Yeovil Town hosted the ‘Match for Marcus’ dedicated to Marcus Stewart and his career with both Yeovil Town and Bristol Rovers and his subsequent battle with Motor Neurone Disease.
Our man Gary Brown was at Huish Park for us today and captured the event.
Legendary striker Marcus Stewart has spoken of feeling “humbled” after seeing more than 2,000 supporters of two of his former clubs turn out to honour him at Huish Park.
His first-ever club, Bristol Rovers, picked up a 2-1 pre-season friendly win over the final club he played or coached with, Yeovil Town, on Saturday in the ‘Match for Marcus’ which raised money and awareness of Motor Neurone Disease, the condition he was diagnosed with in 2022.
Speaking to Yeovil’s social media following the game, the 52-year-old said: “It has been unreal, I need a week to reflect on it and come down from it because these days hit me more two or three days after the event. It is great 2,000 people turned up, it is humbling. I would rather it was not an event for me in these circumstances, I would have rather it be a normal pre-season game, but I was pleased and humbled by the support.
“When Wesso (coach Ian Weston) said to me about it at the end of last season, I said ‘are you sure?’ and he said he would speak to the chairman, which was Martin Hellier, at the time. Off the back of that, I let them get on with it and even though Martin has left (new Executive Chairman) Stuart (Robins) was here and he has done a great job today as well – the programme was brilliant, the hospitality we had was brilliant and there is even a framed shirt and picture of mine upstairs in the (Huish Park) foyer now alongside Skivo.”
The frontman began an illustrious career in the academy at Rovers in 1989 before going on to make his professional debut three years later at the start of a career which saw him score 19 Premier League goals to fire Ipswich Town in to Europe in 2000-01.
He arrived at Huish Park in 2006, initially on loan from Bristol City before making the move permanent, and scored the iconic goal which took an unforgettable League One play-off semi-final at Nottingham Forest in to extra time and eventually saw Yeovil book their first visit to Wembley. Having departed for Exeter City where he ended his playing career, Stewart returned to Huish Park as Head of Player Development under manager Mark Cooper in June 2022, just three months before his diagnosis with MND. He held that role until May when he stepped down.
Over 500 travelling supporters were among the crowd of 2,236 which turned out for the match on Satyurday and Stewart revealed that he spent the second half in the Screwfix Stand.
He said: “I know Yeovil were putting the event on, but I felt in the second half that I had to go and sit with the Rovers fans. 500 of them have come down here and Yeovil and Bristol Rovers are my two favourite clubs in the South West, it is that simple. I wanted to show respect for the fact so many Rovers fans travelled down and I would have thought some of them would have travelled down regardless of it being my event. Yeovil have been brilliant, from the evening they had with me at the end of last season to today’s game, they have been brilliant.”
In his post-match comments, Cooper said he had enjoyed having “the micky taken” by former coaching colleague ahead of the match. On his plans for life after football, Stewart said: “I do enjoy coming back and having a bit of banter in the staff room, but I do not know what I will miss about the game yet, ask me in a few months after my life has settled down a bit.”
The match saw Yeovil go ahead after 21 minutes through an own goal from visiting keeper Brad Young before second half goals from former Glovers’ loanee Kofi Shaw and substitute Luke Thomas sealed the win for the League Two said.
Speaking about Yeovil’s performance, Stewart added: “I thought it was a pre-season game and we were stronger in the first half. The team changes when we brought players on in the second half and it disjoints the game. We had a lot of control in the game, but I think the difference in the second half was down to the changes. It is so important that the players are getting fit and you have a full squad ready for the start of the season, but I am sure Mark will have been pleased with the first half.”
Two second half goals saw Yeovil Town go down to defeat at the hands of Bristol Rovers in the ‘Match for Marcus’ pre-season friendly at Huish Park on Saturday.
A crowd of 2,236, including a healthy 512 from Bristol, turned out to recognise Marcus Stewart, the legendary striker who played for both sides. All gate receipts are being donated to raising money and awareness of Motor Neurone Disease, the condition which the forward was diagnosed with in 2022.
It was an impressive first half for the Glovers which saw them take the lead when Rovers’ goalkeeper Brad Young punched a Brett McGavin corner in to his own net after 21 minutes, but the League Two opposition moved up a gear after the break and goals from ex-Glovers’ loanee Kofi Shaw and Luke Thomas wrapped up the result.
The Glovers lined up with trialist Bristol City Under-21s goalkeeper Josey Casa-Grande in goal with ex-Rovers’ striker Jevani Brown also named in the starting line-up alongside Birmingham City Under-21s defender Byron Pendleton, playing at right-back. Midfielders Teo Kurtaran and Luke McCormick, a former trialist and first-team player for The Gas, were the other trialists named on the substitutes’ bench for the match.
Pendleton is under contract at St Andrews until the summer of 2027 so would be a loan if he is the man Mark Cooper is looking to fill the boots of Michael Smith.
Before kick-off, there was a one-minute silence in memory of all those who were injured and affected by the coach crash which killed a ten-year-old boy near Minehead on Thursday.
The opening exchanges saw former Glovers’ loanee Kofi Shaw have a shot deflected away for a corner, but it was Yeovil who took the lead after 21 minutes. An in-swinging corner from Brett McGavin was punched in to his own net by Rovers’ keeper Brad Young. The goal was credit to Morgan Williams, but in reality is was an OWN GOAL from the keeper.
On 29 minutes, those in green-and-white thought Yeovil had doubled their lead when trialist Pendleton got away down the right with only Young to beat, but his shot went in to the side netting. The rippling of the net proved to be an illusion for those in the Main Stand and Thatcher’s End – but those away fans in the Screwfix Stand had a far better view of what had really happened.
At the other end, a quick move from Rovers saw Micah Anthony found in space on the left side of the box, he fired an effort in but it was well blocked by Williams after 32 minutes and the only other action in Yeovil’s favour saw Young have more problems with corners from McGavin. For the visitors Ollie Dewsbury almost took advantage of a lax header back to Casa-Grande, but put his header wide.
Overall, the first half offered many reasons to be impressed with for Yeovil. Pendleton looked a threat going forward down the right with McGavin impressing and Harvey Greenslade and Aaron Jarvis linking up well in the forward line.
Both sides made two changes at half-time with James Daly and Brett McGavin replacing by trialist Luke McCormick and Josh Sims for Yeovil.
The visitors found an equaliser just three minutes in to the second half as Kofi SHAW was awarded the freedom of Huish Park’s midfield to stride forward and smash a shot from outside the box past Casa-Grande. A fantastic strike and it appears the curse of the old boy exists in pre-season as well.
Bryant Bilongo had a great opportunity to put them ahead after 56 minutes after a one-two with substitute Luke Thomas saw him saunter in to the Yeovil penalty area and flash a shot past the far post.
The warning signs were there and on 62 minutes Rovers went ahead. This time Shaw was the provider as he picked out Luke THOMAS who had the easiest job of tapping home. A simple goal for Rovers who have stepped up a gear after the break and Yeovil are getting pulled out of position and cut apart.
There was the usual flurry of changes with trialist Teo Kurtaran appearing alongside Finn Cousin-Dawson, Kyle Ferguson, Lewys Twamley and Tahvon Campbell in the second half. On 75 minutes, Kurtaran forced a good save out of Jed Ward, who replaced Young at the break, with a free-kick from the edge of the box.
In the 82nd minute, we got a first look at the new rule of referees awarding a corner for a team holding on to the ball for too long, awarding Yeovil a corner kick. It has been a flat second half, so that could be among the highlights of this 45 minutes.
Williams’ flicked header was easily saved by Ward from a nice cross from Twamley as the game ticked in to injury time. A nice move from Yeovil, but Morgan did not get enough of a connection on it.
Reasons to be positive in the first half, but reasons to be negative in the second half.
Yeovil Town: Josey Casa-Grande (Trialist), Alex Whittle, Morgan Williams, Jake Wannell, Byron Pendleton (Trialist), Charlie Cooper, Brett McGavin, Jevani Brown (Trialist), Harvey Greenslade, Aaron Jarvis (for Tahvon Campbell, 69).
Substitutes: Luke McCormick (for James Daly, 46), Josh Sims (for Brett McGavin, 46), Teo Kurtaran, Trialist (for Charlie Cooper, 60), Finn Cousin-Dawson (for Alex Whittle, 64), Kyle Ferguson (for Jake Wannell, 64), Lewys Twamley (for Jevani Brown, Trialist, 64), Aidan Stone (not used), Matt Gould (not used).
Bristol Rovers: Brad Young (for Jed Ward, 46), Joel Senior, Taylor Moore, Isaac Hutchinson, Luke Thomas (for Jack Sparkes, 63), Dan Ellison, Josh McEarhran (for Ryan Howley, 46, for Kamil Conteh, 73), Micah Anthony (for Ruel Sotiriou, 63), Bryant Bilongo, Kofi Shaw, Ollie Dewsbury.
Substitutes (not used): Alfie Kilgour, Shaq Forde, Promise Omochere, Connor Taylor.
Scorers: Brad Young o.g. 21 (1-0), Kofi Shaw 48 (1-1), Luke Thomas 62 (1-2).
Attendance: 2,236 (512 away supporters)
Referee: James Durkin (Portland, W*ymouth)
Yeovil Town legend Marcus Stewart has left his role as Head of Player Development.
Stewart has been in the role since the summer of 2022, rejoining the club for a second spell having also been an integral part of the 2007 Play Off Final Squad under Russell Slade.
Stewart, departs the club as one of the the most fondly remembered people to ever don the Green and White.
Marcus, with the club’s support, has continued in his role whilst balancing his immense fund raising efforts for Motor Neuron Disease charities following his own diagnosis a number of years ago.
Here at the Gloverscast, we’d like to place on record our sincerest thanks to Marcus, for the goals, the memories and for taking time to join us on one of the most brilliant episodes of the GloversPast.
Yeovil Town coach and goal-scoring legend Marcus Stewart has told the club’s players to “embrace the pressure” of playing in front of the television cameras at Wrexham this weekend.
The Glovers travel to North Wales to face the high-fly Red Dragons with the ITVX cameras presumably on the look out for their Hollywood owners movie star Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the star of hit television show, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, in the FA Cup second round on Sunday.
Stewart reached the semi-finals of the competition as a Sunderland player in 2004, but has also been on the wrong end of an FA Cup upset, not least when he was part of the Yeovil side dumped out of the 2007 competition by lower league Torquay United, including current Glovers’ assistant Chris Todd, who scored twice in a 4-1 win.
Asked by BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah what he thought was needed to pull off an FA Cup shock, the former Ipswich Town striker said: “You need a bit of luck, a bit like the other day (at Welling) when we weren’t at it and the other team were, and you need players to step up when the chances come.
“In recent matches we have had lots of chances and managed to put two or three away, but that might not be the case at the weekend so we need to take our chances.
“We have to match them, get a bit of luck on our side and take our chances when they come and, if you can do that, you have got a chance of getting through to the next round.”
Having taken on big teams in his playing career, including in 1999 when his Huddersfield Town side went down to a Liverpool team including Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard, Stewart said he would tell Yeovil’s players: “Go out and embrace it, embrace the occasion because not many of these players will have had the chance to play a Premier League team and, if we get through this round, that is the potential.
“This group of lads are a good group and they deserve some good headlines but it is not going to be easy. We went there last year with totally different team, a different club and we took them to 60 minutes at 0-0, so hopefully if we can do it in this game, we have a chance and FA Cup giant-killings are on the cards most season.”
“An FA Cup game off the back of a loss is a good one, there’s no pressure on us, we have got nothing to lose.
“If you can get on a good run and earn some money for the club, it is always a positive and going to somewhere like Wrexham there is going to be a feelgood factor. But there’s a feelgood factor in this place as well, the lads have been great this year.
“It is another challenge, another step up from the previous two games (against Southend United and Gateshead) in this competition, but it is a challenge the lads will take I am sure.”
The Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust has launched a fund-raising drive to support Glovers’ legend Marcus Stewart‘s drive to raise money for the Darby Rimmer Foundation, which raises money to support research in to Motor Neurone Disease.
The initiative, 5 – 2 MND for #TeamStewart, gives people many different ways to donate to the charity including encouraging youngsters to take part in the You’ve Only Gone and Done It Challenge to video themselves recreate the famous goal scored by the striker in the 5-2 win in the League One play-off semi-final second leg win at Nottingham Forest in 2007.
They want youngsters to post their recreations and encourage people to donate £5 (or more if you like!) to support the charity. 5 – 2 MND – get it?
To full details on how you can take part in the challenge, visit the Trust’s website – click here.
However, if you are not feeling quite athletic enough to unleash your inner, you can still support by visiting the Trust’s fund-raising page on JustGiving.com and donating however much you are able to give – click here.
The Trust has set an initial target of £5,000 to raise for the charity which will add towards fund-raising achieved by Team Stewart, the charity set up by Marcus and his wife, Louise, follow his diagnosis with the condition which affects a person’s nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
Yeovil Town manager Chris Hargreaves has said it is “business as usual” for the club’s Head of Player Development Marcus Stewart after his diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease.
The Glovers’ boss said the former striker had been at Huish Park to speak with the club’s players ahead of the weekend’s trip to Woking and paid tribute to his “inner desire” and offered his “unwavering support.”
Stewart made the announcement following a year of testing and he and his wife have launched a campaign to raise money to support research in to the condition which affects the nervous system.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins on Thursday, Hargreaves said: “It’s a shock to everybody, he’s held in such high regard in football and at this club.
“We will be there with Marcus with absolute unwavering support. What Marcus wants to do is be with the players, enjoy coaching and that is what we want.
“He had a good chat with players this week and said he is right behind them, he wants to be with them because football is his love along with spending time with his family.”
Asked about the former player who he brought in to his coaching staff on a part-time basis after his appointment to the job in the summer, Hargreaves spoke of his inner strength.
He added: “Across the years, Marcus and I have wanted to win at tiddlywinks, head tennis or whatever it was and that is what took Marcus to the top.
“He will be fighting as he did as a player, you don’t get to the level he without being tough. You don’t have to be the biggest or the strongest, but you do have to have that inner desire and he’s got that.
“I have the utmost respect for Marcus on and off the field and that’s why he’s here. We’re all there for him.
“He’s turning up at this club and it’s business as usual for him, he turned up this morning and he wants the best for the players and he’s trying to get the best out of them, as we all are.”
Hargreaves said he had spoken to the club’s players following the start of an investigation in to racial abuse directed at York City striker Lennell John-Lewis in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Huish Park.
He said the club had “zero tolerance” against any form of discrimination and said the punishment to anyone found guilty of the abuse would face “severe” punishment.
The boss added: “We have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination. I have spoken to the players this week, we stand together as a group.
“Punishment will be severe and there needs to be ongoing education. There is a police investigation with the FA and the club which I can’t comment on further. But, we stand together with zero tolerance.”
Looking ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Woking on Saturday, Hargreaves said that he was hopeful midfielder Matt Worthington would recover from an injury.
The former AFC Bournemouth man missed the defeat to York City and the boss said he was one of a number of doubts in his squad.
He said: “Matt will hopefully be in contention along with a couple of others who have slight injury niggles.
“We had to change a few things last week having lost Matt and that meant we lost some consistency, but if you are that player coming in, you have to step up.
“There remains opportunities and I want players to show that they want to keep the shirt, that’s the most important thing on Saturday.
“If they leave the field on Saturday, they leave it having given everything.”
Hargreaves added that his players knew what to expect from their opponents at the weekend with former Glovers’ boss Darren Sarll taking charge of the Cards.
It is expected that ex-players central defender Luke Wilkinson and full-back Dan Moss will both be in the starting line-up at the Kingfield.
Hargreaves said: “With the ex-players in the Woking side there may be some with a point to prove, and some of our players might have the same against a former manager.
“I get on well with Darren, we have come across each other plenty of times and we have that mutual respect, but come Saturday we both want to win.”
Yeovil Town Head of Player Development Marcus Stewart has announced he has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
The former Glovers’ striker joined the coaching staff in a part-time capacity at Huish Park upon the arrival of manager Chris Hargreaves in the summer and has been on the touchline for a number of matches this season.
Having been diagnosed following a year of testing, the 49-year-old has made it clear he intends to continue his role in football.
In a statement on Thursday, Marcus said: “I would like to take the opportunity to thank those closest to me for their unwavering support since my recent diagnosis.
“As I take the time to adjust, my intention is to continue to enjoy my work in football and spend time with my family.
“In the future, I would like to use my platform within football to help raise awareness around MND, but in the short-term, I would like to ask for privacy on behalf of myself and my family.”
The statement added: “Everyone at Yeovil Town and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) is committed to supporting Marcus and his family in whatever way we can. We know the same will be true of fans of Marcus’ previous clubs and the wider football family.”
Marcus and his wife, Louise, have set up a JustGiving page for people to be able to donate to the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, set up by ex-Bolton Wanderers and Bradford City player Stephen Darby and RAF veteran Chris Rimmer who both live with the condition.
The Foundation aims to raise awareness and funding to assist research in to the illness and raise funds to support those with MND.
The Stewart’s fund-raising page is available here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/louise-stewart254
In his playing career, Marcus Stewart spent nearly two years at Yeovil Town scoring 12 times including the memorable strike which forced extra time in the unforgettable League One play-off semi final second leg at Nottingham Forest in 2007.
He played for more than two decades making over 650 appearances for clubs including both Bristol clubs and Exeter City, scoring more than 250 goals.
What is Motor Neurone Disease or MND?
The Motor Neurone Disease Association describes the condition as:
MND is the short term for motor neurone disease, which affects the nerves known as motor neurones. These nerves are found in the brain and spinal cord and they help tell your muscles what to do.
With Motor Neurone Disease, known as MND, messages from the motor neurones gradually stop reaching the muscles.
This leads the muscles to weaken, stiffen and waste, which can affect how you walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. Some people also get changes to their thinking and behaviour, but the disease affects everyone differently.
Not all symptoms will affect everyone, or in the same order. Symptoms also progress at varying speeds, which makes the course of the disease difficult to predict.
MND is life-shortening and there is no cure. Although the disease will progress, symptoms can be managed to help achieve the best possible quality of life.
For more information about MND and the Darby Rimmer Foundation, visit:
Motor Neurone Disease: https://www.mndassociation.org/
Darby Rimmer Foundation: https://darbyrimmermnd.co.uk/
Former Yeovil Town defender and coach Nathan Jones has been speaking to the Best Eleven Podcast, which is a predominently Luton Town based chat with former Luton player Marvin Johnson and presenter Andrew McMellon.
In the chat, the Welshman is asked to put together the best XI he has ever played competivley with as well as chatting about his playing and coaching career.
He lists for former Yeovil Town loanee Ryan Mason in his all time XI claiming he was the “best young players I’ve ever worked with”
The ex-Brighton full backs talks about all the former Glovers loanees who have since had international honours.
“The amount of England internationals that made their debut for Yeovil Town, you would not believe… there was a few more, Steven Caulker made his debut in league football at Yeovil, so did Andros Townsend, so did Ryan Mason – all three went on to play for England – Alex McCarthy made his debut from Reading at Yeovil”
“We (Yeovil) had to go and take players at their youngest, because of the budget, because of the location, we couldn’t go and get experienced players – so we started to have a philosophy – we had to get them early before anyone knew about them”
“We took Luke Ayling, Luke Freeman, Asmir Begovic – all played and made their league debut for Yeovil Town”
Looking back on his time at Huish Park, Jones talks about how establishing the Glovers as a consitent League One side was an incredible achievement.
“We were League One at the time, surviving at League One level – but then we established ourselves in mid table on the lowest budget in the league, but playing young players – and the record they produced, it continues with Tom Lawrence, Shane Duffy, that have gone on to play for their countries too”
Aside from Mason, Jones says that both Chris Cohen and Marcus Stewart narrowly missed out on his all time XI after they crossed paths at Huish Park – Cohen is now embarking on coaching alongside Jones at Luton where he is the Assistant Manager whilst Jones recalls how the Glovers ended up with Stewart as his time at Bristol City was coming to an end.
“We got him by default, he wanted to leave (Bristol City), they paid big money for him and he fell out with Gary Johnson, he was a Bristol boy, wanted to live in Bristol and we were just the next club local”
“We took him on loan and eventually signed him… what a player – I loved playing with him”
There was also a tale about a post-training session fight and how Jones ended up playing cupid for Stewart and his wife – but we will let you listen to the podcast for that!
As current Luton Town boss, the link between Jones and Yeovil remains strong with the loan deal of Josh Neufville last season.
We here at the Gloverscast are fully paid up, card carrying members of the Nathan Jones fan club and we would encourage any YTFC fans to listen to the podcast in full, click HERE to see who makes his best XI and follow My Best Eleven on Twitter HERE
NEW EPISODE: Nathan Jones (Current @LutonTown manager)
He talks through his playing career and managerial career so far!
Direct: https://t.co/HM2HHWonkc
Apple Podcaster/ iTunes: https://t.co/B8TNvGLlbO
Spotify: https://t.co/5seRJneNz3
Website: https://t.co/jEkS3VsCsJ pic.twitter.com/uaQwgzlscq
— MyBestElevenPod (@mybestelevenpod) July 14, 2021
