Morgan Williams

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town defender Morgan Williams has said his focus is entirely on the team’s ambition of getting promoted back to the National League this season.

The 24-year-old, who has kept 14 clean sheets this season as part of the Glovers’ backline, turned down the opportunity to play for England C in their 1-0 defeat against Wales on Tuesday night.

Speaking about the decision on Thursday, he said: “A lot of thought went in to it, but I think it was the right decision. I have got to focus on the target we set at the start of the season and that was to get promoted and that was why I made the decision I did. My family sent me some responses and I am thankful that the fans can see I am trying to do something right for the club. I was in a bit of an awkward situation last year with us getting relegated, and I want to help the club get back to the National League.”

Williams’ pairing alongside Jake Wannell, who arrived in the summer from Taunton Town, has been a major feature in the club’s success this season which sees them sitting seven points clear at the top of National League South.

The centre half described this campaign as his “best by far” having spent his previous campaigns at Huish Park in a variety of positions including left back, right back and even filling in as a defensive midfield player.

On his partnership with Wannell, he said: “He’s a great guy and a great defender and we have worked really hard to get a bond. The staff have really helped with that as well and given us the belief and confidence to keep pushing on and hopefully we will get more clean sheets. He is winning at the moment, but I am hoping I can get a few and help the team out which is the main focus. We have a laugh about it, but the main focus has been winning a game.

“I have not really had that opportunity to concentrate on building a partnership, I have not really played centre half in the three years I have been here. I have been right back, left back or just filled in where I am needed, but it is really good the manager has trusted Wans and I to build that connection and I think we have done quite well so far.”

The partnership between Williams and Wannell has been a key part of success this season. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The Glovers travel to third-placed Braintree Town this weekend to face a side which has not lost in league action since New Year’s Day, looking to pick up a win on the road having picked up three points just once in their last six matches.

Williams said: “Every team we play against gives 110%. We have played Welling twice and they beat us twice and they play 150% higher. You watch them against other teams and they do not play like that. So every team is going to give it their all against us because we are top of the league and the best team in the league, so we just have take it game by game. We have to respect Braintree, they are doing really well, but we have just got to do our best on Saturday.“

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town match winner Morgan Williams has said some half time words of encouragement helped the Glovers grab all three points against Weston Super-Mare.

Williams’ late winner sent the Glovers 13 points clear at the top of the table, but it wasn’t without being tested for large parts of the game.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Ian Randall after the game, the defender said; “I think I needed it, after the start, I didn’t play too well today, but, the result is what matters and we got that.

Today was probably my worst game possible, but credit to the players and the gaffer and all the staff, they all backed me at half time and just said ‘you’re better than that, you know that’ and they just gave me the confidence to go believe and Toddy even said it to me, he said ‘you can go and redeem yourself by getting a goal’ and that’s what I did”

Morgan Williams celebrates his 83rd minute winner against Weston-super-Mare.

The corner that saw the winner scored came from Sonny Blu Lo Everton, one of many players who had been creative, without being ruthless, but a moment of quality was all it took

“It’s a beautiful ball, we’ve got players with that quality, and we’ve just got to get on the end of it, obviously Jake Wannell has got on the end of a few lately, so it’s my turn to try and catch up with him”

“It’s not always going to be pretty, teams come back and have a game plan to sit back against us and it’s hard to break them down, but we’re finding a way to win and that’s the most important thing, 

We had a few chances and we knew we should have taken them, we did it in the end and we’re really happy with that.”

Morgan Williams celebrates with the travelling fans at the end of the match against Worthing away.

The win, combined with Worthing slipping up 4-1 at lowly Welling means that the Glovers are now 13 points clear at the top of the NLS, with a game in hand… (if Truro ever get round to sorting a date out), the news trickled through to the group at full time.

“Absolutely buzzing, but the changing room was just saying we have got to focus on ourselves and just keep winning games… we’ve just got to focus on Chelmsford now, try and beat them on Saturday and keep going.

We’ve got a real tight group, the staff are close with us, we know what we have to do and we just keep churning out games, big games coming up, but we’ve just got to go game by game, we’ll look at Chelmsford and focus on the rest of them after.”

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeoviil Town defender Morgan Williams has signed a contract extension until the end of the 2025/26 season.

Williams saw his contract extended at the end of the 2022/23 season with a one-year addition, but the deal has now been extended for two further years.

The former Coventry City man has had two loan spells with the Glovers before making the deal permanent in at the start of the 2021/22 season.

Williams recently clocked up his 100th game in Green and White and with two more years ahead of him, here’s to many more!

Morgan Williams celebrates with the travelling fans at the end of the match.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Match winner Morgan Williams has said he never doubted his Yeovil Town team-mates had it in them to pick up three points at Worthing this weekend.

The defender headed home the winner seven minutes in to 12 minutes of second half stoppage time to move the Glovers three points clear at the top of the National League South after an 86th minute penalty looked to have snatched a draw from the jaws of victory.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, he said: “It is crazy, it should never be a penalty. I think the referee said (Jake Wannell) hit him with his elbow, it’s not right. But as soon as they scored I looked at Wans and said we’ve got enough in this team to win the game.

“We have said the game is played until the end, 100 minutes today, and we know we have got enough in the team to go and win it. It doesn’t matter if we go 1-0 down or 2-0 down we feel like we can win the game.”

The defender’s goal, his second of the season, triggered #scenes in the away end and he admitted the feeling of scoring was a sweet one – but breaking the hoodoo of playing of non-traditional surfaces (he said it, not us!) was even sweeter.

Yeovil have lost their previous two matches – away at Hemel Hempstead Town and Havant & Waterlooville – when playing on a pitch other than grass.

Morgan said: “It doesn’t get any  better than that. I would have loved a 1-0 and the clean sheet and an easy game, but these games are never going to be easy so I am absolutely delighted to get that goal. It was a great ball in from Jordan Maguire-Drew and we know he’s got that talent.”

“In spells I think we were really good today. It is going to be difficult on this surface because we have lost our last two games on it, so it was about changing that. We don’t want teams to think we cannot play on an astroturf, so it was good to get the win today and the three points – and now teams will be thinking ‘crikey, they can play on both surfaces.’”

The 24-year-old admitted he is enjoying playing in the middle of defence having been used in a number of positions during his time at Huish Park, and enjoying playing alongside Wannell.

He added: “We help each other a complement each other and it is good to get a partnership with any defender. If he makes a mistake, I help him and if I make a mistake, I help him. I am really enjoying playing in the middle of defence I think it is three years since I have played there.”

With second-placed Taunton Town and third-placed Bath City both losing on Saturday, Morgan admitted the win was important, but said his focus was on the next game – the small matter of a visit from the seagull bothering old enemy (W*ymouth, if you were wondering) to Huish Park on Tuesday night.

He said: “It is massive, but we just have to keep winning games and taking it game by game. We just have to focus on Tuesday night which is a big one and get three points there. Those (derby) games are always massive and the atmosphere is always incredible and we just have to focus on that and get three points.”

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Player interviews

Yeovil Town defender Morgan Williams has said that the Glovers have put the Monday madness behind them and the focus has fully switched to Chelmsford on Saturday.

Speaking to the club’s YouTube channel, the former Glovies player of the year said;

“The gaffer gave us a couple of days off just to forget about Monday and rest and recover our bodies as it was a busy weekend playing on Saturday and Monday, obviously that’s difficult to do.

So we had a couple of days off to rest and recover and get our minds away from Monday, we touched on it a bit in training yesterday (Thursday) and watched a few clips, we know where we went wrong, we didn’t turn up to the game, we were poor for the whole 90 minutes.

We’re all in a good head space at the moment, feeling positive about the Chelmsford game, and we’ve got to take it from there.”

We’re all in a good head space at the moment, feeling positive about the Chelmsford game

The team had a meeting on Thursday to go over the previous weekend’s action, but quickly turned toward preparations for Saturday and a tough game against high flying Chelmsford.

“Thursday morning, we ironed everything out, what we did wrong, where we could have improved and why we didn’t win the game. 

After that, you have that meeting, you forget about it, move on, we’ve got 40-odd games left, we can’t dwell on bad performances, we have to build and build and build.”

Williams was, for a short time in the second half, named as the Glovers’ captain, with no Josh Staunton or Matt Worthington on the pitch, he donned the armband;

“It was just in the moment, Worthy has gone down, I’m next to him and he’d just said, ‘you have the armband’ – that was a nice little privilege to hold that.”

Next to tick off the list for Williams is goals… after coming close on a couple of occasions, he’s desperate to make the score sheet, sooner rather than later.

“Last season, I wasn’t good enough getting in the box and I didn’t get a goal, this year I’ve got a target for what I want to get and hopefully I hit that.”

Looking ahed, he agreed that the game would be tough, but with another big crowd behind them, they can keep Huish Park as the fortress it is becoming.

“No, we know that every team on their day can be a good team, we’ve just got to be at our best and hopefully get the three points. 

We’ve built a fortress here, I think we need to do that, if we can be consistent at home and then try and build on our performances away that’s really going to help us this season, the fans have been class both away and at home.”

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Player interviews

Defender Morgan Williams pulled no punches as he described the performance of himself and his Yeovil Town team-mates as “terrible” after 1-1 draw against Maidstone United at Huish Park on Saturday.

The 23-year-old, who recovered from a dead leg suffered in the midweek win over Truro City to start today, said he was annoyed that they had not been able to replicate what they had practiced in training in the week leading up to the match.

Wiliams came closest to scoring when his header was superbly turned away by Maidstone keeper Lucas Covolan in the first half and it was left to substitute Rhys Murphy to come off the bench to grab a late equaliser to salvage a point.

Speaking with BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, Williams said: “We know that was way below our standards, were terrible today. There were a few spells where we tried to create but, if you can’t win them, don’t lose them. We got the point and we just have to move on now.

“We lacked a lot of quality, we got the ball in to the final third and we know we did not create enough. Our crosses were poor and we just did not have that killer instinct.

“It is annoying because we work all week to create chances and get in good areas to put balls in to the box and we just did not do it. We lacked quality, myself included.”

Some inside Huish Park believed that Williams’ 38th-minute header crossed the line including the man himself, he said: “From my angle I am obviously got to say it was in! But I spoke to the linesman and he said he could not see it from there, so he could not give it. We had enough time to get another goal, but it just did not come today.”

The former Coventry City youngster said his team-mates were having to get used to playing against a mix of part-time and full-time sides in National League South and the different levels of fitness which they each come equipped with.

He added: “One week you are coming against a full-time team and then a part-time team when we should be able to run riot. We are still getting used to it a bit, but sometimes we have to mix it up like today when we went a lot longer. We are just trying to find that balance of when to play and when not to play.“

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town will want to extend their winning streak to three games, as they welcome Maidstone United to Somerset on Saturday.

Following a hard-fought win against Truro City in midweek, the Huish Park faithful will be hoping for a better display of football against one of last seasons other relegated sides from the National League Premier. The Stones, however, are no pushovers sitting two places below Town on goal difference just three games in to the National League South season.

Having won their opening day match over a ten-man Slough Town, they suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat at Bath City last weekend before bouncing back with a 2-1 at Braintree Town on Tuesday night.

In the two previous fixtures this century between the clubs both games have ended as score draws. With the most recent game finishing 2-2 at Huish Park last February when a header from visiting defender Jerome Binnom-Williams saw the Kent side snatch a late point – but, fear not, the giant centre-half was released in the summer!

Yeovil Town News

Manager Mark Cooper believes the “attractive football will come” after complaints from some sections of the fanbase, following Tuesday nights dogged victory over Truro. Speaking on Thursday, he said: “It is the way I feel we can dominate teams with the ball and we had spells the other night..we have a lot of work to do, but we will get better.”

Cooper also claimed that Bristol City loanee Olly Thomas may be contention for the starting XI after his super sub performance against Truro. He said: “Every game there is going to be opportunities for someone to stake a claim in the team and Olly [Thomas] certainly did that.” 

Olly Thomas.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

In terms of the opposition, the former Barrow boss made it clear that everyone at the club “respects who they play against“. He went on to say: “They [Maidstone] have their strengths, like every team, but we have to make sure we stick to what were going to do.”

After sustaining a dead leg in the first half against Truro defender Morgan Williams is a doubt for this game, whilst midfielder Jordan Stevens, who Cooper said was previously targeting this game for a comeback, recently underwent a scan which has pushed his comeback date further back albeit by “days rather than weeks.”

Maidstone United News

The long trip from Kent to Somerset is Maidstone’s third away fixture out of a run of four with their Gallagher Stadium home switched to Huish Park due to building work to restore the matchday control room and a toilet block.

Having gone down to a 3-0 defeat at Jerry Gill’s Bath City in their second match, the Stones bounced back with a 2-1 win at Braintree Town in midweek and captain Gavin Hoyte said he believed the drubbing last weekend helped them get a result in their last outing.

He told Kent Online: “It’s a funny thing to say, but it can be a good thing for the team to lose because it brings you back to reality. Sometimes, without meaning to do it, players do get a bit ahead of themselves.” With these words in mind, let’s hope for more of these ‘good things’ from the visitors on Saturday!

Hoyte, who started his career in the Arsenal academy, said he believes the weekend’s clash with Yeovil will be a “good test” for his team-mates.

He said: “They’ve come down, like us, and they’ve got to adapt to the league. I don’t know if they’ve been at this level before [We have, Gav, albeit not for quite a while}.

“I’m not sure how many players they’ve kept from last season but they will be a strong side and they always have been. You do look out for these games a little bit but you put it to the back of your mind because it’s just another game.

“Playing early in the season, there’s perhaps not the same pressure as there might be later on, depending on where we are in the table. It could ease the pressure playing at this stage but that goes for both teams.

“Everyone will still be looking at this game, where we’ve both come down, and saying, ‘Wow, Maidstone are doing well’ or ‘Yeovil are looking strong’.”

Talking to Stones TV after their midweek win at Braintree, manager and former Wolves defender George Elokobi spoke about making sure his players were ready for a tough trip to Somerset. He said: “It’s all about the recovery process now, ensuring that our players will be ready for Yeovil.” The former Premier League defender continued: “We have to show respect to our next opponent [Yeovil Town]… it’s a tough place to go and we have to be resilient and stay organised.”

Elokobi has brought in seven new signings over the summer including striker Ogo Obi, once dubbed “the Nigerian Messi” by a (perhaps over-excited) journalist during his time in Watford’s academy, although he did have a trial with Manchester United having been prolific at youth level for the Hornets. In more recent years, he’s been prolific in the lower reaches of non-League football with spells at Hemel Hempstead, Hanwell Town and Hayes & Yeading.

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Player interviews

Yeovil Town defender Morgan Williams has urged supporters not to panic after an opening day defeat to Hemel Hempstead Town.

Speaking to YTFC’s YouTube channel the central defender said: “Its obviously not nice to start with a loss, we didn’t think it would be like that, but we’ve got 45 games (to go).  We spoke about it, we’ve got 45 games left, there’s no need to panic or anything like that. I thought we played well in some spells, we know we are way better than that and we’ve shown that in pre-season, we just need to show that next Saturday.”

Following the error between Zac Bell and goalkeeper Will Buse that led to the only goal of the game, Williams isn’t concerned and backs his team mates to come good.

“We know that they’re good enough, it’s just an error, everyone makes errors, we’re all human. Busey and Belly have been top the whole of pre-season and we know that they’ll save us this season with a lot of chances and stuff, you rub it off and we go again.”

Morgan Williams. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The defeat means that Yeovil haven’t won on the opening day since 2016, but Williams is sure things will get going sooner rather than later.

“We’re all good enough, we can’t make excuses this year, we’re going to go to places all over the (south of) the country and it’s going to be bad places, bad grounds, whatever, but we have to adapt to that and play how we want to play and we should get results.”

Plenty of praise for the Glovers fans, who may well have outnumbered the home supporters in a number just topping 1200.

“It’s very disappointing to let them down, we knew how many were coming and we apologise for letting them down, but we know we can put it right and hopefully they’ll all be down there on Saturday.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town striker Jake Hyde has played down concerns that an injury had kept him out of the club’s past three pre-season friendly matches.

The 33-year-old, who signed following his release by Wrexham in the summer, missed the wins against Tiverton Town, Dorchester Town and AFC Totton with a reported back injury, but has said his absence was down to “management” of his body more than an injury.

He was speaking after scoring his third goal in as many pre-season matches bagging the second in a 2-0 home win over League Two side Newport County on Tuesday night.

Asked about his absence, Hyde said: “I am building up to be fit. I am just maintaining little things, so I am just sort of coming through that now and feeling stronger every day. It is more about management than an injury, so I am feeling good and getting better every day.”

The frontman found the net after 74 minutes against Newport, having lifted a penalty kick over the crossbar nine minutes earlier, but said he would not let the miss knock his confidence.

Hyde said: “I have taken a lot of penalties down the years and I have scored more than I have missed, so you just have to get on with the game as best you can. Things like that won’t bother me, as long as when the next one comes along you put it in the back of the net.”

Another player who played down any injury concerns about his fitness was the other goalscorer on Tuesday night, defender Morgan Williams, who picked up an ankle injury in the first pre-season friendly at Buckland United.

That ruled him out of the matches at Wimborne Town and Tiverton Town, but he returned as a second half substitute in the 5-0 win at Dorchester Town and played the full 90 minutes against Newport.

Speaking after the match at Huish Park, he said: “It was only precautionary which meant I was out for a week or so to make sure I could get back fit, but I am feeling really good and really happy.”

He added that the team is now looking forward to the start of the National League South season which gets underway next weekend following the final friendly fixture of pre-season at Plymouth Parkway this Saturday.

Williams added: “We are looking sharp, all the boys are looking and we are ready to go. You can see the new ground with the new seats (in the dug out area) looking really nice, so we are looking forward to being back for home games during the (National League South) season.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Player interviews
Morgan Williams. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town defender and two time Glovie award winner Morgan Williams spoke exclusively to the Gloverscast following the conclusion of the 2021/22 season.

After bowing out on the final day with a win and a clean sheet, he said he was delighted for interim-caretaker-player-manager Josh Staunton and the group as a whole.

“We’ve always wanted to come out and perform for the fans, they’ve travelled for four or five hours and it was beautiful to finish off with (a win) today“

The Glovers had a makeshift back line with young ‘keeper Max Evans making his debut, and keeping a clean sheet.

“It was lovely, today was all about putting the effort it, and for Evans it was massive for him… it’s his league debut, it was massive for him to keep a clean sheet and the back four was solid”

There was more praise for Staunton two who helped galvanise a patched up side to get the win.

“We’ve all respected him and he respected us, and he gave us the confidence and believe that Chazza (Charlie Lee) did before… Staunts has been class all season on and off the pitch”

As for Williams himself, he can look forward to next season with a full campaign under his belt in a season he calls ‘fantastic‘ from a personal point of view.

Morgan Williams. ? Mike Kunz.

We asked him about being told he was at left back for the win over Wrexham away and he had a message for the fans after picking up not one, but two end of season Glovies, but you’ll have to tune into Friday’s edition of the Gloverscast to hear the full conversation.

You can find the Gloverscast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your audio on demand.