In what might be the least surprising news of the week, Luke Wilkinson has joined Woking reuniting with Darren Sarll.
Wilkinson announced his future lied elsewhere from Huish Park earlier this week with Woking the most likely destination – he has signed a two-year contract.
We wish you well, next season, with two obvious exceptions.
Luke Wilkinson has confirmed that he has left Yeovil Town on the same day new boss Chris Hargreaves was appointed.
The central defender missed the club’s final game of the National League season at Altrincham last Sunday saying he had been “unwell” and “spent a little time in hospital.”
He turned out 36 times for the club this season when he was club captain, however, he was one of a number of players who is out of contract this summer.
In a statement posted on his Twitter on Wednesday, he said: “So my time at Yeovil Town has come to an end. I have made the decision to move on and looking forward to a new challenge.
“I want to say a massive thank you to you all for your incredible support over the last three years, it’s been incredible.
“To captain your club this last season has been an honour and I wish you all the success in the future.”
His last appearance saw him score a stunning free-kick in a 2-2 draw at home to Boreham Wood a couple of weeks ago.
Yeovil Town captain Luke Wilkinson told BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the draw with W*ymouth that he was disappointed not to get the win for the fans.
He said: “W*ymouth are still fighting for their lives, you can say we’ve got nothing to play for, but we have, pride. You can see by the fans today, they turned up in great numbers and made a lot of noise”
“We wanted to win for them, unfortunately we couldn’t get it. but we take a clean sheet, we move on to next Saturday.”
“They (the Yeovil fans) always make a noise, to see them pack out the away end is absolutely brilliant, fair play to them.”
Wilko, who was hurt during the game and had an altercation with a seagull bothering supporter after said the side would try and build on the positives for the upcoming games.
He added: “To come here at get a clean sheet is good, but obviously we’d like to be going home with three points as well.”
“We just have to go into the games like we do, we know we’re going to have to be on our game (vs Stockport next week), because they’re flying high at the top of the league.
“We will go into the game full of confidence off the back of a clean sheet and hopefully we can stick a few past them.”
Yeovil Town defender Luke Wilkinson has said he has appreciated the fans’ support as the season draws to a close.
Following a really positive turnout of fans against Barnet.
“Saturday (against Barnet) we felt we should have won from our recent little run we had been on.”
“It was a brilliant turnout (of Yeovil fans) they never stopped singing for us and cheering us on, it was absolutely brilliant”
“People might say we’ve got nothing to play for, but we have, we’ve got pride and we want to win as many games as well can between now and the end of the season and see where that puts us”.
Wilkinson, who has played in each of the last couple of games despite an injury scare said how he, along with other senior players have had to step up to help interim manager Charlie Lee.
“(Charlie Lee) has openly come to us and asked, and said I’m going to lean on you guys for your help, we could see that last weekend with Josh Staunton helping during the game and in the warm up.
“We’re happy to do that, Charlie is the interim manager, his decision goes, but if he ever needs our help, we are always there to back him up”
Meanwhile, the hunt for Luke’s first goal of the season continues,
“I’ve been saying it for weeks now, I should have scored… I’m trying my best to get on the end of things, hopefully one of them will fly in soon”
“It’s been really frustrating, the chance on Saturday, I really should have scored that one, I was really disappointed at the time, but there’s been other ones during the season. That’s definitely a goal of mine to get at least a couple before the end of the season.”
The central defender might not have been overly pleased with the Gloverscast reminding him he has found a goal every season since 2013/14, but not yet this one… Best get your head on one then Wilko!
Yeovil Town defender Luke Wilkinson has been given a place in the Non League Paper’s ‘Team of the Day’ following his performance against Notts County.
The Glovers may not have won, but Wilko has been listed along side Barnet’s Ben Richards-Everton and Jesse Debrah of Halifax in the mythical side’s defence.
Well in, Wilko.
The full team is as follows…
Luke Wilkinson has said the Yeovil Town midfield and defence has to start finding the net to ease the burden on the Glovers’ forwards.
The skipper missed a glorious first half opportunity to give his side the lead in the 1-0 defeat at high-flying Chesterfield on Saturday and is yet to find the net this season.
In fact, only seven goals have come from non-forward players in all competitions this season with midfielder Dale Gorman leading the way with three, with two of these coming from the penalty spot.
Of the defeat in Derbyshire, Wilkinson told BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins said: “It’s been the story of our season, but it’s not just the attacking players, we all need to be chipping in and scoring.
“I have not scored this season, perhaps (the goal ruled out for a push at Maidenhead in the previous match) was a goal but I should have scored tonight.
“So it’s not just the attacking players, it is the collective and once we get that hopefully things will start going our way and I think the fans can see that.”
A stunning strike from Jim Kellerman was the difference between the two sides on Saturday after a throw-in from the hosts was only cleared as far as the edge of the box and the midfielder swept the ball home.
Wilkinson said: “We have switched off from a throw-in and they have worked it out to his feet and, to be fair to him, he’s hit a great shot in to the far corner.
“But it is frustrating that close to half-time because (if you go in at 0-0) you can regroup and go again (in the second half).”
Yeovil Town defender Luke Wilkinson has said that he is desperate to add to his goal tally for the Glovers to take the pressure off the forwards and to boost his own performances.
Speaking to the Gloverscast before the Eastleigh game Wilko said it had been too long since he last found the net himself.
“I don’t think I’ve gone this long in my career without a goal, I’m a bit disappointed in myself actually. I think it’s so important, especially from set plays because we get so many throughout the season, we need to start capitalising on them”
“Some of the deliveries we get are absolutely brilliant, but we’re not getting on the end of them.”
“That’s a massive thing, the gaffer has brought it up as well, and we need to start attacking these set plays a lot better and making the most of them.
Wilkinson, who’s last league goal came over a year ago – the last gasp winner against Torquay on January 2nd 2021 – simply said “fingers crossed” with a wry smile when asked if he fancies breaking that streak at the weekend.
There was plenty of praise for Ben Barclay who has come into the club on a short term deal with all eyes on Eastleigh, Wilkinson said he would be trying to add their formidable front line, including new recruit Brett Pitman to the long list of strikers who the Glovers have kept quiet.
“It builds confidence as a defensive unit against these players whoare banging in goals left, right and centre every other week, then they come up against us and we keep them quiet, it obviously does build confidence… it’s not just us at the back either, the midfielders work so hard when we are in the defencive shape and obviously Granty (Smith) behind us as well”
Captain Luke Wilkinson looks likely to spend six weeks on the sidelines after limping off towards the end of the 2-1 defeat at Southend United on Tuesday night, according to Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll
The boss also revealed the he expects full-back Dan Moss to depart when his loan spell from Millwall comes to an end at the end of the month, but Middlesbrough defender Jack Robinson has extended his stay until the end of the season.
Sarll also hopes that the loan of forward Sonny Blu Lo-Everton from Premier League Watford can also be extended until the end of the season.
On Wilkinson’s injury, the manager told BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins: “On those nights when you are searching you a goal, you always get that horrible injury and I would have thought that is a good six weeks.”
He added: “I have seen these too many times in my career, when you get that bit of hope and you search and you chase for it, and normally that is the straw that breaks the camel’s back with injury.
“That is a massive one for us because (Wilkinson) is a massive player for us and it looks like he is going to spend a large part on the sidelines now.”
Of the loanees, Sarll said: “Jack (Robinson) is done until the end of the season, so that is a really good one.
“I don’t think (Dan) Moss will be with us til the end of the season, I think he may be going to pastures new.
“Sonny, I don’t think will be a problem, and hopefully he will be with us until the end of the season. We have not really found his consistent space in this team, but there’s definitely one coming out and he will be a big player for us.”
Matt Worthington was missing with “an upset stomach” which the boss said they did not believe was COVID-19.
The departure of Moss would suggest that summer signing Mark Little is close to a return to first-team action.
The former Bristol City full-back has not been seen since picking up an injury in pre-season and speaking on New Year’s Eve, Sarll described him as “very close” to a return.
Yeovil Town captain Luke Wilkinson missed the 2-1 defeat against Torquay United to get a COVID-19 test, manager Darren Sarll has confirmed.
The defender was the surprise omission from the loss with Josh Staunton slotting in alongside Max Hunt in the back line and taking the armband for the local derby.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, Sarll said: “We missed Wilkinson. Josh is a huge influence wherever he plays. Wilkinson had a sore throat, Lateral Flow Test later, he got to the ground, did his test in the car and then had to shoot off for a PCR test.
“So we change things very late but we did that (in the 2-0 win away) at Wrexham and we defended (there) a lot better than we did today.”
If Wilkinson’s PCR test does come back positive for COVID-19, he may have to self-isolate for 10 days from the days he first exhibited symptoms.
However (are you sitting comfortably?!), if his PCR test were to come back positive, he would need to do a Lateral Flow Test on Day 6 and Day 7 of his isolation period (next weekend) and, if both results came back negative, he would be clear to return to society next Sunday.
Assuming the symptoms began today (January 2), that means a positive PCR test will definitely rule him out of next weekend’s FA Cup third round tie with AFC Bournemouth and, if Day 6 and Day 7’s tests don’t go well, also the visit to Southend United in the National League the following Tuesday, January 11.
However, if the PCR comes back negative, then he’s available to face the Cherries – and these past four paragraphs have been a waste of everyone’s time! Simple, right?!
Captain Luke Wilkinson has said he wants to stay at Yeovil Town beyond the end of his contract which expires in the summer.
The centre half, who was born in Wells, is in his third season at Huish Park and told the Gloverscast‘s Ian Perkins that he had “loved every minute” of his time with the club.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s home match with Torquay United, Wilko said: “For me, it’s about playing as well as I can each week, I am out of contract (at the end of the season) so I want to get something sorted.
“I am just trying to perform as best as I can for the club and try and push on and be up and around it and you never know what is going to happen.”
Asked about his future plans, he added: “I have loved every minute of my two-and-a-half years here, it’s been brilliant, I love the place, I am local to the area, so if Yeovil decided they wanted to offer me something I would love to.”
The 31-year-old admitted the Glovers dipped below the standards they had set themselves in the past couple of months as they collapsed to a 3-0 defeat at Torquay on Boxing Day.
The postponement of the derby with W*ymouth on December 28 due to COVID-19 in the opposition camp denied them an opportunity to bounce immediately back, but Wilkinson said training had been “intense” this week.
He said: “For us it’s just the next game, that is what’s been drummed in to us t, we were disappointed with Boxing Day and we will look to put it right, it just happens to be Torquay again.“