Chris Hargreaves (Page 3)

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Yeovil Town manager Chris Hargreaves was pleased to see his side regain the “clean sheet mentality” his coaching staff have been drilling in to the Glovers’ players all week.

Having taken the lead through a Jamie Reckord goal after 34 minutes, the home side were forced to defend against an onslaught from visitors Dagenham & Redbridge and held on to earn their first win of the season.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, Hargreaves said: “The first half was good, we did what we said we were going to do, we were calm when we had the ball and we organised when we were out of possession.

“Because we are so desperate to win games, the second half became a war of attrition but the clean sheet mentality we have been drumming in to the boys all week, they did it.

“The corners were raining in at the end there and there’s so many good teams and players in this league, it is a very underrated standard.”

The boss made three changes from last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Altrincham with Ben Richards-Everton returning in defence alongside teenage debutant Alfie Pond, on loan from League One side Exeter City, and captain Josh Staunton in a three-man defence.

He added: “We were organised even with the lads coming in, I think the captain (Josh Staunton) stood up tremendously at the end, Alfie Pond showed an enormous amount of maturity and I could go through the entire squad, including those not getting a look in at the moment.

“There’s young players in there and for some of them it is a reintroduction to men’s football and they have to adjust quickly.”

After a fragmented first 30 minutes to the match, it was a moment of quality when striker Alex Fisher broke the Dagenham offside trap and fired the ball across for wing back Reckord to fire home at proved the difference.

Hargreaves said: “We’ve been working on our wing back gambling to go high when the ball’s switched and it worked.

“It was a great ball and a great finish, Jamie’s been getting a nose bleed when he’s got in to the box in recent years and now he’s turned in to a goal-scoring wing back.

“We worked on that, talked about running blind side, and they carried it out and they were fantastic.

“Towards the end it was an uncomfortable watch but with the will of the fans and the backing we’ve had, pulled us through today.”

Forward Gime Toure, who had opened his goal-scoring account seven days earlier, was the other change from the disappointing draw at Altrincham. He replaced Charlie Wakefield who was missing with a thigh injury picked up in training.

Speaking before the game, Hargreaves said Wakefield was unlikely to make the visit to league leaders Wealdstone on Bank Holiday Monday.

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Yeovil Town boss Chris Hargreaves has called on the players who have remained at the club to “step up” and show leadership as they seek their first National League win of the season.

The Glovers’ boss admitted seeing his side forced to settle for a 2-2 draw courtesy of an injury time equaliser at Altrincham last weekend was the most disappointed he has felt in the job.

They head in to the August Bank Holiday weekend with Dagenham & Redbridge the visitors to Huish Park on Saturday followed by a trip to a Wealdstone side who have made an impressive start to the new campaign.

Speaking ahead of the game, Hargreaves said he had been having “positive but honest” conversations with members of his squad this week: “A result on a Sunday morning does not have a list of excuses under it, it’s just a result. You have to get over it quickly.

“We have a game on Saturday, review it on Sunday and we move on and have another on Monday.

“But we need the players who have become the core of this team and remained at this club to step up because they are the ones with the experience.”

In the summer, goalkeeper Grant Smith, defenders Josh Staunton and Max Hunt, midfielders Matt Worthington and Lawson D’Ath and forward Charlie Wakefield all committed themselves to new deals at Huish Park

The manager admitted his side had lost some of the defensive resilience which was a hallmark of their pre-season campaign as they seek to overcome the lock of creative threat which dogged them.

He said: “When you look at pre-season we were not creating enough and we were really resilient. We need to get that clean sheet mentality back again and kill teams when you get chances.

“We didn’t create as much as I wanted to on Saturday whereas on the previous Tuesday (in the 2-1 home defeat to Barnet) we had 15 situations where we could have scored or done better, so all we can do is put the point to the players in training.

“There’s only so much the boys can do in training, they have to deliver when they cross over the white line on Saturday.“

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Two new signings will arrive to bolster Yeovil Town’s squad ahead of the August Bank Holiday weekend double header, according to manager Chris Hargreaves.

Chris Hargreaves.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s visit from Dagenham & Redbridge and Monday’s trip to Wealdstone, the boss said that he had the backing of chairman Scott Priestnall with finances following the exit of star man Tom Knowles on the eve of the season.

Asked about the support he was receiving by BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins, Hargreaves said: “Hopefully there will be two (new signings) announced for the weekend.

“It’s something we want to do, we need to bolster the squad, Scott (Priestnall) has been supportive with that so that’s positive.

“Whoever we bring in has to believe they can affect this club and there will be a couple announced before the weekend.”

One player who the Glovers are expecting back for the visit of Dagenham & Redbridge is central defender Ben Richards-Everton who has missed the past three matches through injury.

The former Barnet player suffered a knee injury in the opening day defeat at Scunthorpe United which Hargreaves revealed recently was not as bad as originally feared and he will be back for the upcoming two matches.

Sam Pearson. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The boss is also hoping on loan Bristol City winger Sam Pearson, who the club announced this week has extended his stay until January, will be fit after missing last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Altrincham with a back injury.

He said: “We’re not sure if it’s going to be Saturday, Monday or either. He took a serious knock (against Barnet) and it’s going to be right down to the wire if he makes it for Saturday.

“Sam has been a bright spark and the fans have taken to him straight away. Unfortunately he’s had a bit of a niggle which has kept him out of Saturday’s game, so we are hopeful he can make this Saturday.

“It’s been a bit frustrating. The first week we lost Knowlesy, big Ben (Richards-Everton) got injured and the third week Sam (Pearson) was not available, but you’ve got to adapt and rotate players and get over it.

“Fingers crossed Sam is fit but if he isn’t it gives someone else a chance.”

The boss said young Exeter City defender Alfie Pond was “in the thinking” for last weekend and would be again in the upcoming fixtures.

He added: “Like every team we have these fixtures over the weekend which are incredibly tight, it’s probably too much at this level to play that amount of games in quick succession.

“I have got to use the whole squad because the boys are are chomping at the bit to get minutes and we don’t want to overload it with lads on loan, but the boys that have come in have been excellent.

“Some of them are young lads, they have to find their feet somewhere but they have got to earn it and train well in this first team because it’s a tough standard.

“I have already got in mind what we might have to do with such a quick turnaround but it’s about the lads showing me they want to do it.”

There is no sign of former striker Marcus Stewart making his Head of Player Development role at Huish Park full-time at the moment.

The ex-Ipswich Town man, who scored more than 250 goals in his playing career, became part of the Huish Park coaching team alongside Hargreaves and assistant manager Chris Todd on a part-time basis, and has been absent from the touchline for a number of matches.

Asked whether he expected Stewart to make his role full-time, the manager said: “Not at the moment. It will remain as it is at this stage.

“He adds a lot of value and when you look at the strikers, Fish (Alex Fisher) is desperate to score and working hard, but we want him to work within that 18 yard box and be that talisman.

“Gime (Toure) has scored already, Mal (Linton) has two in four, so there has been that attacking mindset and a lot of the lads have had chances to score.”

 

Young goalkeeper Max Evans will be out for “a couple of months” after suffering an injury whilst on loan at Southern League side Larkhall Athletic.

Max Evans during his loan spell at Larkhall Athletic. Picture courtesy of Jeremy Richards

It has been feared the 20-year-old had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury after he was spotted on crutches at Huish Park.

Hargreaves said: “It’s not brilliant news for the lad, it will keep him out for a couple of months, for sure, but it could have been a lot worth.

“I’m gutted for him to get that so early on (in his loan spell) because he’s a fantastic individual.”

He said reports back from Truro City boss and former Glovers’ midfielder Paul Wotton around defender Ollie Haste and midfielder Toby Stephens who are both on loan at the Cornish outfit.

Stephens has been missing with “a little injury” but made his first appearance as an 80th minute substitute for the White Tigers last weekend, whilst Haste has been a regular fixture in the side.

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Chris Hargreaves said the 2-2 draw at Altrincham was “almost the perfect away performance” for his Yeovil Town side.

The Glovers looked to have picked up their first National League win of the season thanks to a second half goal from substitute Gime Toure, only to be pegged back by an injury time equaliser.

Chris Hargreaves talks to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, Hargreaves said: “I will reflect tomorrow and say it was almost the perfect away performance – but almost is not good enough.

“Those players playing again next Saturday (at home to Dagenham & Redbridge) will be determined to eradicate these errors.”

He added: “There’s still some young lads who are learning some steep lessons here. But we haven’t got time for that, we need to see that out and then it’s a perfect away performance.

“Those boys are giving everything, we know it’s a challenge even against a team that’s not fancied.

“They are a good outfit with good players and all these games are a challenge. It hurts, but the players have to move on quickly.”

The boss revealed that experienced pair Lawson D’Ath and Chiori Johnson, who were both making their first starts of the season, were forced off with cramp towards the end of the game.

Young striker Matt Grivosti replaced Johnson after 73 minutes and Sam Perry came on for D’Ath just a couple of minutes before Altrincham substitute Egli Kaja flighted a deft header in to the net to earn a point.

Hargreaves said: “Having to take Lawson and Chiori off at the end because they were cramping up doesn’t help, but players that come on have to step up.

“The younger lads have to be leaders and maybe it was a bit of miscommunication at the end when you sit back and allow a two-versus one which doesn’t need to happen.

“It is a poor bit of play from us and it’s cost us dearly.”

Toure, who has appeared off the bench in the previous two matches with mixed results, provided a spark with the home side enjoying a sustained spell of pressure at the start of the second half.

Within nine minutes of his arrival, the former Carlisle United player latched on to a loose pass from the hosts to smash home his first goal for the club at the second attempt.

The manager said: “Gime, at full fitness is a real asset and we’re bedding him in, but he showed today what he can do, create something out of nothing.”

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Chris Hargreaves has said his Yeovil Town side need to regain the defensive resilience they showed in pre-season if they are to progress up the National League table.

Chris Hargreaves speaking following the Barnet defeat.

The Glovers’ boss was frustrated after two defensive lapses saw Barnet striker Nicke Kabamba gifted two goals in the 2-1 home defeat on Tuesday night after errors cost goals in their previous games against Scunthorpe United and Wrexham.

The boss’ frustration was compounded by his side’s struggle to finish a number of chances they created in midweek with the only goal coming from left wing-back Jamie Reckord with his side already 2-0 down.

Talking ahead of the weekend’s trip to Altrincham, Hargreaves said: “It’s the chances we aren’t taking and the small lapses in concentration (defensively), but small lapses at any level kill you.

“If you don’t score, you have to come out with boring 0-0s and the teams I have done well with, that is what we have done.

“In pre-season, we had that resilience and weren’t creating as many, now we can’t stop creating chances, but I want that resilience back.”

The Glovers’ boss will give on loan winger Sam Pearson until the weekend to prove his fitness after he was forced off following a physical encounter against Barnet.

The Bristol City player went off after 72 minutes, replaced by Lawson D’Ath, with the manager saying afterwards that he was suffering with a back injury.

Sam Pearson. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Speaking on Thursday, Hargreaves said: “We are taking it day by day. He took a few bumps on Tuesday, but he’s resilient lad and robust, so we are hopeful he comes through.

“He to learn on the job very quickly and Sam, because of the type of player he is, he will get that type of aggression against him.

“But he looked like he was able to cope with the physicality but when there are games in quick succession with high tempos and his output, his running stats are high, we don’t want to lose him for weeks on end.

“It is the same with some of the other lads coming back from injury, like Lawson (D’Ath), that is one where we have to make a decision and bed them back in gently.”

Hargreaves reiterated the knee injury sustained by central defender Ben Richards-Everton was “not as bad as first feared“, but did reveal that striker Ollie Hulbert was suffering with an injury.

The 19-year-old has not featured in a squad since pre-season although he was on the pitch ahead of the Barnet game working with Scott Wickens, the club’s strength and conditioning coach.

Hargreaves said: “We have to work out why it is happening and it may be a decision we have to make on that.

“He trains well but has a slight problem in games. He is chomping at the bit, but in certain circumstances his body is letting him down.”

He confirmed that forward Gime Toure, who a week ago following his release by League Two side Carlisle United at the end of last season, was “not far off” from starting a game.

Gime Toure fires a ball in. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The 28-year-old impressed after coming off the bench against in the 1-1 draw with Wrexham, but had less of an impact having arrived around the hour mark in midweek.

Hargreaves said: “Gime has been looking for EFL clubs and probably lost a bit of fitness and he’s signed for us in a deal which suits both parties.

“If we can get him up to speed, he will be a dangerous player for us. He’s not far off, but for lots of players that have been through the summer as Gime has, they lose fitness.

“He’s shown glimpses of what he can do and we have to make sure we get him to full fitness as quickly as possible.”

He also said teenage defender Alfie Pond, who arrived on loan from Exeter City last Friday had impressed in training, adding that he had given him “a lot to think about” in his team selection.

The 18-year-old was an unused substitute against both Wrexham and Barnet.

Asked whether he was looking to add further to his squad, the manager said he was continuing to speak to “several people” about coming to Huish Park.

Malachi Linton surges forward. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The question from BBC Somerset reporter Sheridan Robins related to forward players and Hargreaves added that he felt he had enough players already in his squad to score goals.

He said: “Regardless of who we get in we have enough people to finish chances and the lads are working hard to change that.

“We had eight very good chances (against Barnet on Tuesday) whereas they have three shots on goal and scored two. We had double figures plus and eight on target.

“It is not a case of it just being the strikers, it can be defenders from corners, midfielders going through, wingers, everyone has got to chip in with goals.

“It’s just maybe one more second of calmness in front of goal to make sure and that is what we have been working on this week.”

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Young midfielders Sam Pearson and Sam Perry have been challenged to add goals to their performances by Yeovil Town manager Chris Hargreaves.

The pair have featured in all three of the Glovers’ National League fixtures this season having joined on loan from Bristol City and Walsall respectively.

Sam Pearson, right, in action against Barnet. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Asked about how they stood up to some of the ‘dark arts’ employed by an experienced Barnet midfield in the 2-1 defeat at Huish Park on Tuesday night, the boss told our man Ben Barrett: “They had the bravery to get on the ball and play and they created and looked forward, I can’t speak highly enough of them.

“They need to add goals or a belief they can score. When we are building up our play, they need to have those one or two touches and get the ball quickly out of their feet and get shots on goal, they have to develop that.

“But as far as contribution of effort and moving the ball, they were fantastic.”

Pearson, who is on loan for an initial month from Championship Bristol City, has been a stand out performer having come off the bench in the opening day defeat at Scunthorpe United and then starting the draw with Wrexham and the Barnet defeat.

Perry has started all three games and only not completed the 90 minutes after taking a heavy knock after an hour at Scunthorpe.

Ben also asked Yeovil skipper Josh Staunton for his opinion on the performance of the pair following the Barnet game.

He said: “When you have young lads in their and picking up things. Sam Perry has game time behind him, but for Sam Pearson that is a different type of challenge to what he is used too.

“They will take a lot from games like today and benefit in the long run and it’s important we stay behind them and keep pushing them because the way I see it they are just going to get better and better.“

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Yeovil Town boss Chris Hargreaves said he was “angry” and “frustrated” after seeing his side concede two soft goals to go down to a 2-1 defeat at home to Barnet.

The Glovers conceded twice to visiting striker Nicke Kambamba in just nine second half minutes having missed a host of first half chances to pull ahead.

Chris Hargreaves talks to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins ahead of the 2-1 defeat at Scunthorpe United.

However, the boss was quick to back the team for their “application and effort” despite the loss and vowed to put it right on the training field ahead of Saturday’s trip to Altrincham.

Speaking to the Gloverscast’s own Ben Barrett, the boss said: “My frustrations lie with us conceding. We haven’t been carved open, it’s just one or two lapses of concentration when you are so on top that suddenly one long ball can undo you and sadly that is the case tonight.

“That will be addressed very quickly on the training ground because it is vitally important.”

He added: “Had one of the chances gone in, the first goal is critical, but they score it with an easy goal and then the second goal gives us a mountain to climb and it’s not something which has taken too much to create which is why I am angry tonight.

“But, the application and effort and desire to play was very good and the creating of chances, we’ve just got to eradicate these errors.”

The first half saw visiting goalkeeper Laurie Walker pull off three impressive stops to twice deny striker Malachi Linton and wing back Jamie Reckord, who pulled a late consolation goal back for Yeovil,

Hargreaves added: “The keeper did well, but we can’t keep saying that. We have to have that ruthlessness to put people to the sword because we could have done certainly in the second half (in the opening day defeat) at Scunthorpe, for most of the game (in last weekend’s 1-1 draw) against Wrexham and tonight it was chance after chance.

“But players don’t intend to miss chances, we work hard in training every day to try and score goals and we are trying to deliver it, so we are back on the training ground on Thursday and we’ll work our socks off to make sure we do make the most of our play.”

The manager gave an update on loan winger Sam Pearson, who went off after 72 minutes with a back injury, saying: “Sam had a bit of a back problem and in the second half he could not accelerate and we might have to. We’ll assess it tomorrow and hopefully he’ll be back for Altrincham at the weekend.”

However, he did say the knee injury to central defender Ben Richards-Everton was “not as serious as it first looked” following a scan. The former Barnet man missed the chance to face his old side having also missed out against Wrexham, although Hargreaves did not offer any indication of when he might be back.

Lawson D’Ath and new signing Gime Toure both came off the bench in the second half, but neither appear quite ready for a start yet.

The manager told Ben: “Lawson is getting closer, I don’t think he’s quite there yet and with Gime, he’s done almost nothing for so long and even after five minutes tonight he was a little tight in his chest.

“He’ll be working hard for sure because there’s a good player in there and we need options. Alex (Fisher) and Mal (Linton) ran their socks off (against Wrexham), it’s difficult to do that every game so it’s our job to get Gime as fit as possible.”

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Yeovil Town boss Chris Hargreaves said he was disappointed his side only came away with a point from 1-1 draw in the opening home fixture of the season against promotion favourites Wrexham.

The Glovers fell behind to a soft goal from Paul Mullin, which the boss admitted his players were “annoyed” at conceding, but fought back and earned a point thanks to a stunning strike from forward Malachi Linton, his first for the club.

However, the arrival of substitute Gime Toure, who was signed on Friday having been released by Carlisle United at the end of last season, saw the hosts carve out a number of opportunities in the second half.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the match, Hargreaves said: “I’m disappointed actually because we should have won that.

“But the lads have showed tremendous character after conceding early from a pretty simple long ball which we had discussed, so the boys are annoyed with themselves on that one.

“The good thing is they could have wilted and they didn’t in a high pressure game, they showed great character and for the second week running the second half was an entirely different game. Saying that, I thought we were competing in the first half, more than competing.

“On reflection, we should have won the game, but we are playing against a very good side and we can take heart from it and go in to another game on Tuesday against a good opponent (in Barnet).”

The boss started with three central defenders in captain Josh Staunton, Max Hunt and Morgan Williams with Charlie Wakefield and Jamie Reckord playing as wing backs, despite the formation causing issues in the opening day defeat at Scunthorpe United seven days earlier.

Hargreaves said: “We did essentially match them out of possession, but in possession we wanted it to be about us and our good players.

“I was contemplating changing it in the second half to be even more on the front foot, but when Mal did that I thought ‘let’s let us do our thing and think less about the opposition.

“And, but for a little bit more devilment in that six yard box, we win that game and I don’t think it would have been undeserved.”

Of Linton’s goal of the season contender, the manager said he continued to have faith in the striker despite him not finding the net in pre-season.

He said: “I know what Mal can do. He was at King’s Lynn last season where my son (Cameron) was playing and that is why I saw Mal a lot.

“What I saw was someone who was brave and thrives on goals and maybe it hasn’t quite happened for him in pre-season, but that is one hell of a goal in any game.

“He deserves it for his hard work and we’ve kept faith with him because that is what he can do.”

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Chris Hargreaves believes the pressure will be on big-spending Wrexham as they arrive for the opening fixture of the National League campaign at Huish Park.

The Welsh outfit are the overwhelming title favourites to win the division having invested wisely with further big name signings on top of an already star-studded squad which missed out in the play-offs last season.

Chris Hargreaves talks to the club’s YouTube channel.

Hargreaves’ side are looking to get their campaign underway after losing their opening fixture at Scunthorpe United last weekend, whilst Wrexham were coming from behind to win 2-1 at home to Eastleigh, thanks to a brace from Elliot Lee, a summer signing from Championship Luton Town.

Speaking on Thursday ahead of the game, the Glovers’ boss said: “There’s pressure for them because they are heavily backed, but they have to carry that weight of responsibility.

“I have been at a club like that (as a player) at Oxford where everyone was expecting us to go up and we did it in the second season, not the first.

“The pressure is on them every week because of the publicity, but it is also on us because we are at home and we want to put a good display on.

“We know we are the underdogs and that is fine, but we have to focus on ourselves and go and put a display on and show how much they want to play for the club.”

His opposite number Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson is looking to end a run which has seen the Red Dragons fail to win their opening two matches of the season since relegation to non-League in 2008.

The boss said: “That is a nice little challenge for us at the weekend. I think that is a good little benchmark for us to try and change that around.

“Every single game we go into with the same mindset, to perform at our best and try and get the three points. That will be the plan at Yeovil.”

Lee, who played 48 times on loan at Charlton Athletic in League One last season, started on the bench last weekend and Parkinson was not letting on whether he would start the former West Ham United youngster from the start at Huish Park.

Asked whether he would, Parkinson said: “We’ll assess the players ahead of the game and make the decision we believe to be the right one.”

You can hear our chat with Wrexham fan Nathan from the RobRyanRed podcast on the latest edition of the Gloverscast – here.

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Yeovil Town manager Chris Hargreaves has had “a little bit of success” in his search to bring new players to the club ahead of Saturday’s visit from title favourites Wrexham.

Chris Hargreaves.

The Glovers’ boss said he was keen to add to his squad after the opening game defeat at Scunthorpe United last weekend and said he was “still hopeful” of being able to add to the squad.

Asked whether he thought he could bolster his options by the weekend, Hargreaves said: “Maybe. We are still in discussions, we have a couple of players in the building at the moment that we are having a look at.

“We are still hopeful of (bringing new players in) but regardless of that situation we have got enough to focus on the game.”

He added it was a “a challenge  logistically and financially” to bring players to the club, suggesting that budget constraints and the club’s geography was working against his attempts to bring in fresh blood.

He said: “We have had a little bit of success this week with some players we have spoken to and I have a couple of players in the building that have done well, so the situation could change.

“But if it doesn’t, the players we have are more than capable of getting a result and creating chances, which is what they showed most of the second half on Saturday.”

The description of “having a look” at a few players would suggest that those he was talking about are either free agents or players looking for a loan move.

Yeovil presently have four of the five loan spots they can field in a matchday squad in the form of goalkeeper Will Buse, midfielders Sam Perry and Sam Pearson and striker Matt Grivosti.

 

Tom Knowles in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The manager admitted that the exit of star player Tom Knowles just 48 hours before the trip to recently-relegated Scunthorpe did lead to him having to redraw his tactics.

The forward left for League Two Walsall in a move announced on the Thursday evening ahead of the trip to North Lincolnshire.

The boss said: “It is disappointing on a Thursday when you have to change a game plan and personnel in a limited about of time and it was a challenge for me, I don’t deny it.

“The player showed his intentions to go, we offered him as much as we could at this time and the club accepted the money we were offered.

“He goes with our best wishes, but I can’t think about that any more. We quickly have to find another Tom Knowles – either create one, loan one or sign one from somewhere.

“It’s a big challenge because he was a good player and those players are hard to replace.”

It seems likely the Glovers will be without a fully fit squad for the visit of Wrexham with “a couple” of players still being monitored.

Hargreaves said: “There’s still a couple that we are monitoring. We had a good number training this morning (Thursday) but we are still looking at a couple of players.

“There’s probably a decision to make today on whether one or two players train today with a view to (playing) at the weekend, but there’s still enough chomping at the bit to be in the team.”

Playmaker Lawson D’Ath did not make the squad last weekend whilst defender Chiori Johnson remained on the bench