Hargreaves: I still believe I am the man for the job
2022-10-22
Chris Hargreaves said he still believes he is the man to lead Yeovil Town away from the National League relegation zone despite them dropping to a point clear of the bottom three.
The Glovers dropped to 20th place with a 2-0 defeat at Oldham Athletic on Saturday, their fifth defeat of the campaign with 14 matches played with the boss subject to shouts from the 144 travelling supporters at Boundary Park at the final whistle.
Asked by BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins whether he doubted he was the right man for the job, he immediately declared: “I believe I am the man for this job otherwise I would not have taken it. We are in a situation where we have to show some serious amounts of resilience, I get that and there are players in (the dressing room) who have not been in that situation before.
“I get that fans are frustrated and there is unrest and myself, the players and the staff thank them for coming. It was a long journey which cost them money. Second half I don’t think the players gave up, they kept trying and they will always do that, but there was just a lack of final third quality.
“In the league we had lost one in six before this game, but we haven’t won enough games. The performances we have had in those draws have been good but we haven’t been able to win the games.
“But there’s a lot of games, a lot of points still to be won and there’s a lot of fight still in there and the fight is still the same with me from the day I walked in.”
Having persisted with playing a five-man defence with Jamie Reckord and Sam Pearson in wing-back positions, the manager was asked whether he remained confident the formation was working.
He replied: “It has done in previous games. It is a case of having quality to be able to deliver no matter what shape you play and that’s not going to change at any club up and down the country. It’s about having players who make the right decisions at the right times, no matter what shape you play.”
There were four changes made from the FA Cup exit at Taunton Town on Tuesday night including the return of Malachi Linton up front in place of Alex Fisher, and Ollie Hulbert came off the bench in place of Gime Toure at half-time and put in a lively second half performance.
Hargreaves said afterwards that he was still looking to bring more players in having said to before the trip to Greater Manchester that the club was trying to register two players currently training with them.
That push will continue as the Glovers prepare to host Aldershot Town, who leap-frogged them with a 2-1 home win over York City at the weekend, on Tuesday night. The Shots sacked manager Mark Molesley following their exit from the FA Cup at the hands of lower league Chelmsford City and placed veteran Terry Brown in temporary charge.
He said: “We need some recruits and we know that and we’ve been working hard to do that, but you can’t just go and sign players on vast amounts of money who will give you that immediate result or immediate performance.
“It is a case of still looking which we will still be on Monday leading up to the Tuesday game and that will not stop.”
Match Report – Oldham Athletic 2 Yeovil Town 0
2022-10-22
Venue: Boundary Park
Saturday October 22nd, 3pm kick-off
Conditions: Dry and bright
Pitch: Held up well
Attendance: 6,483 (144 away supporters)
Scorers: Oscar Threlkeld 6 (0-1), Mike Fondop 71 (0-2)
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Lawson D’Ath 74
Oldham Athletic: Nathan Sheron 49
Referee: Greg Rollason
Yeovil Town : (3-5-2)
Grant Smith
Morgan Williams Owen Bevan Ben Richards-Everton
Sam Pearson Chiori Johnson (for Jake Scrimshaw, 82) Josh Staunton Lawson D’Ath Jamie Reckord
Malachi Linton (for Alex Fisher, 58) Gime Toure (for Ollie Hulbert, 46)
Substitutes (not used): Max Hunt, Sam Perry.
Match Report
Yeovil Town slid to within a point of the National League relegation zone after going down with a whimper at Oldham Athletic.
Having gone behind to Oscar Threlkeld’s sixth minute deflected effort, the Glovers put in a performance lacking in effort, direction and ability for the opening 45 minutes.
Despite a second half which offered a little more in terms of attacking intent, there simply was not enough to see off an Oldham side who sealed the win with Mike Fondop’s goal after 71 minutes.
Here’s how a rather angry Dave saw it from the away end at Boundary Park…..
First half
After some tepid opening exchanges, it was a piece of defensive suicide which gifted Oldham a lead after just six minutes. A ball in from the left by Zaine Francis-Angol you was ignored by the entire defence, including an uncharacteristic mis-kick from Josh Staunton, and broke to Oscar THRELKELD whose effort was deflected past Grant Smith.
With the exception of an eighth minute foray forward where Malachi Linton had a shot which went well wide, the performance from the visitors in the 15 minutes which followed the goal was characterised by aimless balls, disinterested recipients and a team looking to someone else to make something happen.
The most frustrating thing was that this was against an Oldham side who offered very little themselves. An effort wide from John Rooney on 13 minutes, and a couple of crosses in to the box were all they offered in response.
It was not until the 40th minute that Smith was called in to action when Rooney found Ben Tollitt whose effort was turned aside by a smart stop by the keeper.
In 30 years of watching Yeovil Town – the Darren Way era of whimpering out of the Football League, even the two seasons we spent in a tier below this one in the 1990s – that was as bad a performance as I have seen from a side. Utterly devoid of effort and direction.
Half time: Oldham Athletic 1 Yeovil Town 0
Second half
Within two minutes of the restart, Yeovil achieved more than the first 45 minutes had offered. Ollie Hulbert, on as a substitute for Gime Toure, put a ball in from the left found Chiori Johnson on the far post but the ball was behind him and he was unable to get his header away.
There was more effort, an attempt at passing the ball, and guess what? It worked. A lukewarm spoon press against a block of butter, but more effort at least.
Alex Fisher replaced Linton after 57 minutes with Yeovil preparing for a corner that met the head of Ben Richards-Everton who forced a save from Magnus Norman in the Oldham goal.
Moments later, Staunton’s interception set Johnson away down the right, but his effort avoided everyone in the box. For all the better forward play, there was little to threaten Norman’s goal.
On 65 minutes, a good ball forward by Lawson D’Ath found three Yeovil players queuing up despite Fisher and Pearson being in the vicinity, no-one could get a touch.
Two minutes later, Owen Bevan glanced a header just over from D’Ath’s corner.
But on 71 minutes, an Oldham side which had offered nothing all half doubled their advantage. From their own corner, Yeovil found themselves with just Morgan Williams against three attackers and it was Mike FONDOP who was there to turn it in from close range.
Six minutes from time, a ball from Pearson was met by a header from Fisher which force Norman in to a stop to turn it on to the post. That was the nearest to a goal we had got and it wasn’t near enough.
Full time: Oldham Athletic 2 Yeovil Town 0
Team News: Oldham Athletic (away)
2022-10-22
Three changes for the Glovers in personelle as Lawson D’ath returns from injury to replace the suspended Matt Worthington.
Callum Rowe drops out altogether, whilst Max Hunt is once again on the bench with Owen Bevan returning from injury.
Yeovil Town : (3-5-2) (We think…)
Grant Smith
Morgan Williams Owen Bevan Ben Richards-Everton
Chiori Johnson Lawson D’Ath Josh Staunton Jamie Reckord
Sam Pearson
Malachi Linton Gime Toure
Substitutes: Max Hunt, Sam Perry, Jake Scrimshaw, Alex Fisher, Ollie Hulbert.
Youth teams in JPL action
2022-10-22
Yeovil Town’s youth sides are back in action in the Junior Premier League this weekend.
Five of the six age group teams which play as part of the Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust will be taking on opponents from Juventus Devon – based in Newton Abbott not Turin – whilst the Under-16s take on their counterparts from Southampton-based Chievenor Soccer School.
There is no match for the Glovers’ Under-18s in the South West Counties Youth League this weekend with the next fixture at Bath City Under-18s next Saturday.
Haste back at Truro on loan
2022-10-21
Ollie Haste has rejoined Truro City on loan for the rest of the season.
The Glovers’ youngster originally saw his first loan spell come to an end following a string of impressive displays for the White Tigers.
Haste was on the bench once, without appearing, following his return, but now heads back to Paul Wotton’s side for the remainder of the campaign.
Go well, Ollie.
Gloverscast #204 – “How long do potatoes last?”
2022-10-21
Elliot Watts was at Taunton and he’s joined Ian, Ben and Dave on this episode of the Gloverscast to chat about the game, the aftermath of the game and what happens next. We speak to the Boundary Park Alert System about our opponents on Saturday, Oldham Athletic. We take your questions, and we have another Fan’s Five with Ian Whatmore!
Hargreaves in race to register trialists
2022-10-20
Chris Hargreaves has revealed that he has a couple of unnamed players training with his Yeovil Town squad who he is hoping to bring in to bolster his squad.
The Glovers head to Oldham Athletic on Saturday looking to banish the ignominy of an FA Cup exit at the hands of lower league Taunton Town on Tuesday night.
Asked about whether he could have reinforcements before that match, the boss told BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins that delays in registering players was causing delays.
He said: “We have got a couple of players training with us but unfortunately it comes down to registration and clearance which is holding us up at the moment.
“That has been the delay for over ten days now which is frustrating, so that one is out of our hands, but I am actively looking.”
The length of the delay would suggest that international clearances may be a factor, although forward Gime Toure did also arrive following a period on trial.
Hargreaves admitted that he did not have a big budget to go out and bring in reinforcements as he seeks to pull the Glovers out of the bottom half of the National League table.
He added: “Is there a huge pot of money to go and get some of the best players in the National League? Of course there isn’t, you have to be realistic.
“We work with what we work with and, as I have said many times, we are where we are as a club and we can’t change that.
“Clubs at all levels have to be sustainable because we want clubs to exist, so I just have to get on with my job with the tools I have got.
“In my opinion, other than the two games (against Taunton) we have seen which I will apologise again to the fans that travelled, in the main the players have been extremely competitive.”
Whilst Yeovil beat Solihull Moors in their last league outing, their opponents have drawn two and lost two of their previous four matches and sit in 18th place, one below the Glovers, with the sides separated by six goals on goal difference.
The Latics were recently taken over by the Rothwell Family, led by chairman Frank Rothwell who made his wealth selling cabins, and appointed former Everton defender David Unsworth, who Hargreaves admitted will be in no doubt about how tough life is in the National League.
He added: “David will be under no illusion about how tough his job is and I have no problem with the reaction (of Yeovil Town supporters who booed the team off) after the game on Tuesday.
“I think our fans have given a lot and taken a lot over the last few years, but they just want to see their club do well and so do I.
“If I was a shrinking violet I would not have taken it and if I didn’t believe I could do it, I would not have taken it.
“I can’t step over the white line for the players, I can give them the information about the opposition, how I think we can beat them and then it’s up to them to go and deliver and there’s enough players to go and do that.”
Glovers Trust: We are ready to “go again”
2022-10-20
The Glovers Trust has responded to criticism at its lack of communication in recent months as it looks to elect new members to its board.
In an update posted on its social media on Thursday, the Trust said it had “been necessary to take a step back, learn from our mistakes and come back stronger” following the departure of long-standing chairman Brendon Owen, the collapse of Simul Sports‘ bid to buy the club which was backed by the Trust, and the sale of Huish Park to South Somerset District Council (SSDC).
The Trust Board said: “It’s understandable that our lack of communication has led to more frustration and anxiety among Trust members – as a board we are more determined than ever to change, improve and secure the future of Yeovil Town FC for future generations.
“As the largest independent supporters group, we still believe the Glovers Trust remains our best hope of doing so.”
It confirmed the Annual General Meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 22 at The Arrow pub on Abbey Manor Park, Yeovil, starting at 7pm.
The Trust has invited club chairman Scott Priestnall and fellow director Stuart Robins to “speak at the event and encourage all of our members to attend, either in person or online.”
It added: “We are looking to expand and diversify our board, to better represent supporters and affect positive change. We’re particularly keen to hear from women, young people and under-represented voices from the Yeovil Town family.
“Above all we’d love to hear from you if you’re motivated to help keep the club alive – we are now accepting applications at communications@glovers-trust.co.uk. Please send a short introduction about yourself and your history following Yeovil and we’ll be in touch soon.
“Please be in touch by email or social media with your questions or comments. Your input will help shape the Trust and ultimately the future of the club. In the all-too-familiar words of YTFC on social media – we go again.”
The update described the collapse of Simul Sports’ bid to buy the club in May as “beyond disappointing for all at the Trust.” In recent statements, both Scott Priestnall and Stuart Robins have said the consortium, led by former Cardiff City director Julian Jenkins and including ex-Glovers’ midfielder Marc Bircham, had never showed it had the financial backing to complete the deal.
Five Conclusions: Taunton Town 1 Yeovil Town 0
2022-10-19
FA Cup giant killing and Yeovil Town have a long history. But, a season after setting the record for the non-League club with the most League scalps in the FA Cup, the Glovers’ campaign has been ended early by lower league Taunton Town.
As he was for the first match, Rich Willcox-Smith was watching on from the stands at Wordsworth Drive – we’ll not ask in which end – and here he gives his conclusions on another difficult night to be a Yeovil Town fan.
It started okay. In my conclusions after Saturday and on the podcast on Monday, I said that I was surprised how sluggish Yeovil were from the off in the first game. But from the off, they looked faster and fitter and the ball spent a lot of time in the Taunton half. If the personnel were the problem at the weekend, the arrival of experienced heads like Jamie Reckord, Alex Fisher and Gime Toure seemed to be the tonic – for the first 15 minutes at least.
We struggled with balls in to the box. We know we are struggling to score goals and, if that is an issue, a sound defence is absolutely crucial but we really struggled with Taunton’s balls in from wide and set pieces. It was one of these that got Taunton a penalty. It was a dangerous ball in that was on its way out if it was left, but a silly, more stupid, raise of a hand gave the ref no option to point to the spot. Couldn’t really be argued with. Even know Grant Smith did get booked for not agreeing with the decision.
The scoreline could have been a lot worse. As was the case of Saturday – I seem to be saying that a lot – Taunton could have been more than one goal ahead at half-time. In the second half, if they had got another two I don’t think anyone could have complained. They were more than deserving of their victory and an away tie at MK Dons in the first round.
If you don’t take shots, you don’t score goals. Forgive me the obvious comment, but the way we struggled to make Jack Bycroft in the Taunton goal work was painful. Over 180 minutes of football, there was nothing which made the keeper have to pull off a worldie for his cleano – sorry, Ben! This is the same team by and large that has managed to get results against the likes of Wrexham, Chesterfield and Solihull Moors in the league.
Is this rock bottom? Two abject performances in space of three days, Ben Richards-Everton and Matt Worthington coming together after the match and supporters protesting against the manager the owner, it’s not a great look. In his post-match interview, Josh Staunton said that this has to be our rock bottom. [Think we said that was the defeat against York City, Rich, or was it the draw at Altrincham? – Ed] It is heart-breaking to see so many supporters say they have had enough and will not return until Hargreaves, Scott Priestnall or both are gone. As Dave keeps on saying, nothing changes until everything changes – but the big question is, who is going to bring about that change? Whoever it is and whatever it is, it needs one happen fast.