Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 426)

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In a busy final pre-match press conference Darren Sarll was asked about just how much preparation had gone into building for next season.

Sarll confirmed that the budget was tight and only likely to get tighter, but that the Glovers had scheduled in some pre-season friendlies.

Darren Sarll
Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz,.

“I am speaking to some very good people in terms of recruitment and those spinning plates.  There are hundreds spinning right now and you just hope you can catch them before they drop. Two years ago when I was building this squad, I was able to grab so many great plates and we developed a great squad.”

“It is obvious to say this year that our recruitment has not been as good, it is obvious our squad is going to get smaller because finances are not getting better. We have to spend every pennny wisely. We can’t forecast for injuries. Josh Staunton played 35 games in a row for Halifax, he played six for us, how can you account for that?”

“We had  (Luke)Wilkinson, (Josh) Staunton and (Lee) Collins for 28 games out of a possible 120, how are you supposed to account for that? Staunton was supposed to be the one that filled in for Wilkinson, Collins and Charlie Lee when they weren’t fit and he was the first to go!

Whilst Sarll spins the plates and counts the pennies there are a few warm up games already in the diary – the gaffer stopped short of confirming exact dates, but Yeovil fans are going to have visits from at least one Football League club and some decent top-flight youngsters.

“We are going to play Forest Green here in late July and Southampton’s under-23s here a couple of weeks before the season…
I think we are going back to Weston-super-Mare and Taunton, so they have been really good in the past couple of years. Our pitch is having quite a bit of work done to it this year, so we have had to have a decent period we can refurb the pitch which starts Tuesday. There’s more in there, I think we have six or seven in the diary.”

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll has admitted he needs a break after “easily the worst” year of his life.

Speaking  ahead of his side’s final game against $tockport County this weekend, the boss said he believed criticism of his side was “harsh” given the impact of the tragic death of Lee Collins, injuries and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said: “I need a rest, I am worn within an inch of my life and after this weekend I am going to have a little break.
“It has been easily the worst year of my life. I know people are critical of me and the team’s performances, but they have to understand it has been one thing after another for us. I think the criticism has been harsh because we have seen how even teams like Liverpool have struggled without their central defenders. We had three 10-day periods of isolation because of COVID, a real turnover of players because of injury, it has been incredible.”

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The club has invited the family of Lee Collins to join them for the final game and Sarll said that the skipper’s daughters would be mascots for the day with Lee’s partner, Rachel Gibbons, joining them on the pitch.

He manager said: “Rachel and I have spoken regularly this week and they are special, special people and we want to show them how much Lee meant to us and how much they mean to us.”

In his pre-match press conference, he also spoke about a Crowdfunder the club has launched to raise funds for Lee’s family and Young Minds, a mental health charity which works with young people.

The club is aiming to raise £10,000 through the initiative and you donate to the fund – by clicking here.

Sarll spoke openly that he had been speaking with a psychologist from the League Managers’ Association (LMA) since the passing of his captain in March.

He said: “Mental health is like any illness, we never expect it to happen to us. That experience teaches you to respect the work that goes on and the treatments that can be applied. I have seen a psychologist since Lee passed and I have never seen one before or spoken to one before, Dr Alan Johnston from the LMA has been wonderful for me. You think you are never going to need it, but when it does happen you realise the quality of people out there that can help.”

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Yeovil Town midfielder Jimmy Smith will join the coaching set-up at Premier League side Chelsea after announcing his retirement from playing.

The 34-year-old, who began his career at Stamford Bridge back in 2005, confirmed that he will hang up his boots following the final match of the National League season against $tockport County at Huish Park on Saturday.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Smith said “I’ve had two very different seasons in my time at Yeovil. The first one was unbelievable, to play for this club I’ve always thought so highly of throughout my career was special.

Jimmy Smith in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

“I have a good relationship with the gaffer (Darren Sarll) and (assistant manager) Terry (Skiverton) and have learnt so much from them.

“What we created as a team, staff, and fans together was amazing, playing home and away, the fans are truly the 12th man, which is something we have missed this season.

“Sharing the moment with our fans is something will always stick with me, especially when we sing our song all together. I was gutted we couldn’t achieve promotion in the play offs.”

Asked about the player’s retirement in his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Sarll said that both Smith and full-back Carl Dickinson, who plays his final game this weekend before taking over as manager at Hanley Town, will be “sorely missed.”

He said: “Jimmy came to us in a winning period which always helps and then helped kick us on, but this year his contribution off the pitch has been fantastic. He is going to go in to a full-time coaching environment now and he is going to be a fabulous coach, he just needs to take his time and develop his practices and everything he wants to be known as as a coach. He is someone like Carl who wanted to be here. It is hard to attract those people who want to be here because we are not making anyone a millionaire. We are either on the back nine for some or just starting out, but Carl and Jimmy will be sorely missed because they are great pros.”

Yeovil Town will be the final club in Smith’s playing career which spans 15 years and includes loan spells at QPR, Norwich City and Sheffield Wednesday whilst on the books at Chelsea and long stints with Crawley Town and Leyton Orient.

He will now join another ex-Glover Anthony Barry among the coaching set-up at Chelsea. Barry, part of the Glovers’ side that reached the League One play-off final in 2007, is a first-team coach at the Champions League finalists.

He has played 51 times scoring seven goals for Darren Sarll’s side and everyone at the Gloverscast wishes him all the best in his next adventure – and would like to ask him to send the cream of the Chelsea academy crop to Huish Park!

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A charity match scheduled to be held at Huish Park to raise funds for a charity in memory of former Yeovil Town striker Adam Stansfield has been postponed.

Organisers Kevin Gall and Abby Carter posted on the event’s Facebook page that the “ongoing uncertainty” around the COVID-19 pandemic had caused them to delay the match until May 2022.

It had been hoped the game between a team of former Glovers’ favourites and a South West Legends XI could have been staged in pre-season of the upcoming 2021-22 season.

The statement said: “As you all know we have been working tirelessly to get this game and event on for Stanno but due to the ongoing uncertainty of Covid 19 restrictions and fans and some circumstances out of our control it looks like we will have to postpone the game from this pre-season where we hoped to stage the game until May 2022 at the end of the coming season.”

The Yeovil Town Legends team will be made up of members of the side which won promotion to the Football League in 2003 and League Two in 2013.

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The partner of late Yeovil Town captain Lee Collins has thanked the club and its fans for their support since his death in March.

In an open letter, posted here on the club’s official website, Rachel Gibbons, said she had been “truly touched” having visited the floral tributes left outside Huish Park.

She said: “I personally visited the floral tributes left at the ground for Lee on a couple of occasions and I read every single card, note, picture and beautiful words written by people for Lee. I am truly touched by everyone’s kindness.”

Earlier this week, the club launched a Crowdfunder to raise £10,000 for Lee’s family and Young Minds, a mental health charity

Former Yeovil Town captain Lee Collins in action.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

working with young people.

The fund has already raised more than £3,000 with supporters of many of the defender’s former clubs donating.

Rachel added: “Mental health is so vitally important, and I ask any of you reading this, if you need help or are offered help by those closest to you, because they see you need it when you can’t, please, please reach out. It is OK to not be OK, and there is always someone there for you… Even when you feel like there isn’t.
“Lee was your captain, your leader. For us, he was our safe place, our best friend.”

Speaking earlier in the week when the Crowdfunder was launched, Glovers’ boss Darren Sarll said there would be a celebration of Lee’s life at the final game of the season against Stockport County this weekend.

To donate to the fund, visit – click here.

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Non-League journalist Ollie Bayliss is reporting that the National League’s Board of Directors and Chairman Brian Barwick has survived a vote of no confidence.

Unfathomably, none of the National League Premier clubs voted in favour of the motion, brought by National League South sides Maidstone United and Dorking Wanderers, after 17 clubs across the National League Premier, North and South were fined for failing to fulfil fixtures.

Last month, Barwick notified the National League Board of Directors that he will be stepping down at the end of this season. Yeovil Town Chairman Scott Priestnall is a member of the National League board.

 

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The National League have confirmed the key fixture dates for the 2021/22 season.

The Vanarama National season kicks off on Saturday 21st of August 2021, with an end date of Saturday 21st May 2022.

The Playoff dates run from Wednesday 25th May 2022, until Sunday 5th June 2022, these are subject to FA approval.

The Christmas calendar will see fixtures played on Boxing Day (Sunday), Tuesday 28th December and Sunday 2nd January. Although, clubs will be able to move fixtures to the 1st, or 3rd January as both are Bank Holidays.

As always, things are subject to change.

 

 

 

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Former Yeovil Town goalkeeper Sam Johnstone has been called up into England’s preliminary Euro 2020 squad by Gareth Southgate.

Johnstone is one of a number of players to have played for Yeovil, but not at Huish Park, making his one sole appearance away at Burnley in the Championship.

Despite signing initially on loan for a 3-month period, it was confirmed that he had broken a finger in the warm up at Turf Moor and would have to return to Manchester United for treatment.

Nevertheless, he’s a former Glover and that’s enough for us here at the Gloverscast – go well, Sam!

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South Somerset District Council has confirmed its offer to purchase and leaseback Huish Park remains on the table and the decision whether to proceed with it rests with  owner and Chairman Scott Priestnall.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, May 26), a moratorium which prevented the deal agreed last December from going ahead is due to end.

We put these questions to SSDC:

  • Following the conclusion of the moratorium, when will South Somerset District Council (SSDC) be concluding the deal with the owners of Yeovil Town Football Club?
  • Can the council confirm the name of the company with which this agreement has been reached?
  • Can you provide details of how soon you expect the agreement to be concluded?
  • How will the changes in the council impact things if the owner chooses to continue with the sale?

In a statement to the Gloverscast, a council spokesperson said:

“Following the end of the six-month moratorium period under the relevant regulations, the owners of YTFC are free to sell to whomever they choose and at whatever price they agree. The council’s offer remains available if the owners wish to take it up at the end of this period. Ultimately, the final decision and timing sits with the owners, therefore the council cannot provide any more detail at this time. No doubt after the end of the moratorium period more discussion with SSDC and YTFC will take place.”

The spokesperson added that the situation with the restructuring of the various councils in Somerset makes the future of the site unclear. They said:

“Any commercial portfolio would be taken forward into which ever new organisations or new organisation is formed. It will be up to the Leadership of any new administration to determine what it will do with assets it holds and it’s impossible to speculate at this stage what those decisions would be. A continued commercial approach to financially support services is included in the Stronger Somerset proposal.”

On Tuesday night, the Glovers’ Trust, which triggered the moratorium when it decided to activate an Asset of Community Value (ACV) it holds on Huish Park, said it was not in a position to make a counter offer to SSDC’s.

In a statement, the Trust said it believed the club’s future was “in jeopardy” in the deal was able to go ahead – see more here.

It also called for the Council to review the decision to approve the deal with Chairman Priestnall – see more here.

In the minutes of the council’s District Executive Committee on December 3 where the deal was agreed, Mr Priestnall said “the finance would help the club to survive and thrive in the future to retain football league status and have a club which the local community could be proud of. “

The minutes added: “He (Priestnall) confirmed that he was not seeking to recoup any of his personal investment in the club through the transaction.”

In his last public statement published on February 24, Mr Priestnall said he was “still exploring” the deal and had “kept dialogue open” with the council. In that statement, he added: “We also have offers to sell the land when the moratorium period ends. A decision will be made once the Sport England loan position is finalised as to our next step with regards a full planning application.”


For more details on the history of the SSDC deal and the Glovers Trust’s ACV, read our Gloversblog – here.

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The Glovers’ Trust has asked South Somerset District Council to review its decision to purchase Huish Park from the owners of Yeovil Town.

In a letter to council Chief Executive Alex Parmley, the Trust said it believed club’s situation had “changed substantially” since the council’s Executive Committee approved the deal to buy and leaseback the stadium and surrounding lands at a meeting last December.

In a report to the Executive Committee for that meeting, members were told the council had been approached by Glovers’ chairman Scott Priestnall seeking its involvement “to intervene and avoid the club becoming insolvent.”

In its letter, Glovers’ Trust chairman Brendon Owen told the council: “The report stated the Chairman of the Club (had) reported that the club will ‘run out of money by Christmas 2020.’
“Here we are in May 2021, with the Club still operating, so clearly it has been able to make alternative financial arrangements. I’m sure you are aware part of this includes a loan from Sport England who now become a creditor.
“It is likely therefore that funds generated from the sale of the club will go to pay off debts and covenants that currently prevent development.”

The letter adds: “It is disingenuous of the Council to claim that it is helping save the club when it is giving with one hand and taking with the other. They club may have a short-term fix, but its long-term effects will be damaging.”

The letter warns a number of objections could be raised to any planning decision. The Trust adds it believes Sport England will appeal against any decision to develop on the top pitches at Huish Park and that development of the club’s car park would lead to supporters parking on nearby residential streets.

No planning applications have been submitted to provide details of any development of the land, however, in an update on March 1 the Trust did publish an image of a “Concept Plan” showing the potential scale of development – see here.

In its letter to the council, Mr Owen added: “As a supporter’s group we have been working with architects and master planners and have begun to construct a vision for the site, one that would make the site a destination through the working week as well as weekends, and that would be based around health and well being as well as commercial and housing developments. We believe it is possible to do all of these things.”

In the minutes of the council’s District Executive Committee on December 3, Mr Priestnall said “the finance would help the club to survive and thrive in the future to retain football league status and have a club which the local community could be proud of. “
The minutes added: “He (Priestnall) confirmed that he was not seeking to recoup any of his personal investment in the club through the transaction.”

In his last public statement published on February 24, Mr Priestnall said he was “still exploring” the deal and had “kept dialogue open” with the council.
In that statement, he added: “We also have offers to sell the land when the moratorium period ends. A decision will be made once the Sport England loan position is finalised as to our next step with regards a full planning application.”

For more details on the history of the SSDC deal and the Glovers Trust’s ACV, read our Gloversblog – here.