Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 307)

Yeovil Town boss Darren Sarll has revealed the club couldn’t say no to QPR on the deal offered for Alfie Lloyd.

The academy product’s move to QPR was confirmed earlier this week after he had a successful trial at the London club.

Speaking to the press today, Sarll said: “It was a brilliant deal, we could not say no. It is the best deal in terms of monetary value that the club has done for 4-5 years. It is a good deal up front and a good deal if Alfie is successful and it is a good deal for Alfie in terms of his football career and education and that is what he needs. We are really pleased for him because he is a brilliant guy and we are delighted for him.”

Sarll stressed the importance of good finances at the club, given the uncertainty COVID has caused, and touched on the deals we’ve done this season, presumably the selling of Myles Hippolyte, Courtney Duffus and Lloyd.

“Everyone knows we are in COVID financial times and money is at a premium, so we needed to do it. We have sold three players and we have brought in what is moving to hundreds of thousands of pounds in remuneration, so that is all good. That will only create a stronger foundation and that is what is going to have to happen. That is like any business. What we have seen over the years, so many mistakes with young players who spend ages out on loan and then get released. We are in a position next season where every penny has to be spent very wisely and next season if players can’t contribute to the first team, we can’t have them with us.”

Sarll praised his young signings, Tom Knowles, Alex Bradley and Max Hunt. He talked about the character they bring to the squad, and how the experiences of this season will only improve them.

He said: “The experience young players are getting on and off the pitch has been huge, but we have to get through this difficult time.
They will only be better for these life and football experiences. I am really excited about players like Tom Knowles, Alex Bradley, Max Hunt, they are going to be brilliant players for the club.

“We need to make sure we keep that character because the team that fell out of the League was devoid of character in my opinion. We need to keep that in senior players, but there are also young players out there with that same character that you need. Look at Tom Knowles, his strength of character means he’s as tough as old boots, brave as a lion, takes the ball, gets kicked and gives it back.”

If you are feeling brave, the highlights of our 2-0 defeat at Aldershot Town on Tuesday night are now available on the club’s YouTube channel.

If you spool forward to 2 minutes, 55 seconds in, you’ll see the sending-off of midfielder Alex Bradley – what do you think? Red card? Just a yellow? Referee banned for three matches?

Give us your opinion on the Gloverscast Twitter, here: https://twitter.com/gloverscast

 

Former Yeovil Town loan defender Morgan Williams has been released by his parent club, Coventry City.

Williams, 21, has spent two loans spells at Huish Park, playing three times last season before returning in October 2020 for another short stint.

Speaking to YTFC.net upon resigning Williams, Manager Darren Sarll said at the time;

“I immediately requested (when needing a defender) Morgan because of his playing traits. He is very different to what we have, and he made a huge impression on us all the last time he was on loan.

“He knows the group, to some extent, and understands what it is to play for Yeovil, the expectations that are placed on the players and the need to win games on a weekly basis.

“It’s great to have him back and I hope he has a great experience with us again.”

Everyone at the Gloverscast wishes Morgan Williams all the best in his search for a new club.

More EFL clubs are starting to formluate their plans for the upcoming season and Exeter City are the latest to release details of who will be staying and who will be leaving this summer.

Striker Alex Fisher during his time at Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

There are a couple of interesting names to Yeovil Town fans including former defender Tom Parkes who played a couple of times on loan from Leicester in 2011, but also former striker Alex Fisher.

Fisher, joined Yeovil just hours before the 2018 meeting with Manchester United, having driven down from Motherwell to Somerset to sign the deal in time to be included in the glamour cup tie.

The front man would go on to score 14 goals in 62 games for a Yeovil side struggling at the wrong end of League Two, he,  like many others at the time, found himself released from Huish Park at the end of the 2018/19 season when relegation was confirmed.

We wish Alex and Tom all the best in finding a new club.

 

 

Former Yeovil Town goalkeeper David Coles has left his role as Bristol Rovers goalkeeping coach.

Now managed by Joey Barton, the recently relegated (ha!) club up the road have reshuffled the deck following their relegation to League Two.

Coles played 96 times for Yeovil between 1991 and 1994. He has coached at Southampton, Portsmouth, West Ham and Bristol City.

Yeovil Town defender Alex Bradley has had his suspension confirmed by the Football Association today.

Bradley was sent off during the Glovers’ 2-0 loss to Aldershot on Tuesday night in the 55th minute.

The FA Suspensions Website has been updated to show that the defender is scheduled to miss three games for breach of Law 12 S1.

However, manager Darren Sarll confirmed the club’s intention to appeal the decision saying;

I just don’t get it, I don’t understand it… it’s on the half line, it’s a professional foul to stop the attack, he’s clipped his heel… there’s no danger to the individual, how many of them do you see every week?”

“We’d like to think with an appeal and a clear mind the referee might do the right thing, becasue I found it very strange”

We will bring you news of the outcome of any suspension here on the Gloverscast, but as it stands Alex Bradley will missing for games against King’s Lynn, Maidenhead and Altrincham before being available again on the final day of the season against Stockport County.

 

 

Trophy Success At Villa Park

To many Yeovil Town fans, May 12th 2002 is the start of over a decade of near permanent success, as goals from Carl Alford and Adam Stansfield secure a 2-0 win over Stevenage in the FA Trophy Final at Villa Park.

The weather was glorious, the football from Yeovil equally so, as thousands of supporters filled the Holte End at Villa Park after travelling up from Somerset.

Carl Alford’s overhead kick early on set the Glovers on their way on 12 minutes, but it was Chris Weale‘s 1st minute save from Kirk Jackson which really set the tone for the afternoon.

Gary Johnson‘s men really took control after half time, Terry Skiverton forcing a goal-line clearance from Matt Fisher, but the second goal came not long after, a fine finish from Man of the Match, Adam Stansfield.

After the game, Gary Johnson told reporters: “The club and the fans have been waiting more than thirty years to win this and now we have won it for them, I’m delighted”

Yeovil: Weale, Lockwood, Tonkin, Skiverton, Pluck, Way, Stansfield, Johnson, Alford, Crittenden, McIndoe.

Subs: White, Sheffield, O’Brien, Giles, Lindegaard.

 

Yeovil Town midfielder Charlie Lee said he was “frustrated” to not come away with anything from the trip to Aldershot Town on Tuesday night.

The 34-year-old, who played as a makeshift central defender in the 2-0 defeat, said he had not seen an injury record like that being suffered by his team-mates in his career.

“In 20 years of football, I have never seen the luck we have had with injuries (this season) and it’s been the story of our season…We have not coped well with it. Lots of people played out of position today and gave everything and up until the sending off I thought we were really in the game, we looked solid and we are frustrated we have come away with no points.”

The 55th minute red card of Alex Bradley was a key turning point in the game. Darren Sarll confirmed the club intend to appeal the decision, but Lee was pleased with how the side responded.

“When you go a man down…..to be proper, they were excellent, sometimes a team can be negative when they have got 11 men against 10, but they really pressed and threw numbers forward….But, we were 1-0 down and we were going for the same, so we knew we would concede chances and we were left a little bit exposed at the back. That was all part of trying to get a result, we got a lot of set pieces and everyone gave 100% but at the end of the day we have come away with no points so we are really frustrated.”

Injuries seems to be the main talking point at the moment at Huish Park with upwards of ten players missing from availability, but things don’t seem to have got any better with not only a potential suspension but also more knocks to patch up.

“Poor Bill’s (Sass Davies) nose is all over the place, Dags (Chris Dagnall) has got a gash on his head, Bradders will be suspended, but no-one is going to complain, Especially the younger players are going to learn a lot from these next four games, you’re going to learn to be a winner in your career. You’ve got to step up and do what’s needed and everyone will give everything they’ve got, every game and fingers crossed we can get people available for the weekend.”

Focus turned to the remaining games of the season, whilst Lee confirmed that any feint hopes of a play off run were over, he was still insistent that everyone will be giving their all to the cause, especially when fans return to Huish Park next week.

“Any chance of getting to the play-offs is long gone, so now you just have to get results for pride. Everyone is going to keep going and I will make sure and the staff will make sure that everyone is on it in training and we’ll give it everything. It’s been a major thing this season, (the fans) were a massive part of what we did last year and we were all immensely proud of what we did last year with a new team. We are all really disappointed this year. We had unbelievable support home and away for every game, and I am really excited about seeing the fans back in.”

Yeovil Town have back to back home games coming up vs King’s Lynn on Saturday and then Maidenhead on Tuesday night.


Despite succuming to a third successive loss, Yeovil Manager Darren Sarll was in fairly chipper mood about how his patched up side handled themselves in the 2-0 defeat to Aldershot on Tuesday night.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Tom Seymour, Sarll said: “I thought their application was magnificent, all night… I thought their commitment was excellent, they tried, Charlie (Lee) at centre half, (Josh) Neufville at right back, anyone that played out of position were very, very good.”

Lawson D’ath was a surprise inclusion on the bench returning after three months out and the Gaffer took time to praise his winger for his attitude.

“Lawson put himself into a position of availabilty after one day’s training and three months injured. I never asked him, he came to me, he said I want to help, we’re short, get me involved”

Injuries have meant that options at Sarll’s disposal have been thin on the ground with three outfield members of the Under-18s making the substitutes bench and Toby Stephens making his second professional appearance in the second half.

Sarll confirmed that there are concerns over the fitness of both Billy Sass Davies (Broken nose) and Chris Dagnall who had to have stitches in his ear at half time.

One pre-match positive was the return of Alex Bradley who was missing from Saturday’s squad with the flu, however, Bradley – who was being played in a central role – was sent off early in the second half for a professional foul.

Darren Sarll confirmed the club intend to appeal the decision. “I just don’t get it, I don’t understand it… it’s on the half line, it’s a professional foul to stop the attack, he’s clipped his heel… there’s no danger to the individual, how many of them do you see every week?”

“We’d like to think with an appeal and a clear mind the referee might do the right thing, becasue I found it very strange”

With half an eye on a return to Huish Park this Saturday for the visit of King’s Lynn, Sarll was cautiously optimistic that he might have a few more options, despite joking that picking a team would be easy, because he has no players available.

“We are still trying, we are still hoping on some of the injured players, (Luke) Wilkinson is trying really hard to be back and fit, he’ll be a huge player for us”

“If we can get Charlie back out there, Wilkinson back out there, Reid and I thought Quigley was great tonight… Dagnall, Sonupe, D’Ath will be another week further on, he might have to step in early”

Finally, Sarll was positive that seeing Yeovil fans back in Huish Park will bring out something more from his side.

“We’ve been better at home than away… and having supporters back at Maidenhead will give us all a lift, I’ve not looked forward to a game so much for a while. The only thing we’re really holding onto is supporters against Maidenhead, they don’t really realise how important they are, not only do they give us a lift, but they terrify the life out of the opposition, and we’re gunna need that”

Yeovil host King’s Lynn on Saturday before welcoming supporters back through the turnstiles the following Tuesday when Maidenhead are the visitors.