Yeovil Town owner and chairman Martin Hellier has apologised for “embarrassing” himself and the club during “hurtful” incidents at the weekend’s opening day defeat at Hemel Hempstead Town.
Posting early on Monday morning on social media account X (formerly known as Twitter), he responded to videos and posts circulating on social media which show him having to be dragged away from a confrontation at Vauxhall Road.
He describes how he was approached by a supporter, denies suggestions “berated” manager Mark Cooper following the loss and said he will delete his social media account within the next 24 hours, having re-opened it to respond to supporter posts.
The post in full reads:
“I felt I must post this message in light of the endless abuse I am receiving from a person I will not name. Yesterday I did indeed embarrass myself and let myself down and the club I have put so much into.
Upon arriving at the ground, and so taken back the amazing Yeovil fan base that had made a long difficult journey to Hemel, I felt compelled to visit the fans and show my gratitude.
With moments of arriving, a fan came up to me and said ‘Remember me from Twitter? I was the one that said I will bottle you and your fat son’.I think any father or parent, will only imagine the feelings that would stir inside you, and the incredibly difficult situation to remain composed in that moment. I did not strike one fan. I was ushered away by well meaning friends only to be harassed my another fan.
“I literally have no understanding of why a select few, for whom there would be no club but for the tireless efforts of my family, staff, team and volunteers, would choose to abuse us in this way.
“I wholeheartedly apologise for embarrassing myself and the club / fans of #YTFC but the circumstances were so hurtful, I was placed in an incredibly hurtful situation with very little time to process my thoughts.
“On the suggestion that I “berated” Mark Cooper following our team’s performance, this is an entirely baseless lie. I spoke quite pleasantly with Mark afterwards, surrounded by my colleagues and all the Hemel officials.
“My honest opinion is that this campaign is designed to mentally destablise me, perhaps designed to make me quit the club, so that this person who claims to represent Simul Sport, can attempt to buy the club after my family, staff and volunteers efforts.
“I am honestly and humbly so sorry that we live in an era where literally anything can be said, without accountability, and be assumed to be correct.
“In the right environment / investigation, I will gladly give the names of colleagues, witnesses, match official and Hemel staff who will testify to what I have written.
“I ask all fans to continue to support and believe the intentions of my family, having shown our commitment so much, that you allow us to continue to work on transforming our beloved club, and continue to enjoy the journey we are on.
Your support is overwhelming and we are truly humbled.
Best regards alwaysMartin, family, and staff
(I will remove my account in 24 hours, I’m sorry, I had to respond to these awful accusations)”
Responding to the comments around Simul Sports, the group led by former Cardiff City commercial director Julian Jenkins, posted on his X account that the company, Simul Sports Group Limited, had been dissolved in September 2022.
He posted: “I want to officially state that Simul Sports was dissolved after the unsuccessful bid to acquire Yeovil Town Football Club. As such, there are no longer any active representatives of the organisation.“
The group were involved in protracted discussions with the club’s former owner <NAME REDACTED> and included Damian Singh, Chief Finance Officer of Canva, the online graphic tool, and former Glovers’ midfielder Marc Bircham.
That appears to put that one to bed.
I was close to the incident but didn’t see it, so won’t comment. But given some of the other behaviour on show, I’d be amazed if things don’t turn properly sour at a game or two before the season’s out. Maybe just opening day over-excitement fuelled by terrace beers, but with a few things being thrown at Hemel players on one occasion, and fans rushing down to shout in players’ faces on another, I did feel things could’ve turned pretty serious pretty quickly.
I was at the game but I didn’t see the incident but I did think at the time Martin should have stayed where he was an not join the fans. On another note had to move from the terrace with my son because a few idiots, who have too much booze and not enough brain cells spat at the keeper, shook the goal and generally hurled vile abuse at the stewards and the goal keeper. This behavior needs to be stamped out of our club asap, its vile and those men (not boys) should be ashamed of themselves. I take it personally when morons like this get associated with the club I love.
Martin ? Take no notice of these uneducated spoilers – there are thousands of fans who both applaud and thank you for single handedly saving our beloved club – the odd few who feel the need to hurl abuse, must be ignored and encouraged to stay well away – their input isn’t wanted . – or needed, end of ???
I too was appalled ay the behaviour of those by the left goal post who hurled continuous expletives at the Hemel keeper. It’s very brave to do that when your target has no right of reply. The expletives you hurled at the keeper very much apply to you.
Martin, you are appreciated by the vast majority of our fans. Ignore the loud few who are unable to control their behaviour. It has to be stamped out. And quickly.
I also felt rather sorry for the Yeovil supporter who was the victim of a puke attack from a drunken arse behind him.
To the fans, you are better than that. Thank you for your support
I too was appalled ay the behaviour of those by the left goal post who hurled continuous expletives at the Hemel keeper. It’s very brave to do that when your target has no right of reply. The expletives you hurled at the keeper very much apply to you.
Martin, you are appreciated by the vast majority of our fans. Ignore the loud few who are unable to control their behaviour. It has to be stamped out. And quickly.
I also felt rather sorry for the Yeovil supporter who was the recipient of projectile vomit of a from a drunken so called supporter behind him.
To the fans, you are better than that. We are in this together. Behave yourselves.
At the end of the day Saturday was a very disappointing result. But for me the sadest and the worst thing about the whole day was the behaviour of.. shall we say a small number of so called Yeovil fans behind the goal, as has already been pointed out it is so easy to shout abuse at a goalkeeper who really has no comeback against such needless/ juvenile abuse (bet you wouldn’t say it to him face to face), you know who you are, you are absolute disgraces for human beings ( I stand in front of you every home game, so if you would rather chat face to face , I’m more than happy to do so) Pedo Pedo, shouted at said keeper… for heaven’s sake you childish little morons grow the F*#@ up and show some respect.
This Pedo chant has crept in certainly at Huish Park over the last few years for reasons I can not fathom, where have the days of grown up football fans clapping an away goalkeeper when he comes to guard the net in front of us in the Thatchers stand???
We are at the end of the day arguably one of the biggest, most famous of non league football clubs, so let’s stamp out this appalling childish behaviour and cheer and sing our boys in Green and White on to victory.
Not abuse those who come to play against us.
Paul, I couldn’t agree more with all your points. I am more than happy to stand up to these absolute morons who are not only tarnishing the club and all of the well behaved supporters but football in general. We must start self stewarding and not letting these childish drunk idiots get away with it, I cant stand it. lets pull together and stamp out this utter rubbish.