We are deeply saddened to announce the death of legendary Glovers’ fan and Ciderspace co-founder ‘Huish Hugh’ Gleave.
Hugh will be known to many supporters for his enduring association with Ciderspace, an independent Yeovil Town website started in 1999 and chronicled the club’s rise and fall from non-League to the Championship and back again.
Together with Martin ‘Badger’ Baker and Jon ‘Taff’ Morgan, his witty writings were a must for all fans of the club during this pre-social media age. His Ciderspace Away Travel Guides, continued in recent years on the Gloverscast, became legendary for their encyclopaedic information about grounds – and the pubs (both good and bad) around them – all delivered with Hugh’s trademark sense of humour.
Following the tragic passing of ‘Badger’ almost five years ago, Hugh continued Ciderspace’s legacy with the support of others through Facebook and today it continues to offer a place for supporters to virtually mingle with fellow Glovers.
https://www.twitter.com/huishhugh/status/1818229044606853483?s=46&t=Wqhbr9zW6SC9Vqq85Pu_MQ
He was a familiar face among crowds and often travelled huge distances from his home in Hertfordshire to support the club through thick and thin.
We are sure we speak for all Yeovil Town fans when we say all our thoughts are with Hugh’s family and friends at this difficult time, and promise them he will never be forgotten amongst his football family.
Hugh was never one for emotion, but we are sure he would forgive us for saying that without the legacy that he alongside Badger and Taff left, the Gloverscast simply would not exist. We owe them all a debt of gratitude and our only hope is we can carry this on for fans of today and the future.
We will publish any details of Hugh’s funeral arrangements for any supporters who wish to remember him in due course.
So sad! We all knew Hugh some way or other. From way back, exchanging posts on Ciderspace and those magical away days in the conference and league promotion days. He was always a familiar face in the crowd. Cracking bloke and will be missed!
The three of them are true Yeovil legends. Shining examples of the true love of a football club which the big clubs can never cultivate.
I first encountered Hugh in the teeth of a gale being battered by torrential rain at Hednesford, late in 1999. He was protecting his two young girls with a flowery pink children’s umbrella whilst getting soaked to the skin. “The things we do for this bloody team”, he said.
We became regular travelling companions, once I moved to London, with a tale or two to tell about near-death experiences relating to Badger’s driving.
Stand out Hugh moments and traits: Bringing a packed London pub to an impeccably observed minute’s silence for Alec Stock. The utter elation after the miracle at Halifax away. His incredible knowledge of and love of decent beer and pubs – I probably have him at least in part to thank for my shared passion. His incredible adeptness at finding just the right profanity to describe his incandescent rage at the latest YTFC f**k up. His words of tribute and comfort when we lost Badger.
He was a rather laconic character, a little difficult to gauge until you got a layer or two deeper, but if you persevered you were well rewarded. Hugh was a devoted Dad first and foremost, a fanatical Glover and someone I am proud to have been able to call a friend.
Beautifully put, Will. I hope to raise a glass of “fizzy piss” (as he’d always refer to lager) in his honour at some point. Coatesie.
I can’t put it any better than Will.
A true gent of a man and one I am also proud to have been able to call a friend.
I believe his first ever words to me were “Why the fuck have you driven here in a fucking Mini Metro” As always, the core message was a valid one.
I’ll forever be grateful for him driving me all over the country when I lived nearby to him. At that point in my life I was skint and we simply shared a passion for Yeovil Town and it’s a measure of the man he would often refuse my token offer of a few quid towards the petrol.
“Shut up and just buy me pint” was his usual feedback.
A great guy, a caring dad and someone who’s acerbic wit has reduced me to belly laughs more times than I can recall.
It was a pleasure to share moments of joy, ecstasy, pain, despair and downright drunkenness with a lovely human being.
His work on Ciderspace reflected his passion for Yeovil Town and gave the wider supporter base a connection and insight to the club we all love. It was fucking brilliant.
Rest in Peace.
Will has put everything so perfectly, we have been very, very privileged to share our YTFC journies alongside, Taff, Badger and Hugh. Thanks David and Glovercast for all you do to carry on their work.