Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
Manager Darren Sarll has said he is “determined to do the right thing” by Yeovil Town as he prepares to rebuild a squad ready for next season.
Speaking after a 1-0 defeat to $tockport County on the final game of the National League season, which saw his side finish in 16th place, the boss said he will “shut down” and return a week on Monday to look towards the next campaign.
He told BBC Somerset: “For the first time, I am looking for a break, I am going to shut down for a week and then we will start talking to the players a week on Monday.
“Them we need to rebuild around a completely different budget, against a different thought process.
“We need to use the resilience we have built this year because things like we have all been through this year give you such a strong bond and we need too go again.
“I am determined to do the right thing by the supporters, by the club and by the big man up there (club captain, Lee Collins).”
He said the club now needed to remove a “dark, grey cloud” which has been over the club this season when they have suffered the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, an extended run of poor form, an injury crisis and the death of Lee Collins, which shook the club in March.
The manager added: “We need time off to break up that dark, grey cloud over us and start again. We need to rebuild the enthusiasm and energy of the team, and reinvigorate those lads.
“No-one knows what it is like to be in our shoes, no-one except us and that is what connects us so tightly.
“I loved that at the end there, I thank every supporter from the bottom of my heart, because that is like fuel for me to try and do them justice next year.”
Sarll was joined for his post-match chat with the media by Amelia, the daughter of the late Lee Collins, who was in attendance at the game with her sisters and Lee’s partner, Rachel Gibbons.
The boss thanked supporters for the warm reception they gave the family, himself and his team at the end of the game when supporters on the Thatcher’s End terrace serenaded them with the now famous ‘Allez, Allez, Allez’ chant.
Sarll said: “It was tough at the end, but I think we did everything we had to do in the right way and conducted ourselves in a really graceful manner and did the right thing.
“We know the season has been really poor, we can all talk about availability and COVID and no fans, but the fact of the matter is we have dipped below expectation and I am sorry for that.
“It was unbelievable and the girls which is what it is all about, they need to experience the connection and what it was like and why it was so important. and they got that feel of that connection between the players and the supporters.”