The worst kept secret in South Somerset football is out – Terry Skiverton has been appointed first-team coach at League One Charlton Athletic.
The Yeovil Town captain, player-manager, manager, assi….. let’s just go for ‘legend’ was formerly announced by the South London club on Tuesday morning.
Having taken his first training session on Monday, Skivo spoke to the Addicks’ website about the “exciting opportunity” working with manager Johnnie Jackson, who he knows from his football training days, and fellow coach, Jason Euell.
He said: “I’ve been very loyal to Yeovil Town, but I felt the time was right and it’s an exciting challenge, especially where the club are and where the manager has taken them from, it’s a real chance for me to help support him and Jason [Euell] in trying to get up this league and make sure we’re competing.
“Speaking with the manager and the owner and the vision they’ve got for the football club, it really hit home to me how good an opportunity this is and one that you can’t turn down.
“I’ve learned my trade at Yeovil in every division apart from the Premier League, so I’m excited to come to such a prestigious football club.”
Jackson, who was named caretaker manager after the sacking of Nigel Adkins in October and then permanently last month, said his new coach had been someone he’d been considering for some time.
It has initially be suggested Skiverton would be taking the assistant manager’s job at The Valley, but Jackson confirmed he will be joint first-team coach alongside Euell.
Speaking to the club’s Twitter, Jackson said: “We’ve come across each other on courses and we know a lot of people who know each other and I have played against Terry’s (Yeovil) teams when he has been a manager.
“Our paths have crossed down the years, so he was someone who has been in my thoughts when thinking about who is going to come in and help.”
He added: “I’m quite aware that I want to save my voice for the right moments rather than the lads hearing one voice as it’s been in recent weeks.
“It’s another person who will see things that I don’t and Jason doesn’t, another opinion and these are important things when thinking about how you go about things.”
Thank You Skivo – check out the picture gallery of some of Skivo’s greatest moments – here.