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Thurs 29th June 2000
Local Press Review
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Glovers 'one player short' is the worrying headline in this week's
edition of the Western Gazette, with
reporter Steve Cotton suggesting that according to manager Dave Webb,
Yeovil are only one player away from the team that will start the new
Conference season on August 19th. Manfully refraining from pointing out
that Conference football is 11-a-side, not 5-a-side, the Gazette quotes
the manager as saying, "I feel I have got a team which is maybe one
player short of the team I will pick for the first game, and a team that
is a winning team. I will not be going out and signing a dozen players."
Right, pass the revolver and that bottle of scotch, we are clearly doomed.
But wait, what's this?
Why, it's nothing less than Steve 'Smiling' Sowden's Yeovil Express,
with the headline, Webb about to make his move. According to the
normally downbeat Express the Yeovil manager is 'refreshed and raring to go',
and on the verge of signing 'the half-a-dozen or so players he needs'...
This time Webb is quoted as saying, "A number of players will be coming
in for a few days during training so that I can have a look at them and
I will tell them I have got some contracts waiting in the drawer. I'm not
going to reveal any names at the moment but I am talking to a number of
players and I will let you know about them once I've got some definite
news." So there we have it, as clear as mud. With such mixed messages
coming out of Huish Park it's no wonder fans are confused...
The Express reports on forgotten man Murray Fishlock's battle to recover
from the back injury that threatens his career in football, with David Webb
saying, "He (Murray) is still seeing specialists but I have left the door
open to him. If he wants to prove his fitness then he can and I will keep the
door open to him as long as I possibly can because I gave him my word.
He's a lovely lad and I understand he's a decent player as well. The club
has stood by him, but I wouldn't want to do anything which might jeopardise
his health."
This week's edition of the
Clarion 2000 concentrates mainly
on the proposed shake-up in the boadroom at Huish Park, claiming that
'90% of the board have agreed in principle to the proposed restructuring [but]
no final changes had been made yet.' According to the Express last week's
board meeting to discuss the proposals was not attended by all board members as some were away on holiday
or had prior engagements; another meeting of the full board has now
been scheduled for July. Chairman John Fry is again quoted in all papers
as insisting that there is no boardroom split over the proposals, whatever
they actually are - once again none of the papers have any concrete details
about what they actually entail, although the Express suggests that they
will give absolute control of the club to money-men Norman Hayward and
Jon Goddard-Watts. Fry says in the Express, "We need the money in
place now for the football side to allow us to give our full support to
the manager and we also need the finance to improve the Huish Park stadium,
including the building of the roof over the new terrace. We need to make
sure the cash is in place so we can start the season in a comfortable
financial situation rather than starting it without any money."
Finally, the Express reports that the club is looking at ways in which it can
maximise income outside of football and one idea currently being considered
is the possibility of putting a large social club bar for supporters on the
ground floor at Huish Park, helping to alleviate congestion which occurs
in the small first floor bars. Many supporters would argue that such a move
is long overdue - although local pub landlords may disagree!
Back to Top of Page
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John Fry Speaks To Non-League Paper
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Last Sunday's Non-League Paper carried a rare article on Yeovil Town - their first article on The Glovers
since the first edition of the paper - where they interviewed Chairman John Fry about the lack of signings at Huish Park this
summer. Unusually titled Yeovil Back Webb and sub-titled Chairman plans boardroom shake-up,
the author Colin Mafham amusingly describes manager David Webb as "under-fire" and describes the dreaded
"vote of confidence" as being given to Webb by Fry.
Whether the NLP have completely mis-judged the mood at Huish Park, or whether there genuinely are people
calling for Webb's head already away from the internet, it is difficult to say. However, if there is a mood
of unrest amongst supporters, it is purely down to the question of whether Webb has got the money to do a good
job, not whether he is professionally capable of doing it. It would not be the first time the NLP have got their
facts wrong, but the article still makes for interesting reading. Thanks to the typing fingers of Huge Huish
Hugh this is the article, reproduced in full:
Yeovil Town have given under-fire manager Davis Webb a public vote of confidence. And
at the same time chairman John Fry unveiled plans for a boardroom shake-up to give
Webb the backing to help steer the Somerset side into the Football League.
Fry acted to quell unrest among fans at Webb's inactivity in the transfer market and
speculation about the club's willingness to pay the wages needed to fund a full-time
squad.
With Webb on a three-week holiday [which he has since returned from - Ed]
and supporters pointing at rival managers'
signings, the chairman went public to assure his former Chelsea, Torquay and
Brentford boss that he has a future at Huish Park.
"We selected a manager here who will take us up to Third and Second Division
football," Fry insisted. "You have got to have faith in people around you and I have
every confidence in David Webb. He has my 100 per cent support and I am not going to
put him under any pressure."
"We want the best here and our mission is to get this club into Nationwide League
football as soon as possible. We have a budget that is in the top six in the league
and David is being proactive in carrying out the policies of the board. It is unfair
to say that nothing is happening."
"We're not stupid enough to put out a team that can't compete in the Conference, but
we're a business, not a charity. David Webb knows who he wants and is determined that
whoever comes in must be committed to the club."
"Wages have gone up 50 per cent over the past two years and we have been paying
part-time players full-time wages. David knows it is a recipe for disaster to pay
ludicrous money. Now we want players with real ambition."
Fry's pledge came after two players from nearby Dr Martens Premier Dorchester Town
turned down a move to Yeovil claiming the pay wasn't good enough. Midfielder Martyn
Sullivan signed for Conference rivals Forest Green and striker Danny O'Hagan opted to
stay in Dorset because he couldn't afford to move to Huish Park.
The chairman also urged fans to speak to him rather than moan behind the manager's
back. "I'm here seven days a week and my door is always open," he promised. "I won't
duck any questions - we're a club that listens to its supporters."
Then he revealed plans for a new board structure aimed at reinforcing the drive
towards the Football League next season. "As a board we realise a football club is no
different from any other form of business - it must be run in a professional way. For
that reason I have asked the directors for their views on a new structure."
The board will make a decision on the way forward "to give the club its best chance
of achieving Football League status" within the next month said Fry.
Back to Top of Page
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Thurs 22nd June 2000
Local Press Review
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This week's editions of the local press have little solid news to carry, but
all offer hints that big changes could be on the way at boadroom level at
Huish Park.
Fat Harry in the Clarion 2000
gets the ball rolling by suggesting that existing board members will be
asked to stand down and apply for re-election, though as the Rotund Harold
himself admits, quite how this possible move could offer the so-called 'investment
group' more security was not quite clear and at the time of going to press no
firm indications for or against this proposal could be obtained by the paper.
Meanwhile, the Western Gazette reverts
back to its usual cautious self after last week's outbreak of skepticism by
putting the news of any possible boadroom changes, including a quote from John Fry
claiming that this will be "the biggest change in Yeovil Town's
history" into a small paragraph of it's own away from the paper's main
story, which claims that Rushden & Diamonds interest in Yeovil striker
Warren Patmore is now at an end following the Northamptonshire club's smashing the
Conference transfer record with their £180,000 buy of Justin Jackson from
Morecambe.
Ex-West Bromwich Albion manager Brian Talbot is quoted as saying,
"We have just signed Justin Jackson and we already have a lot of very good
strikers at the club... ...Patmore is not a player we are looking at at the
moment." Readers may be tempted to judge how credible the ex-West Bromwich
Albion manager's words are by examining this next quote from Mr Talbot in
the Gazette: "Yeovil are a very good side, no doubt about that... ...They
have a great chance of mounting a challenge... ...they will be among the
favourites in my book." Say no more, Brian!
The Gazette quotes chairman John Fry as saying, "On transfer
deadline day we received a £90,000 bid for Patmore from Rushden. We
could have taken the money and ran - but David Webb wanted to take a look at
the player. We will not be tempted to sell our best players by clubs waving
money under our nose." That will be a first then.... The Gazette reports that manager Dave Webb is due
back from holiday on Monday, with Fry saying, "On his return we will sign up
players and ensure the club have a team capable of competing with the
best." The best in the Conference one hopes, not the Screwfix League...
And so on to the Yeovil Express which has its own take on the
boadroom changes, suggesting that the new structure at the club will give
the major investors, Jon Goddard-Watts and Norman Hayward, virtual complete
control. John Fry is again quoted extensively, saying of the two
wealthy directors, "They have said to me that thay are prepared to back the
plans with money. These are the people who are prepared to invest into this club,
but they want the security. There is no hidden agenda. We want to push on up,
but it is going to take money and money talks."
The Express says that
if the boardroom changes do come about then plans to improve the stadium, including
the roof over the home terrace, should come to fruition. In an intriguing quote
Fry goes on to say, "There will obviously be some directors who will feel
aggrieved about the changes, but there are others who will say that it
is about time what we are doing... ...I'm not stepping down as chairman. The
people who have the majority of the shares have asked me to stay. But I won't
be staying on for another three years unless the plans have been delivered. I've
been chairman for five years and I think we have come a long way in that
time, but football has got to the stage now where you need a large amount of
money to do the job."
In other news from the Express, it's that man again as John Fry urges fans'
to "keep the faith" despite the lack of transfer activity, saying "The message
to the fans is that they shouldn't worry. David Webb knows what he is doing.
Last season Colin Lippiatt went out and got players very early on in the summer,
this time David is taking his time. David is very experienced and he knows
what players he would like to bring in." In this writer's humble opinion it
isn't so much who Mr Webb would like to sign that's the problem, it's whether
he can afford to offer sensible wages. When players of the calibre
of Danny O'Hagan - who, let's face it, has hardly set the world on fire
previously - are turning us down, citing poor wages as the reason why, then
one is entitled to be slightly skeptical. The paper also reports that reserve
team midfielder Leon Hapgood has now left Huish Park after failing to make a first
team impression, joining Screwfix League rivals Taunton Town.
Finally, Express sports editor Steve Sowden offers up an in-depth report on the
Euro 2000 tournament, but anyone expecting eye-witness comments on the games
and atmosphere from Belguim or Holland will be disappointed as the nearest our
hero got to the action was... the Armoury public bar. And they say journalists
have a hard life...
Back to Top of Page
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Thurs 15th June 2000
Local Press Review - The Gazette
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How much are the Western Gazette paying
reporter David Coates these days, I wonder? Not that I really want to know, but
whatever it is, he's earning it! The sports pages of today's paper are dominated
by The Boy Coates, or Action Man as he's otherwise known and that's no bad thing
either as a welcome dose of skepticism returns to the Gazette's pages (although
we will draw a veil over TBC's eforts to play croquet, of all sports).
Targetman snubs poor wage offer is the main back-page headline along
with the totally unsurprising news that Dorchester striker Danny O'Hagan has
turned down Yeovil's offer of full-time football, saying, "The money I was offered
by Yeovil was not enough for me to move up there and survive. I would have
had to live in digs and scrape a living, something I would prefer not to do."
So that's two Dorchester players who have turned offers from Yeovil down this
week now, yet chairman John Fry is still insisting that the future is bright
at Huish Park.
The Gazette quotes Fry as saying, "When we brought in David Webb we worked out
a budget which he thought he could work with - it is in the top six budgets
in this league. When David first came here he told me, 'I know what I am doing.
The fans might get a bit panicky to start with but stick by me and I will build
a succesful club to go into the future.' He did not come here to move the club
backwards. This is his last big footballing adventure - I am confident he will
do the job."
"It is like being in the dentists chair having a tooth out - you feel a
lot of pain to start with but after the pain subsides you feel a lot better.
We could have dived in and spent £100,000 on a player who turned out to be
no better than someone we could have got for next to nothing.
"The list of released players from the PFA has only just come out, and I know
David is already looking at it on the internet from his holiday in Portugal.
He knows the players he wants, and I am sure he will get them. We are not being
left behind by our rivals, in fact we are streets ahead of many of them. When
you look at clubs like Scarborough, who are losing thousands of pounds every
week, our position is one of the soundest in the league."
Phew, that's alright then. The fact that we evidently can't afford to attract
two players from Dorchester - not previously thought of as the highest payers
in west country football - is presumably irrelevant. Although it's hard to square the
chairman's claim that Yeovil
are in the "top six budgets" in the Conference, with the facts that
two Dorchester players have turned us down over low wages, as well as Jamie
Pitman who it's rumoured is receiving more money on a part-time basis at
Woking than he was offered on a full-time basis at Yeovil! The only hope
can be that David Webb has
been keeping his powder dry and saving the club's money until he is in a position
to sign higher quality players from the released list. And obviously those higher
quality players will be prepared to wait until he returns from holiday in a
couple of weeks to sign for us....
It's encouraging to learn that David Webb has internet access on holiday.
Perhaps he will read this and recognise that despite the warm words from his chairman,
fans are now seriously concerned about the direction this football club is going
in. Even the Gazette is now worried, with a long and thoughtful leader article
from Action Man detailing the problems at Huish Park and calling on the board to
back the manager with enough cash to aim for promotion. Judging by today's Gazette,
it's going to be a long hot summer.
Back to Top of Page
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Wed 14th June 2000
Local Press Review - The Clarion
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The disadvantage of publishing a clear 2 days before your competitors is
that occasionally one can miss out on news that comes along later in the
week - expect this week's
Clarion 2000 to be similarly
disadvantaged on Thursday as the
Gazette and Express publish pictures of Yeovil's new kit tomorrow, too late
in the week for the Clarion to run them. However, publishing early also has
its advantages - as Fat Harry shows this week with his exclusive news that
the Yeovil board are to make sweeping changes to allow the investment of
up to £1.5 million in the club.
According to the Clarion the major decisions at the club are at present taken by an
executive committee. Chairman John Fry has now said that he wants the people
providing the investment funds - directors Norman Heywood and John
Goddard-Watts in the main, the so-called 'Investment Group' - to have far
more say in how the money is spent and that it is necessary for fundamental
change at boadroom level to accomplish that before any more money is invested.
The paper doesn't go into detail as to how this change will be managed, nor
what it entails, nor how
the rest of the Yeovil board will react to the changes; but points out that
with rumours of Yeovil's curent wage structure being simply too low to attract
quality players spreading, the changes envisaged could be "just in time" to
save the situation. Indeed, but sometimes the devil is in the detail...
In other news the Clarion reports that Mr Fry is to meet the designers of
the proposed new home terrace roof next week, and it is hoped that positive
news will be forthcoming then. The paper reveals that the administrative
change from the Football Trust to the new Football Foundation, the body
providing a grant of
£168,000 towards the roof and other projects at Huish Park, has delayed
the arrival of funds, though the actual grant itself is apparently not in
doubt. Added to that the Somerset FA has now approved the club's new
Centre Of Excellence for funding, and plans are still being made to attract
a big club to Huish Park on Sat 8th August, the 10-year anniversary of the
opening of Huish Park.
Back to Top of Page
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Wed 14th June 2000
Reserves League Expanded, Les Phillips Cup Draw
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Five new sides will compete in the Screwfix Western
League next season - the competition which Yeovil Town
Reserves compete in. The league is being expanded to
include 20 clubs in both divisions, and with
runners-up Mangotsfield being successfully elected to
the Dr Martens Midland and West Division, this means
that no sides will be relegated from the Premier
Division. This allows First Division champions Devizes
Town and runners up Welton Rovers to take the two
vacant slots.
All five new sides will play in the First Division,
and therefore are only likely to trouble the Glovers'
Reserves in cup competitions. They are Cadbury Heath
(Gloucestershire County League), Worle St John
(Somerset Senior League), Team Bath (the University of
Bath side for which Paul Tisdale is their Head Coach,
and Ellis Wilmot plays regularly for), Bath City
Reserves and finally Hallen (Hellenic Football
League).
Hallen's acceptance is conditional on some ground
improvements being carried out by the end of the
month.
The Screwfix League 2000-2001 Season starts on 12th
August 2000 - one week earlier than the Nationwide
Conference.
Meanwhile, the Preliminary and First Round draws
for the Les Phillips Cup have been announced. Yeovil
Town Reserves won the competition thirteen months ago,
but went out to Backwell United in the first round
last season.
The Glovers have received a bye in the Preliminary
Round (due to be played on 4th November 2000) and join
the competition four weeks later with a home tie
against Pewsey Vale. Their opponents finished 14th in
Division One last season, meaning that Yeovil should
be favourites for the tie.
There is no exception from the Preliminary Round
meaning that cup holders and FA Vase finalists
Chippenham Town plus League Champions Taunton Town
have to battle it out through an extra tie whilst
three of the five newly elected sides receive
automatic routes through to the First Round!
The full First Round draw, to be played on December
2nd, is as follows:
Barnstaple v Welton Rovers
Bideford v Chard Town
Bishop Sutton v Dawlish Town
Bridgwater Town/Calne Town v Minehead Town
Brislington v Bridport
Corsham Town v Melksham Town
Devizes Town/Frome Town v Bristol Manor Farm
Elmore v Odd Down/Taunton Town
Hallen v Chippenham Town/Warminster Town
IlfracombeTown/Cadbury Heath v Keynsham Town
Larkhall Athletic v Exmouth Town/Bath City Res
Street/Paulton Rovers v Team Bath
Wellington/Bitton v Torrington
Westbury United v Backwell United
Worle St Johns v Clyst Rovers
Yeovil Town Res v Pewsey Vale
Back to Top of Page
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Tues 13th June 2000
Yeovil Miss Out On Sullivan
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Yeovil Town have lost out on the chase to sign
highly-rated Dorchester midfielder Martyn Sullivan.
The 25-year-old former Plymouth Argyle star, who had
been with the Magpies for five years, has signed a
two-year contract with Yeovil's nearest Conference
side Forest Green Rovers.
As well as interest from the Glovers, Rovers boss
Frank Gregan secured Sullivan's signing ahead of
interest from Plymouth Argyle. Both Argyle and Yeovil
had offered him a full-time contract.
David Webb had been reported as asking Sullivan to
wait until after he returned from his holidays to make
his decision, but it appears that the player was
unwilling to risk missing out on the deal on offer at The Lawn.
Back to Top of Page
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Mon 12th June 2000
Piper Signs A Two Year Deal
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Right-back David Piper has signed a new part time
contract with Yeovil Town that will tie him to the
club until the end of the 2002 season.
Sources within the playing camp have told us that the
22 year old signed up around the time that manager
David Webb commenced his holiday, although there has
been no official confirmation of this via the club's
Official Site.
The deal is expected to commit the former Southampton
man to two days a week training with the rest of the
full time squad.
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Sun 11th June 2000
O'Hagan Future Decided Soon
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According to an article in the Dorset Echo
Dorchester striker Danny O'Hagan has now definitely made up his mind to leave
the Avenue Stadium - with either Yeovil or Weymouth as his final destination.
The paper quotes O'Hagan as saying, "The situation with Weymouth is that
I've spoken to Andy Mason (Weymouth manager) a couple of times and I'm due to
have another chat with him and that will probably be tonight. I've also talked
things over with Dave Webb at Yeovil, and from that side I'm just waiting for
him to come back with a finalised offer. But whatever the outcome of these
conversations, things will need to be set into motion fairly quickly and I'd
predict that I'll be in the position to make a decision within the next
couple of days, with money and the prospects of success being the key factors."
O'Hagan became a free agent this summer after budget constraints forced
Dorchester to offer him a new contract under reduced terms, which the striker
rejected. He was the Magpies leading scorer last season and scored a total
of 42 goals in just over 100 games for the Dorset club.
In the meantime BBC Ceefax is reporting that Yeovil have missed out on another
of their transfer targets, with former Plymouth Argyle right-back Jon Ashton
signing a contract with Exeter City, subject to a medical. Yeovil are still to sign
a player on a permanent basis from outside the club since Dave Webb took over,
with strong rumours suggesting that Webb is refusing to offer signing-on fees
to players he is interested in. With signing-on fees now being part and parcel
of post-Bosman Ruling football, Webb's policy clearly puts Yeovil at a
competitive disadvantage, and once again backs up rumours of a substantially
reduced playing budget.
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Fri 9th June 2000
Erection 2000 News
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A reminder that the Erection 2000 Appeal Fund Committee, in conjunction with Westland
Sports & Social Club in Yeovil, are holding a Las Vegas Night tomorrow evening, Saturday 10th June,
with all the money raised going towards the Appeal goal, a roof over the home
terrace at Huish Park.
The Las Vegas Night will be held on Saturday 10th June, from 8pm at Westlands
Sports & Social Club. Tickets are priced at £15 and are still available to purchase.
In keeping with the Las Vegas theme, those wishing to have a bit of a flutter
can have a go on the Roulette and Blackjack tables and have the chance to win
prizes. In addition Tom Jones and Madonna tribute acts will be appearing during
the evening along with Westlands resident DJ who will be on hand throughout
the night for dancing, promotions, prizes and giveaways. And from midnight to
1:00am a full English breakfast will be available for those feeling hungry
after a night's entertainment.
The £15 admission includes tickets for the gaming tables as well as the
full breakfast.
Although recent reports have revealed that GKN Westland Helicopters have
boosted the E2000 Appeal Fund with a £50,000 sponsorship deal, the work
of the Erection 2000 Appeal Fund continues in trying to raise enough money
to make sure the long awaited roof over the home terrace goes ahead.
The event has been organized by Westlands complex manager Ian Woodward and
E2000 Treasurer John Hall. For more details of the Las Vegas Night phone the
Westlands Sports & Social Complex at Westbourne Grove, Yeovil, on 01935 703810;
or John Hall at John Hall Financial Services in Bond Street, Yeovil on 01935
472774; or Steve Sowden at the Yeovil Express, Princes Street. Yeovil on
01935 479811. Tickets are available from all three outlets.
Back to Top of Page
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Local Press Review - The Clarion and The Express
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This week's edition of the Yeovil Express leads with the headline 'Fry
delighted about Shield place for Yeovil next season'; the story concentrating
on the news that Yeovil, along with 7 other Conference clubs, look like being
invited to compete in next season's Auto-Windscreens Shield competition. The
Express quotes chairman John Fry as saying, "It has got to be cleared by the FA,
but it's good news. That competition needs freshening up and this will do it,
but it also gives us another decent competition to look forward to." In other
general news the Express reports that the chairman still "hopes" that the new
roof over the home terrace will go up "sooner rather than later", perhaps to coincide
with a special friendly match yet to be arranged to celebrate the 10th anniversary
of the building of Huish Park, sometime in the 2000-01 season.
Elsewhere in the Express, sports editor Steve Sowden compares the lack of
transfer-market activity at Huish Park with other similarly-ambitious Conference
clubs, citing Doncaster, Rushden, Nuneaton and Boston as examples of clubs actively
recruiting players. Sowden points out that since Dave Webb took over in March, Yeovil have
released Tony Pounder, Matt Hayfield, Kevan Brown, Steve Stott, Dean Chandler,
Rob Cousins and Jamie Pitman [not to forget Paul Tisdale and Phil
Simpson -ed] with the promise that they would be replaced with better players; yet
with the exception of the promotion into the first team of promising reserve and
youth team players, and the month long loan signing of Barrington Belgrave
from Plymouth, no new faces have yet been forthcoming. Sowden goes on to
complain about the lack of news coming from the club, observing that the club's
telephone hotline hasn't been updated for over a month, that news on the club's
official website has been scarce and that it
has been difficult to contact the club's full-time manager on a day-to-day basis.
It seems however that the chairman is unworried by the many disquieting rumours
flying around Yeovil these days. Talking about David Webb in the Express, Mr Fry says,
"I have got absolute trust in this bloke. He is totally commited and he
knows what he is doing. He looks upon this job as his last great adventure
of trying to get Yeovil Town into the Nationwide League and beyond. It's his
final challenge."
This week's edition of The Clarion
takes a similar line to the Express (or should that be the other way around, seeing as
the Clarion is published first!), with Fat Harry commenting on the lack of new signings,
"With so many places still to
be filled, is this just a tactical move by the club to get the players
desperate and on the cheap or is it that all approaches so far have been
turned down due to the pitifully low wages on offer?" Both the Clarion and
the Express now seem resigned to losing striker Warren Patmore before the start of
the season; the Express saying that 'most supporters' are coming to the
conclusion that is 'only a matter of time before he leaves for pastures new',
and the Clarion saying of Wazza, 'Logic would surely dictate that a
big money move to Rushden must surely figure highly in the minds of the
Yeovil hierarchy.' Although now that Rushden have signed Justin
Jackson from Morecambe for a reported £180,000, perhaps their interest
in the Yeovil forward will have abated somewhat?
Despite all the speculation surrounding him, plans for Wazza's testimonial
are proceeding with The Clarion reporting that a Golf Day at Yeovil Golf Club
is being looked at, featuring teams of local golfers supplemented with
past and present Yeovil Town players; a dinner and dance and a Race Night, along
with the main event, a friendly against a big name club. West Ham, Middlesboro,
Blackburn and Birmingham City are amongst the teams being mentioned as possible
opponents, though a final decision on a date and opponents has yet to be made.
It's not all gloom and doom in the freebies this week however. The Clarion
cheers us up by saying that another youngster from the Tottenham Youth team,
Stuart Thurgood, is reportedly entering into talks with the club (Glen Poole
came to Huish Park via the same route) and, best of all, Fat Harry has at last
finished his epic Season Review.... There is a God.
Back to Top of Page
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Thurs 8th June 2000
"Psycho" Takes Over At Shaftesbury!
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Former Yeovil Town defender Neil Coates was
yesterday appointed as player manager of Dorset
Combination side Shaftesbury.
The 32 year old left Dorchester Town last month
after clocking up over 500 appearances for the Magpies
and says in the Dorset Echo, "It's fantastic
news and I'm really looking forward to the challenge.
I said all along that I wanted to try my hand at
management and this gives me the ideal opportunity.
I'm a little bit nervous about the prospect, but I've
played for some great managers in my time and I'm sure
that if I ever needed their help or advice, I'd only
have to pick up the phone."
Dorchester are still planning to honour Coates'
testimonial committments which will include a
forthcoming testimonian match against League
opposition. The Yeovil player, who will be remembered
for the goal that knocked Hereford United - then a
Football League side - out of the FA Cup in 1992 adds,
"Whatever happens, I'm going to enjoy myself and
I'll certainly be giving the job everything I've got.
It's a good set-up, run by good people, and I'm
convinced that we can be very successful."
The Gillingham based player's testimonial benefits
continue this Sunday at the Victoria Hotel,
Dorchester, on June 11, at 6pm with an auction of
football memorabilia. More than fifty items are up for
grabs, including shirts signed by David Beckham, Inter
Milan, Chelsea, Liverpool and England. Advance reserve
prices can be made via the internet on the Dorchester
Town Web Site, by going to their special auction page
here.
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Local Press Review - The Gazette
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Today's Western Gazette leads on the
possibility of Dorchester Town's out-of-contract striker Danny O'Hagan signing
for Yeovil (see news story below) alongside teammate Martyn Sullivan, though
the paper claims that Sullivan is more likely to join Forest Green Rovers as
he is unwilling to move into full-time football. The Gazette says that O'Hagan
has been in talks with assistant boss Steve Thompson and that Yeovil is the
striker's preferred choice of club. He is quoted as saying, "I want to make sure
that what I get is enough for me to leave my job in Plymouth because I do not
want to move up there and struggle to make ends meet." The striker has also been
offered a part-time contract by Weymouth.
The Gazette also reports on the proposals reported below concerning allowing 8
Conference clubs into next season's Auto-Windscreens Shield, plus the possibility
of increased promotion/relegation places between the Conference and Division
Three.
John Fry's back from holiday! And with his return comes a new initiative!
Except it's not new at all... On the 29th of July 1999, Mr Fry announced the
formation of the Official Yeovil Town Supporters Association, a body
intended to draw all the various supporters associations together, plus other groups using
Huish Park on a regular basis, such as the Green and White Supporters Club (G&WSC),
the Yeovil Town Independent Supporters Association (YTISA), hockey clubs,
womens clubs and disabled groups. Such was the plan at the time at any rate,
in the event it seemed to be quietly dropped and no more was heard about... Until now.
In today's Gazette the chairman has announced the formation of a similar
body, except that this time around it is to be known as the Yeovil Town
Official Supporters Club. Fry is quoted as saying: "All the official groups
within the club will be represented within the group that will incorporate the
Green and White Supporters Club and the sports clubs who use the facilities at
Huish Park. The group will control any matters that concern supporters of the
club, which includes the travel club, the Junior Glovers scheme, the ticketing
for big match games and much more. They will be the official fans' voice."
No mention of the YTISA then in the participating groups this time around,
despite them being the largest of the supporters organisations. It remains to
be seen if this attempt will be any
more succesful than last season's abortive effort to set up a similar group.
Here at Ciderspace we're not holding our breath - nor do we see such a
group retaining any credibility without the participation of the ISA.
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Shail Signs For Harriers
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Yeovil Town have missed out on an opportunity to
re-sign former favourite Mark Shail. According to the
Official
Kidderminster Harriers Web Site, Shail has
favoured a move to the Conference Champions, and
therefore the opportunity to extend his playing career
in the Nationwide League.
Last month, Shail was released from Bristol City and
The Glovers had hoped to lure him back with the
prospect of rejoining the club he left seven years
ago. But Shail also has roots in Worcestershire,
having joined Yeovil from Worcester City in 1991, and
this has doubtless influenced his decision, along with the opportunity to remain
in League football.
The failure to tempt Shail to return to Huish Park leaves David Webb still
waiting to make his first signing. Recent rumours have also
linked Exeter City goalkeeper Jason Matthews -
formerly of Taunton Town and Salisbury City - with the
club, amongst other players. But even though Webb's assistant, Steve Thompson
has reportedly been given authority to complete deals, it seems unlikely that
any such signings will
be made until Webb returns from his three week
holiday, thereby running the risk that Matthews - like
Shail - will find another club who requires his services.
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Tues 6th June 2000
2-Up/2-Down Could Be Coming - But Not Next Season
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An article in Non League On The Net
is claiming that the proposed increase in promotion/relegation places to 2-up/2-down
between the Conference and Division 3 will be accepted by League chairmen - but
that the change will not be made in time for next season, the 2001-2002 season
being the more realistic time-frame. Divison 3 chairmen will be meeting to
discuss the changes later this month.
NLOTN is also claiming that the top seven Conference sides from last season, plus
the winners of the McMillan Trophy and the relegated Division 3 club from last season,
will all receive invitations to enter the Auto Windscreens Shield next season, the midweek
competition for current Division 2 and Division 3 sides, whose final has in the past
been held at Wembley, although a new home will be required for the next few
seasons due to Wembley being rebuilt.
The competition's sponsors plus the FA
are still to approve the scheme according to NLOTN, but if it does go ahead
then the clubs taking part will be: Rushden & Diamonds,
Morecambe, Scarborough, Kingstonian, Dover, Yeovil Town,
Doncaster Rovers (Macmillan winners) and Chester City (relegated), plus the
automatically promoted Kidderminster Harriers.
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Conference Awards : Wazza in Team of the Season
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Yeovil striker Warren Patmore has been picked in this season's Conference
Team of the Season, according to an article on the Kidderminster Harriers
Official Website. The annual awards,
held on the 3rd June, were dominated by the promoted team with Kiddy picking
up the Manager, Player and even Programme of the Season Trophies and supplying
two of the Team of the Season. The awards in full:
Mail on Sunday Manager of the Year:
Jan Molby (Kidderminster Harriers)
Mail on Sunday Player of the Year:
Mike Marsh (Kidderminster Harriers)
Mail on Sunday Goalscorer of the Year:
Justin Jackson (Morecambe)
Mail on Sunday Programme of the Year:
Kidderminster Harriers
Mail on Sunday Team of the Year
Goalkeeper
Adam Sollitt (Kettering Town)
Defence
Tarkan Mustafa (Kingstonian - now Rushden & D)
Adie Smith (Kidderminster Harriers)
Ian Wright (Hereford United)
Paul Underwood (Rushden & D)
Midfield
Mike Marsh (Kidderminster Harriers - now Southport)
Geoff Pitcher (Kingstonian)
Stewart Drummond (Morecambe)
Forwards
Carl Alford (Stevenage Borough - now Doncaster R)
Justin Jackson (Morecambe)
Warren Patmore (Yeovil Town)
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Trig Goes To FGR, More Players Linked With Yeovil
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Rob Cousins - signed for Forest Green Rovers
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Former Yeovil Town midfielder/defender and current England semi-pro
squad member Rob Cousins, controversially released by the Glovers at the
end of the season, has signed for Conference rivals Forest Green Rovers,
according to Forest Green
Online, the official FGR website. Rob had been linked with many different
clubs including Woking and Ryman Premier outfit Slough Town, but in the end
opted to link up with former Glovers team-mate Dave Norton at Forest Green,
the nearest Conference club to his Brislington home.
In other news there is more speculation about players being linked with
Yeovil Town. Rumours surfacing last night suggested that former Plymouth Argyle
youngsters Barrington Belgrave and defender Jon Ashton are on the verge of
signing full-time deals at the club, though this has yet to be confirmed
officially. And according to posts made to the Dorchester Town
Fans Forum, highly
rated Magpies midfielder Martyn Sullivan, now out of contract at the Avenue
Stadium, will be playing in the Conference next season - though it's not yet
clear at which club. The rumour is that Forest Green Rovers have made him an
acceptable contract offer, but that the player is to wait for Yeovil manager
Dave Webb to return from holiday and hold talks before he decides on his future.
Watch this space.....
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Thurs 1st June 2000
Shail and Hewlett in Talks
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According to BBC Ceefax Bristol City duo Matt Hewlett and
Mark Shail are being linked with a move to Yeovil Town. The pair
are out of contract at Ashton Gate and will not be offered new
deals by the club.
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Matt Hewlett : The Bristol born midfielder has reportedly attracted Dave Webb's interest
Photograph © BUP/Chris Selby 2000
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Ceefax add that Bristol born Hewlett has also been tipped for a move to America,
with agents currently recruiting in this country. He is a 24 year old
midfielder recruited through the club's youth team and stands at 6ft 2ins.
Hewlett had a short loan spell with Burnley in 1998 but otherwise
The Robins have been his only club. He has made around 150 first team appearances
for the Second Division side. He has represented England at Youth level, and
was also selected for an England Under 21 party, although missed out on the
final squad.
Central defender Shail is a far more familiar face to most at Huish Park,
and the Ceefax report is strengthened by recent sightings of the Stockholm
born 32 year old in Yeovil town centre.
Shail joined Bristol City from Yeovil Town on March 25th 1993 for an initial
fee of £45,000 after a
highly successful two year spell at Huish Park that saw him capped for England. He
joined The Glovers from Worcester City in a £5,000 deal after being
spotted by the late Brian Hall.
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Mark Shail : Could the Ex-Huish Park favourite be on his way home?
Photograph © BUP/T. Melville 2000
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Following his move to Ashton Gate, Shail was heavily linked to a top flight
move to Coventry City, with a 1.5 million pound transfer fee being touted.
But the transfer broke down, as did Shail's knee, and following a series of
bad injuries, despite once holding the captaincy, he has been unable to break
into the first team for some time.
Shail made around 150 appearances in a City shirt, and surely would have
gone further, had injury not stalled his early career progress. During the past
few seasons, he has been frequently cited as a potential player/coach, and
would provide a much needed morale boost to Glovers supporters who have been
waiting a month for some good news on the playing front.
In other news, Warren Patmore has, as scheduled, held his head to head with
manager David Webb. And Ciderspace understands that the situation is
still 'business as usual'. At this stage it looks likely that the pair will meet
again shortly before pre-season training.
Finally, according to ITV Teletext Saturday August 5th is being set
aside for a major pre-season friendly at Huish Park. No club has been confirmed
as yet, but the match will be used to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Huish
Park. If true, then exactly how they fit in Warren Patmore's testimonial match
as well is anyone's guess. The tenth anniversary match was also touted as a means
to open up the new terrace roof, although hopes for that have long since gone.
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Local Press Review
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There's not a great deal new to talk about in this week's local newspapers. All
three lead on the 'clear-the-air' talks held this week between manager David
Webb and goalkeeper Tony Pennock and all three broadly welcome the news that the
pair have kissed and made up, so to speak. The news that David Piper now seems
likely to sign a new 2-year part-time contract is also welcomed in all three
publications.
The Yeovil Express puts the news of Steve Rutter's call up by Kevin
Keegan (see the May news & gossip page) on its
front page, whilst the Western
Gazette confines itself to using a paragraph on its back page. As far as
any possible new signings are concerned, the Gazette informs us that Webb
has had talks with 80-goal Andover striker Andrew Forbes and former
Plymouth frontman Barrington Belgrave, though the paper doesn't say if these are
new talks, or the talks reported a couple of weeks ago, nor do they report any
outcome to the talks.
Both the Express and The Clarion
speculate that Warren Patmore's days at Huish Park might be numbered, with both
papers suggesting that Rushden & Diamonds could be on the verge of making
another big money bid for the Yeovil striker. The Express goes on to say: "With
only one year still remaining on his (Patmore's) contract it would surely be
logical business sense for Yeovil to sell him at a decent price rather than
let him leave as a free agent at the end of next season."
The Clarion's mammoth review of the season, now beginning to resemble 'War And
Peace' in both length and scope ploughs on into the month of February and recall's
Napolean's retreat from Moscow, erm sorry, I seem to have become confused... David
Webb's first abortive spell at the club as 'Director of Football' I meant to
say. With another 3 months of the season left to chronicle bets are now being
taken as to whether Harry can finish his review of the old season before the new
season starts.
Finally, it's evident that Fat Harry has been doing a spot of overtime,
and for rival paper the Yeovil Express at that, as the following headline from a
letter to the paper praising David Webb will prove: "Webb's made a
professonial (sic) start" it reads. Not that yoo'll find bad speelings
or typpo's on Ciderspace, oh kno....
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Erection 2000 News
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The Erection 2000 Appeal Fund Committee, in conjunction with Westland
Sports & Social Club in Yeovil, are to hold a Las Vegas Night later this month,
with all the money raised going towards the Appeal goal, a roof over the home
terrace at Huish Park.
The Las Vegas Night will be held on Saturday 10th June, from 8pm at Westlands
Sports & Social Club. Tickets are priced at £15.
In keeping with the Las Vegas theme, those wishing to have a bit of a flutter
can have a go on the Roulette and Blackjack tables and have the chance to win
prizes. In addition Tom Jones and Madonna tribute acts will be appearing during
the evening along with Westlands resident DJ who will be on hand throughout
the night for dancing, promotions, prizes and giveaways. And from midnight to
1:00am a full English breakfast will be available for those feeling hungry
after a night's entertainment.
The £15 admission includes tickets for the gaming tables as well as the
full breakfast.
Although recent reports have revealed that GKN Westland Helicopters have
boosted the E2000 Appeal Fund with a £50,000 sponsorship deal, the work
of the Erection 2000 Appeal Fund continues in trying to raise enough money
to make sure the long awaited roof over the home terrace goes ahead.
The event has been organized by Westlands complex manager Ian Woodward and
E2000 Treasurer John Hall. For more details of the Las Vegas Night phone the
Westlands Sports & Social Complex at Westbourne Grove, Yeovil, on 01935 703810;
or John Hall at John Hall Financial Services in Bond Street, Yeovil on 01935
472774; or Steve Sowden at the Yeovil Express, Princes Street. Yeovil on
01935 479811. Tickets should be available from all three outlets by tomorrow
(Friday 2nd June).
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