bites back with a Twitter rampage (which later got deleted, but we’ve all got the screenshots), listing half the players in the National League and whose idea it was not to sign them or sign them. This petty civil war has completely derailed our season and once again Yeovil Town has been the master of its own downfall. We’re the laughing stock for rival fans and I don’t know how any player would want to be at this club in its current state. We may be a full-time club but we’re certainly not professional in any way.

If there was any hope, it is gone. I know we’ve been saying that every result since the Southend home defeat has doomed us, but this really does feel like the final nail in the coffin. I don’t know how I had any hope after the Gateshead mauling – but looking at the table it wasn’t impossible. Torquay, Gateshead and Dorking have shown that, no matter how down and out you look, you just need to pull together a string of three or four wins and it completely saves your season. That’s all it takes. Unfortunately for Yeovil fans, we have seen absolutely nothing to show that we can go on a run of victories. We’ve won one game in 16 and haven’t had back-to-back victories since Darren Sarll. The squad look completely dejected and disjointed and sadly it would be better for everyone’s sake for our inevitable fate to be sealed sooner rather than cruelly dragging it out like this.

This squad is a complete mish mash. It’s similar to the previous point but as I watched us limp to defeat against Dorking Wanderers, you could see a complete mix of players. You had three from the Darren Sarll era in Smith, Worthington and Staunton, who all happen to be our three top performers this season. There were four carrying on from Chris Hargreaves’ short and, let’s be honest, forgettable 17 games at the helm – Johnson, Reckord, Bevan and Linton. C. Cooper and Maguire-Drew were from Cooper’s early recruitment and then Pollock and Freckleton as the two from Uggla’s recruitment. Thanks to Matt’s handy Twitter thread, we know exactly which players were whose signings! There are four different people, all with completely different ideas, beliefs and styles who have assembled this squad. It’s no wonder it looks so disjointed on the pitch and that there’s an unsettled dressing room. When our club captain says it’s ridiculous that we’ve used so many players in a season, you know something has gone wrong. Yes, part of this is down to summer recruitment being off and ultimately failing, but the lack of alignment since then has not helped.

Alex Fisher is the nicest man in football. I had to try and find one positive, and believe me it wasn’t easy. But the Fish coming out beforehand really did lift the spirits of a nervy Huish Park before kick off. This was something entirely of his own accord and to be quite honest I’m really not sure he was in any fit state to be parading around the pitch. However, he did it because he cares and that’s been a lot of what’s been missing this season. Our number nine has come under a lot of stick this season, and much of it unnecessarily in my opinion. It’s not his fault that he’s been burdened with the pressure of scoring the goals to fire us to safety when he’s never really been that type of striker. He’s scored more goals this season than he had in his past three seasons combined. Whatever happens to us next season, Fisher is someone that you want around the club even if he’s injured until the new year. Thanks for caring, Alex.

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A bad day for the Glovers in green and white… what about those who play in a whole range of different colours?

In the National League, Ben Richards-Everton was an unused sub as Scunthorpe saw their relegation to the National League North confirmed.

Charlie Wakefield wasn’t in the Woking side who confirmed their place in the National League play-offs.

In the NLN, Leamington suffered a 3-0 defeat in something of a six-pointer against Kettering, Ollie Hulbert played the full 90.

Truro lost the battle of the Bolitho against Plymouth Parkway as the two ground sharers went head to head, Ollie Haste was an unused sub for Truro, still no Toby Stephens for Parkway either.

Hungerford drew 1-1 in their game with Havant and Waterlooville in the NLS, Max Evans was in goal for the home side.

Dorchester went down 6-1 against Poole Town, Jake Graziano wasn’t in the squad.

Gillingham Town drew 1-1 with Warminster, Sam Hodges played the full 90 minutes and was awarded MOTM (hat tip to Lee Hodges on twitter for the update), the Gills have been really pleased with Hodges overall, an update sent to the Gloverscast says, “Sam has started our last six matches in centre midfield. Playing will, industrious, hard working and retains possession well.”

Thanks to Gillingham Town for the update!

Tiverton were in action away to Weston Super-Mare, but no sign of Charlie Bateson on the team sheet.

So, yeah, lots of players not playing for their loan clubs… cracking.

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In a long thread post on his Twitter channel, prospective Yeovil Town owner Matt Uggla has responded to claims from manager Mark Cooper that he had not been backed in the transfer market.

The thread can be viewed on Twitter – click here – and if you are interested in it, that is probably the best place to read it in full because some tweets seem to have been deleted and the narrative is a little tricky to follow.

However, after we published comments made by the manager claiming he was not supported in the transfer market, it only seems fair to give right of reply to the owner-in-waiting. If you wanted to read what Cooper said about Nouble – see here.

On Nouble, he says: “The fact Frank Nouble didn’t sign is down to a number of reasons. One being Mark Cooper and his agent. We have back the man. Plus he sat in my house in Hampstead in January saying we don’t need to sign anyone else.”

Recognising that there’s people for and people against Cooper staying as manager and SU Glovers completing the takeover of the deal from chairman Scott Priestnall, we’re happy to report both sides of what is a very public civil war.

But……these antics (on both sides) could not be further away from the calls for unity we have heard from both sides in recent weeks and quite frankly they are only making a bad situation in to an absolute laughing stock.

Uggla signs off his thread: “This is my last tweet until the start of next season when positivity will be back.” Now that does sound like a good idea.

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has again pointed to poor recruitment in the transfer window as being behind the collapse in form which puts his side on the brink of relegation to National League South.

Echoing what he said after the losses to Southend United and Gateshead, the boss went a step further by revealing that striker Frank Nouble was ready to join the club before being allowed to join relegation rivals Torquay United.

The former Colchester United player scored twice for the Gulls in a 3-1 win at Maidenhead United on Easter Monday whilst Cooper’s side struggled in front of goal again as they went down to a 1-0 home defeat to Dorking Wanderers.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, Cooper said: “It didn’t have to be like this. Five or six weeks ago, the players we wanted to bring in….one of them is going to keep Torquay up by the looks of it and it just didn’t happen. We have to learn from that.”

Asked directly if he was referring to Nouble, the manager said: “The deal was done, Frank was coming in on a five-week deal and it didn’t happen. That’s what way it is. It’s frustrating because it didn’t have to be like this; I will get the majority of the blame, but it didn’t have to be like this.”

The boss has not attempted to hide his displeasure that a number of new signings, including striker Reo Griffiths and midfielders Scott Pollock, Callum Harriott and Zanda Siziba, had been recruited by the club’s prospective owners, SU Glovers, without his involvement.

Asked why the Nouble deal did not go through, Cooper replied: “I will leave you to surmise what went wrong with that.” Grab a calculator folks, punch in 2 + 2 and see if it comes up with 4.

Minutes after the manager’s comments went out, owner-in-waiting Matt Uggla took to his Twitter feed with a lengthy thread claiming why he disagrees with Cooper (to put it mildly) – you can read that here.

The result means there are six points between Yeovil and safety in the National League with just four games remaining, meaning relegation to National League South now seems an inevitability.

Cooper said: “When people sit back and look at it, they can see what happen and it is such a shame because it didn’t have to be like that.

“When it is finished, the football club has to see that as a real opportunity to build and say that is rock bottom, we have to put things in place and do things right and be a real professional football club.”

He added: “I would love to be (manager next season). I know supporters hate me at the minute, but a lot of it has been out of my control. I just hope the club move professionally forward.”

On the pitch, it was the same old story with a struggle to score goals compounded by the sending off of Chiori Johnson at the end of the first half.

Cooper said his side “never looked in too much trouble” until the defender received his marching orders, the boss said: “We played one up front, two in behind, high wing backs to try and get crosses in the box and we had really good opportunities in and around the goal but that final piece is what was missing.

“We have four or five players that I don’t know how they put the shift in that they do. Every game they run, they fight and they scrap but then we are filling in around them that you never know what performance you are going to get out of them.

“But, they are great lads, great characters, trying their absolute socks off <**TRYING THEIR SOCKS OFF KLAXON***> and it is an aboslute pleasure every day to work with them.”

He also took aim at referee Elliott Swallow claiming the sending off should never have happened. From my perspective, Johnson was somewhat fortunate to not receive his marching orders for his first tackle on James McShane, so it does feel like Cooper is clutching at straws here.

He said: “It is never sending off (for Chiori Johnson), it should have been a red card (for Dorking’s George Francomb) and I got booked for asking about an offside. Horrendous decisions. I have been to speak to the ref and I can’t explain it.

“Every foul the referee gave in the first half was a booking. I said to him he doesn’t understand the game because you are allowed to make a tackle without getting booked. That is game understanding from a young referee. He will learn from that.”

Oh, and it sounds like Matt Worthington has “tweaked a hamstring” as well. Just in case you didn’t think things could get any worse.