Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll has (again) called for certainty around the future of his team from the club’s hierachy.
Speaking after going down to a 1-0 defeat at second-placed Chesterfield in front of the television cameras on Saturday, the boss said he hoped to get the opportunity to continue working with the squad he has assembled.
But, with the club’s off-the-field situation still dragging on (it’s now 11 weeks since chairman Scott Priestnall’s deadline for the takeover of the club to be finalised passed) and all but defender Morgan Williams out of contract at the end of the season, the uncertainty is spreading to every part of the club.
Talking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins, Sarll said: “I have always tried to be professional around this subject, but this is a group of players that are aware of whether their futures are settled or not.
“I have seen so many groups of players go another way about it when things are unsettled and not care, and we have seen teams like that at Yeovil coming out of the Football League.
“But, even under those circumstances, this team is not like that, they are still trying to produce. We are working with less than we’ve ever had and these players are giving more than they have ever done.”
The manager said he felt “angry and frustrated” for his players after seeing them spurn glorious first half opportunities through defender Luke Wilkinson and forward Tom Knowles only to go behind to a Jim Kellerman goal right on the stroke of half-time.
Sarll said: “I think they are so close. I really hope we are going through these moments now so that we have another 18 months or two-and-a-half years with them.
“I think this is a good side and because of their connection with the club and the way they go about their business, this is a team we could grow to be very successful and very proud of.”
Yet another blank in front of goal means Yeovil have now scored 27 goals in 29 matches – the third lowest in the National League with only the bottom two, King’s Lynn and Dover, having scored fewer.
Against Chesterfield, it was another frustrating performance from Adi Yussuf alongside an out-of-sorts looking Charlie Wakefield with the only attacking threat coming from Knowles, who quietened down after taking a ball to the face early in the second half.
Sarll said: “When you miss the chances we missed, it exerts an unbelievable pressure on that back four to be faultless.
“The biggest thing is we don’t take those chances in the first half. Wilkinson had a great chance in the first half which he should be taking, Adi (Yussuf) goes close in the second half, (Tom) Knowles hits the bar, we had a plethora of chances away at second-placed Chesterfield.
“I don’t really want to keep getting on the bus saying ‘you have worked really hard’ and coming away with nothing because they deserve more than that for sheer effort.
“But, that’s why centre forwards get the most money and Chesterfield bought our (top scorer, Joe Quigley) for six figures because they are supposed to score goals.”