Reuben Reid

Reuben Reid scores
Pic: Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town’s pre-season campaign comes to a conclusion with a game against Weston Super Mare. A match dubbed “El Ruebenico” by absolutley no-one other than Gloverscast Ben as Reuben Reid makes his first appearance against the Glovers since leaving at the end of last season.

The Glovers’ will head to the seaside with a near full strength side to choose from and not one, but TWO new signings to get some all important minutes into.

Central defender Ben Richards-Everton and young loanee Sam Pearson are in the mix, as is Matt Worthington – he was sent off in the pre-season game against Exeter and YTFC.net is reporting that he has served his sole one-match ban.

The game kicks off at 3pm

Team News

Weston have added Max Harris in on loan from Cheltenham, the goalkeeper will spent his second spell on loan.

Their most recent friendly saw them fall 2-1 at Slimbridge, a match in which a certain Reuben Reid hit the post…

Their squad is largely based of players with plenty of local experience at the likes of Plymouth Argyle, Exeter and Bristol City, they are lead by former Bournemouth and Forest Green Rovers coach Scott Bartlett.

From the manager

Here’s a strange one – I couldn’t find anything at all, from anyone at WSM about the game… so…. urm…. let’s pretend he said it would be good for the side to test themselves against National League opposition and that he’s sure Reuben Reid will be desperate to play well in the game, but only for himself and his new side rather than anything else…

That do? Why not.

Tickets

Gates will open on the day at 1:30pm. Tickets will be available to purchase on the turnstiles.

Ticket prices:

Adult – £9.00
Concession – £6.00
Under 16 – £2.50
Family (2x Adult & up to 2x U16) – £17.00
Under 8 – FREE

To purchase your tickets, click HERE.

Match Day Programme

Match Day Programmes will be available on the day – costing just £1 and can also be purchased online HERE

Directions

Weston super Mare AFC
The Optima Stadium
Winterstoke Road
Weston-super-Mare
Somerset
BS24 9AA

By Car:
Leave the M5 at Junction 21 and take the A370 towards Weston town centre. Continue across three roundabouts and at the 4th (where there is a McDonalds) turn left into Winterstoke Road. Go straight across the mini roundabout, over a railway bridge and you will see the ground on your right hand side. There is a fair sized car park at the stadium.

Please note:
CAR PARK:

Our supporters’ car park charges £2.00 to park on a match day.

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept card payment for this. Please ensure you have £2.00 available to pay on arrival.

By Train:
Weston-super-Mare Railway Station is situated around a mile and a half away from the stadium, which is a 25-30 minute walk away.

As you come out of the station entrance turn right and then follow the station approach road around to the left. At the bottom of this road you will reach a T-junction where you turn left. You will then reach another T-junction with the A370 dual carriageway, where you turn right. Continue along the A370 passing by two roundabouts and an Asda store on your left. At the third roundabout that you reach (with a McDonalds outlet on one side) take the third exit onto Winterstoke Road (signposted Weston Industrial Estate). The stadium is further down this road on the right.

 


We will do our best to bring you team news, goal updates and any post-match analysis here at the Gloverscast – if you’re going to the game and have any thoughts, opinions or whatnot, reach out to us on Twitter @gloverscast or via email gloverscast@gmail.com

Reuben Reid opens the scoring in the 2-0 win over Southend. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Former Yeovil Town striker Reuben Reid has joined Southern League side Weston-Super-Mare ahead of the 2022/23 season.

Reid was released from the Glovers at the end of last season after 18-months back at Huish Park.

In total, he scored six league goals in 50 league appearances during his second spell at the club, he won’t have long before he faces his former club, Yeovil are scheduled for a trip to Weston-Super-Mare on July 30th in a pre-season friendly.

The 33-year old told the WSM website;

“Approaching the biggest crossroads in my life certainly from a career perspective of the last 18 years, everything about this decision and opportunity has just felt ‘right’.

“I’m grateful and humbled by the manager’s pursuit, approach and eventual opportunity he has given me for myself and family.

“At this stage in my career, I want to be a part of something exciting and progressive. After speaking to and confiding with a solid friend of mine in Scott Laird, I realised that this is exactly what I need.”

All the best at Weston, Reuben!

 

Reuben Reid opens the scoring in the 2-0 win over Southend. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town goal-scorer Reuben Reid has said there was a tinge of disappointment not to get caretaker boss Charlie Lee a win in his first game.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins, the striker said that there was plenty of positives to come out of the 2-2 draw at Barnet, but he felt it was another ‘what if?’ story for the Glovers.

He said: “We were good in parts, from minute one to ten, we looked red hot, with Knowlesy who is in a run of form – he’s in a good moment – I thought then we would be runaway winners, it wasn’t to be.

“We then went to looking like a group of players who hadn’t played together or trained together, we didn’t stick to what our principals were in the formation we were playing,

“It wasn’t so much Barnet being good, it more us being maybe not on it'”

Tom Knowles’ ninth minute opener set the Glovers on their way, only for the hosts fought back to retake the lead, before Reid grabbed a late equaliser with his second goal in as many matches.

There were chances for both side to win the game, most notably a header from on loan defender Ben Barclay, but Reid felt the second half was as patchy as the first.

He added: “We came into the second half and for blocks of the game, it looked like we had cracked it and we looked like a good team.

“We’ve had chances, I’m just disappointed for Charlie Lee really, it was a great opportunity to get him up and running as a manager, I think we didn’t really capitalise on the opportunity”

“It’s not all doom and gloom, we came on strong… as the game started it was a strikers game, thinking ‘fill your boots’, … as I said at the start, it shows how frustrating it is, it shows what could have been, but also it shows what it is.”

“Everyone is in there, head in their hands, like I say disappointed for Charlie Lee, it would have been nice to get the win”

Reid stated that the standards would remain high between now and the end of the season, despite the mid-table position.

He said: “I don’t think you become a professional player without having your own standards within you, our old manager has gone, you don’t down tools.

“I know people are saying, we can’t get the play offs and we can’t get relegated, but that’s irrelevant, as a player you’ve got a duty to come in and perform in training, and there’s certain characters in the group, that won’t allow you to come in (and down tools) because certain people will be onto you.”

On loan defender Ben Barclay‘s stay at Huish Park until the end of the season is expected to be completed today (Friday).

The Stockport County centre half is due to conclude his second month’s stay after tomorrow’s home match with Southend United.

Ben Barclay. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Speaking to the Gloverscast’s Ben Barrett ahead of the fixture, Yeovil boss Darren Sarll confirmed the 25-year-old “should get authorised today.”

He added: “Ben should be staying until the end of the season. The class of Stockport has been unrivalled, their sporting director, Simon Wilson, has been unbelievable for us.

We are very grateful to Stockport, both Dave Challinor and Simon, that we can keep Ben until the end of the season.

A few hours after Sarll said his at his pre-match press conference on Friday, the club confirmed Barclay’s loan had been extended – see here. However, we’d expect any deal to prevent him from turn out against his parent club when they visit Huish Park on April 23.

The boss also confirmed that Max Hunt, whose absence through injury coincided with the arrival of Barclay, was back in training with the first-team coach but said he does not expect him back until the middle of April.

But, of loanees forward Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and defender Jack Robinson, Sarll said the pair would have to fight for their places in the squad.

Sonny’s last appearance came in the 2-0 defeat to Grimsby Town a fortnight ago whilst Middlesbrough loanee Robinson has not been seen since the loss at Wealdstone at the start of February.

The manager said: “Sonny has to compete and get himself back in. There’s no divine right to play, I’ve probably shown in three years I have left out a lot of bigger players.

“Reuben (Reid) had to fight, Adi (Yussuf) has had to fight, it’s a meritocracy. My duty is to the club and the changing room and I have to give them the best chance to win matches.

“It won’t be the first or last time in Sonny’s career he’s had to fight. I’m not sure there’s another teenager which has made 16 starts in the National League. The contribution he’s had will stand him in stead.

“Jack is in and out with injury with a reoccurrence of a couple of injuries. He should be back on the training pitch next week, but when he’s fit he will have to fight Morgan Williams for that shirt.


Sarll has also defended his decision to bring in loan goalkeeper Ted Cann instead of throwing number two Max Evans in to National League action.

The boss said that if he had not been able to bring in a more experienced keeper following the injury to first choice Grant Smith he would have played the 19-year-old.

Max Evans

He said: “My duty is to the club and the dressing room to get the best available, if I didn’t think there was anything out there that was better and immediately available, I would have played Max.

He knows his development plan, we’ve outlined that very clearly. He’s learning every week. Goalkeeping is a pressurised position and if you get it wrong at an early stage with a goalkeeper it’s curtains and I didn’t think it was the right time.

Max has a big future, I would love him to be here next year and continue his growth and he will be a very good goalkeeper.

To ask him to play away at Dover and at home to Bromley, who we assumed would have been a physical team, that would have been hard for Max.

I would rather he got good experiences and built slowly than jump to the next bit and had to go back down.


There was praise for striker Reuben Reid after he impressed with his performance in the midweek win over Bromley.

The game was only his third start of the season having suffered a hamstring tear in pre-season and he has got just one goal in his 15 appearances.

Reuben Reid. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Sarll said: “His story is unfair on him, we started pre-season and building around Reuben and Joe (Quigley) being our two forwards, Mark Little in that back four and then between week four and five of pre-season you lose Reuben and Mark.

So we had to change, went through the adaptation process and went to a 4-3-3, we go on a great run and come away with Reuben fit, but playing a system I did not think would suit Reuben.

I have always played Reuben in a front two since he joined. I wanted Adi (Yussuf) against Dover because he’s chaotic and the work he does against defenders, but then at home I wanted to smooth us out.

So you take two destructive players like Jordan (Barnett) and Adi and bring in Reuben and Lawson (D’Ath) and they were great, but that was the quality I expected of him when he signed.”


Josh Neufville went from “rusty” to “breath-taking” in his performances between last weekend’s win at Dover Athletic and Monday morning’s training session, according to Sarll.

The winger arrived for his second loan spell at Huish Park last Friday and played the last 15 minutes in Kent and then got a further 21 minutes on Tuesday night against Bromley.

Sarll said: “He’s a young man who’s had a career-threatening and is still finding his feet. When he was training on Friday and when he came on on Saturday he looked rusty which is inevitable, but he was breath-taking on Monday, so the shackles are coming off.

Everyone was excited to have Josh back and the players who were here last year went through a hell of a time, so the bond that players who were here then is stronger than it is with other players.

So, we were all pleased to see Josh and pleased to know he’d recovered and he was playing again, he did a lot for us last year and we did an awful amount for him.”

Yeovil Town are looking to bring in a new player ahead of tomorrow’s FA Trophy tie against Woking at Huish Park.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Manager Darren Sarll said the squad was “drastically short” this week with defender Morgan Williams going down with COVID-19 and youngster Ollie Haste away with the English Colleges’ FA squad.

However, he did reveal that left-back Jordan Barnett, who has missed the last two games through illness, returned to training this week along with long-term absentees defender Mark Little and midfielder Lawson D’Ath.

Of the planned signing, Sarll said: “We are looking to do a one-month loan for someone this week to help us out because we have been drastically short this week.

“We have only  had 10 or 11 training all week, so we are looking to try and (bring one player in) today (Friday) to help us along.

“At the moment there will be no additions in the near future and we are going to have to make sure we improve our current group.

“But how many players would get in to this group right now? Most people would play second fiddle to who is playing very well because every player is in great form.

“The only ones who aren’t are those who have not played minutes, so we are happy with what we have got.”

Updating on the longer term injury victims in his squad, the manager said:

  • Reuben Reid – is likely to feature against Woking although the boss said how long the striker played would be decided by “a conversation” between the two of them ahead of kick-off.
  • Joe Quigley – the club’s top-scorer is likely to be available from January onwards having been missing with a knee injury since the 1-0 win at Dagenham & Redbridge last month.
  • Jack Robinson – the on-loan Middlesbrough defender is likely to be unavailable until later in January having suffered “some complications” with an ankle injury. The defender is scheduled to return to his parent club on January 10 – so it would appear an extension of his agreement is required if we were to see him again in a Yeovil shirt.
  • Mark Little – the experienced full-back returned to training this week having been missing since picking up an injury in pre-season.
  • Lawson D’Ath – the midfielder who was stretchered off on the final game of last season was also back in training this week.

 

 

Darren Sarll wants to write another chapter in the Yeovil Town‘s FA Cup history books when he takes on his old club Stevenage in front of the television cameras on Saturday.

Sarll and Skiverton
Terry Skiverton, right, alongside Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The Glovers’ boss said he has been looking forward to to facing his old club since the draw was made and admitted he would love to have some Cup memories to share having heard his assistant, club legend Terry Skiverton, talk about his so much!

Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Sarll said: “I want to create history so people stop asking me about the history! Terry has been here and seen all those big games, he still talks about marking (Liverpool striker Emile) Heskey, (Jose) Mourinho coming here with Man United.

“They’re all wonderful memories and the reason he talks about them is because they are good memories for him.

“We would like to create our own and that’s what we are in it for because no-one becomes a millionaire being here, it’s for the memories and attachments you can make for people, supporters and players.”

In team news ahead of the weekend, the manager gave the following updates:

  • Midfielder Tom Knowlesshould be available” for selection if he can pass the latest stage of testing after being wrestling slammed to the ground by Dover Athletic defender Danny Collinge in last weekend’s 1-1 draw.
    The manager said that he had been “going through protocols” with the Huish Park doctor, Chris Minton, and had not trained all week and missed the midweek win at Wrexham.
  • A decision will be made today (Friday) on whether striker Reuben Reid is available for the second round tie saying the former Cheltenham Town and Plymouth Argyle man was “very close” to being available.
    The manager said: “If we can get through today training, we have discussion this afternoon whether he feels he’s in a good enough place to contribute.
    “If he’s not, we will leave it one week, if he is, you will definitely see him on the team-sheet tomorrow.
  • Defender Mark Little was expected to have his first running session on Friday.
    Both  the former Bristol City full-back and Middlesbrough loanee defender Jack Robinson were targeting a return for the Boxing Day match at Torquay United.
    Sarll said: “Hopefully next week we will have him kicking a ball again and then he’s maybe a couple of weeks from joining training.
    “Mark always had Boxing Day in mind to be back in the squad, we hope it’s earlier, and the same for Jack who should be back for that Christmas period.
  • The absence of midfielder Mitch Rose was “not about injury, but about resources.” Sarll added: “I would love for him to be with us tomorrow, he’s a brilliant player, but he’s not available.

 

 

Reuben ReidYeovil Town front man Reuben Reid has been back in training this week as he steps up his recovery from injury.

Darren Sarll confirmed the former West Brom man was back on the training pitch and could edge closer to a return to the match-day squad soon.

“Reuben has trained two or three days this week, which is very good good, it’s the first time since pre-season, the build up to the Weston Super-Mare friendly”

“He was great, it took him almost 30 seconds of a training session to telling someone what he liked and didn’t like, which is true Reuben style, he’ll do another session today (Friday), I think tomorrow (vs Dover) is too soon”

It might not be much longer before the ex-Cheltenham and Forest Green forward is back as Sarll said he was targeting the FA Cup game against Stevenage for a potential return to seeing Reid on the team sheet.

Reid has seven league goals in 46 appearances across two spells so far.

Striker Reuben Reid should be available to return to Yeovil Town action by the end of the month.

The 33-year-old has been missing with a hamstring injury picked up in a pre-season friendly at Weston-super-Mare in July.

Speaking ahead of the FA Cup first round tie at Yate Town, manager Darren Sarll also confirmed that he hoped one of defenders Luke Wilkinson and Morgan Williams would return for the weekend.

Morgan Williams has been back in training this week.

On Reid, he said: “Reuben is ahead of schedule and we should see him by the end of the month which will be a massive addition.

“Then we will just be waiting on (injured full-back) Mark (Little) and it will be nice at some stage this we will have a fully-fit squad.

The manager also revealed he spoke with with a Championship club about bringing an unnamed striker to the club who he described as “another young one.”

He added: “The timing is not right for them and it’s not quite right with us with the shape we are playing.”

Captain Wilkinson trained on Thursday having failed to get fit for last weekend’s goalless draw at Solihull Moors.

Williams has been pictured in training during the weekend and with centre half Max Hunt suspended, the return of one of the two of them has added importance.

Sarll added: “It is really promising with Morgan and Luke and we have been able to give Alex Bradley another week to cement the work he has been doing.

“I feel like October was going to be tough and I feel like we have broken the back of that and we are in the best form we have been in since our first four games of the season.”

The manager revealed that he did look to try to bring in another central defender better than stand-in skipper Josh Staunton but could not find anyone, leading to the signing of Mitch Rose.

But, the boss believes the returning defenders will bring a boost to his side which has picked up a win and a draw in their past two games.

He added: “I feel like we are making progress with this group, we are where we should be but we are playing well and I am excited to see where we can go.

We feel like we are moving and with Morgan and Luke doing more in training, the squad is getting better, and it is amazing how the squad looks different when players like that come back.

“All of those elements and the way we are playing, we have a lot to be positive about and I always think with these young teams they kick on in January.

Sarll said he would be talking with Middlesbrough about trying to keep left-back Jack Robinson for a longer spell when his loan comes to an end in January.

The 20-year-old filled in the centre of defence following the dismissal of Max Hunt at the weekend and has impressed the boss in his time.

He said: “I think Jack is a left-sided centre back in a back three, but I love him at left-back because of his passing ability.

“He does remind me a lot of (Carl) Dickinson even though he is far quicker than he was!

“Jack is loving his time with us and he has become a real important part of our team and he’s someone we will definitely be speaking to Middlesbrough about at the Christmas period.

 

Reuben Reid is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a hamstring tear.

The Glovers’ striker has been missing since picking up the injury in a pre-season friendly at Weston-super-Mare and had been expected to be back in December.

Reuben ReidHowever, manager Darren Sarll said the former Exeter City and Cheltenham Town frontman had been in the dressing room throughout the season bringing an experienced voice for his side’s younger players.

Speaking ahead of the weekend’s trip to Solihull Moors, the boss said: “He is ahead of schedule and we are very positive about him making an earlier comeback that we first thought.

“He is in the dressing room for all of the games and his contribution has been magnificent in all of the games, as has Mark’s (Little) and Luke Wilkinson’s.

“He’ll be a massive player when he comes back and he’s been a joy to work with.

Sarll said he received “a lot of warnings” about the 33-year-old before signing him last January, but described him as “a brilliant guy with a wonderful personality.”

The manager added: “No-one is this division or the one above is as good at keeping the ball as Reuben with his back to goal, so he’s been a big miss for us.

As mentioned after the midweek win over Woking, defender Luke Wilkinson is expected to be involved in the game against fifth-placed Solihull.

The manager also confirmed that defender Alex Bradley, who has not featured since coming on as an 86th minute substitute in the 1-1 draw with Altrincham, trained on Thursday along with Sonny Blu Lo-Everton who was rested for win over Woking.

All three are expected to be involved at the weekend.

Defender Mark Little has been backed by manager Darren Sarll to be return from his injury sooner than the end of the year.

The right-back was the big name signing of the summer following his release by Bristol Rovers and picked up an injury in the pre-season friendly defeat to Forest Green Rovers at the end of July.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

After that, the manager said he did not expect to see the former Bristol City and Bolton Wanderers player until at Christmas at the earliest.

Speaking ahead of the weekend’s trip to Boreham Wood, Sarll said: “Mark has one more consultation with his surgeon which might be today and then hopefully that will determine his progress from now.

“But once he is out of that boot and weight bearing again, he will fly, the man is a consummate professional with incredible standards.

“He is very different to a lot of other senior players I have worked with because he still sees so much in front of him, so much more to achieve.

“You can get senior players that hold on and hold on, but Mark never sees it like that, he is a real driving force.

I think once Mark gets his foot down, he will probably exceed timescales (for his recovery).

The manager suggested that Little’s recovery meant he was not yet back involved with the squad, but spoke about striker Reuben Reid‘s role in supporting the squad and his coaching team.

Reid is also expected to be out until the end of the year after picking up a hamstring injury in pre-season.

Sarll said: “Reuben is one of the most charismatic, influential people that I have worked with and has a huge impact on how people feel and think, even to the coaching staff.

“The first thing Reuben said to me after the game was ‘that is not a weekend ruiner’ and I thought that is a different way of looking at it, so we try and use what we have at our disposal.”

The boss added that the club’s supporters can also play an important role in helping his young squad through the campaign.

The squad has an average age of just 24.3 years, including the likes of injury victims Little, Reid and Luke Wilkinson, whilst their opponents on Saturday have the oldest squad in the division with an average age of 30.2 years.

Sarll said: “It is an important role that supporters play for us because if (the young players in the squad) get a sense of negativity in the ground, that is not going to help us this year.

“They are not Rhys Murphy who would just stick his fingers up and carry on playing, they have not seen that yet, so the role of supporters is huge.

“If I got any of those new, young players in and said what has been your best experience, they would undoubtedly say either Aldershot away or Stockport away.

“Because of the connection with the supporters and the love and affection they felt from that will stay with them, and they will thrive of those moments.”