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4 July 2009 : Gally Joins Glovers For Training Next Week

One of this summer's longest running rumours appears to have some legs to it. Former winger/striker Kevin Gall will return to the club next week to train with the first team squad, presumably as a trialist, although the club do not explicitly state this.

Rumours that Gally was on his way back to Huish Park have persisted on and off since our April 9th story and when the Welshman severed his contract at former club Carlisle United just before the end of last season, the Cumbrian press seemed convinced that he would be heading back to Somerset.

At present there is no contract on offer for Gally. The former Bristol Rovers player was at Huish Park for today's testimonial match, and will now stay in the West Country for the next week at the very least.

4 July 2009 : Glovers Suffer Friday Night Trip To Tranmere

Yeovil Town's away match against Tranmere Rovers has been switched to a Friday night. The game will now be played on Friday 15th January 2010, with a 7.45p.m. kick-off. Tranmere often switch their matches to Friday nights to avoid clashes with major Liverpool and Everton matches on the Saturday.

Tranmere have indicated that they actually wanted to switch more games to Friday nights this season, but that most visiting clubs refused to agree to the change of kick-off time. Tranmere Chief Executive Mick Horton explained:

"Unusually there were very few clashes with major Liverpool and Everton matches in the fixture list, so Merseyside Police only advised us to move two games. Also, the majority of teams in the division are southern based this season so few clubs are prepared to move voluntarily to a Friday night because of a long distance involved, making it difficult for fans to travel."

Hartlepool United are the only other side to suffer a Friday night switch, with their game moved to March 19th 2010.

4 July 2009 : Skivo Testimonial Ends In Eight Goal Draw

Terry Skiverton's Testimonial Match served up a lively 4-4 draw at Huish Park this afternoon. The match was played between a Yeovil Town 2002-03 Conference XI against a Terry Skiverton Select XI packed full of veterans, other former players and media personnel.

In a game that was played at a more than leisurely pace, with tackles almost banned from the field of play, there was a delayed kick-off of around 15 minutes whilst a number of spectators who were stuck outside the turnstiles were let into the stadium.

Adrian Foster planted home a header midway through the first half, with Kirk Jackson getting one back for the Conference side with a smart turn inside the box seven minutes before the break, as the first half showed the friendliest friendly ever seen at Huish Park.

Andy Lindegaard and Kevin Gall looked to be ensuring that the 'home' side ran away with the match, putting them 3-1 up by the time we'd reached the halfway point of the second period. But goals from Dave Lee, Adrian Foster and a traditional Warren Patmore header turned the game on its head with six minutes remaining.

That set the stage for a bit of last minute comedy. Gary Johnson was on the pitch himself by this time, and he tried to hint to the referee what he should be doing by taking a splendid dive in the box as the minutes ticked down. Eventually the match official got the hint on a second incident and pointed to the spot. Up stepped Terry Skiverton and ... blasted the ball over the bar! Whoops! Thankfully by this point, the match referee had well and truly read the script and ruled that the Select XI keeper had moved off his line.

Johnson pulled rank on his skipper, deciding to take the penalty himself, but thankfully this was a nice piece of bluffing, as he tapped the ball sideways for Skivo to run onto and strike home the 90th minute equaliser. 4-4 and Skivo was able to be quickly substituted for a suitable round of applause. No-one else even dared grab a ninth goal before the final whistle blew.

The afternoon was made complete by the appearance of Darren Way right at the end in Yeovil Town kit - the first time he has been in a Yeovil shirt since his traffic accident last December - unsurprisingly a moment for the crowd to show their appreciation to him, as well as the main man himself.

Final Score: Yeovil Town (2002-03) XI 4 Terry Skiverton Select XI 4.

Scorers: Adrian Foster (0-1, 18 mins), Kirk Jackson (1-1, 38 mins), Andy Lindegaard (2-1, 46 mins), Kevin Gall (3-1, 65 mins), Dave Lee (3-2, 77 mins), Adrian Foster (3-3, 83 mins), Warren Patmore (3-4, 84 mins), Terry Skiverton (4-4, 90 mins).

Yeovil Town 2002-03 XI: Steve Collis, Nick Crittenden, Terry Skiverton, Roy O'Brien, Adam Lockwood, Abdelhalim El-Kholti, Lee Johnson, Gavin Williams, Andy Lindegaard, Kirk Jackson, Kevin Gall, Tom White, Colin Miles, Harry Turner, Darren Way. Manager: Gary Johnson.

Terry Skiverton Select XI: Ben Roberts, Marc Bircham, Nathan Jones, Geoff Twentyman, Mike Duberry, Dave Lee, Mike Milligan, Ben Smith, Warren Patmore, Adrian Foster, Scott Guyett, Paul Thorpe, Danny Young, Tubes, Dean Carroll, Terry Cotton, Muzzy Izzet, Mark Chapman, Andy Wallace. Manager: Colin Lippiatt.

Referee: Adam Bromley. Assistants: Marc Whaley and Adam Hopkins. Fourth Official: Andy Quin.

Attendance: 3,002.

4 July 2009 : Josh Sits Out As Canada Win Opener

Yeovil Town goalkeeper Josh Wagenaar had to settle for a place on the bench yesterday, as Canada beat Jamaica 1-0 in the opening Group match in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Canada chose Greg Sutton as their goalkeeper and he kept a clean sheet as an Ali Gerba 75th minute goal decided the match, played at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles. Canada now move on to Columbus, Ohio, where they will take on El Salvador in their second Group match on Tuesday 7th July.

4 July 2009 : Howe Much, Barry?!?

Peterborough United Director of Football Barry Fry has stuck a £150,000 price tag on striker Rene Howe and claims that an unnamed club has stepped in with a bid for him. The Glovers are known to be taking an interest in the player, along with Lincoln City and Notts County, but realistically it would be a major surprise if any of those clubs were behind the six-figure bid.

Speaking to the Lincolnshire Echo, Fry has made it clear that he expects Lincoln to match the bid that is on the table or accept that they will not get their man:

"I have spoken to Peter Jackson and Steff Wright about Rene and we have thrown a few figures about. But the fact is someone has come in with a £150,000 bid which we have accepted and unless Lincoln can match it then I would say a move there would be unlikely. There are three or four other clubs hovering as well and as time passes I would expect more to show interest. We want to strike a permanent deal rather than a loan and although I would like to do Lincoln a favour, business is business I'm afraid."

Any such price tag on the former Kettering Town player would also make a bid from Yeovil Town highly unlikely. Either Barry is pulling a fast one (which is quite possible) or the Glovers need to move onto other targets.

4 July 2009 : Johnson Looking Forward To Skivo's Big Day

Former Yeovil Town manager Gary Johnson is looking forward to this afternoon's match at Huish Park. The Bristol City boss takes charge of Yeovil Town's 2002-03 Conference Winning XI against a Terry Skiverton Select XI as part of Terry Skiverton's Testimonial Day, and speaking to BBC Somerset, Gary has said that he hopes for a big day for his former captain:

"It's going to be a big day for him. I've got to manage the winning Conference Yeovil team and I'm going to be looking forward to that. Lee Trundle is playing in the opposition as an 'all-star' player along with Dennis Wise, so there's a few star names coming. It will be a great day. He deserves a big crowd, because he's been a great servant to Yeovil, and hopefully they'll fill the stadium."

Johnson left the club in the Autumn of 2005 to head to Ashton Gate, and he admitted that for a few of the players he'd find in his dressing room, it would be an emotional occasion for him:

"It will bring back a lot of memories. There are a few of the lads that I haven't spoken to in a little while, but I know that some of the lads here like Gavin and Lee were keeping in touch with people. I think Lee goes away on holiday every now and again with Kirk Jackson. Kevin Gall will be there and it will be great to see them all back in that changing room. It will also be strange for me to be smiling in there and talking to them nicely! They did the club proud at that time and after 108 years, they got Yeovil into the Football League and that was a big occasion."

Tickets for this afternoon's match are available on the day from the Huish Park Ticket Office. Unfortunately England captain John Terry has had to pull out of the match, but there are still plenty of star names turning up to Huish Park. For expected line-ups and matchday pricing, follow the links below.

Link: Terry Skiverton Testimonial : Matchday Admission Prices.

Link: Terry Skiverton Testimonial : Expected Squad Members.

3 July 2009 : The Other Guy

It sounds odd to admit, but when Terry Skiverton was signed in the summer of 1999, he was the lowest key signing of that close season. On the eve of his Testimonial Match, we revisit that time, and the players who arrived at the same time as him, and consider how they were viewed by Glovers fans at the time.

Find out who signed up in the summer of 1999 at the same time as Skivo and how they fared via the link below.

Link: Yeovil Town Blog : The Other Guy - Terry Skiverton In 1999.

Link: Terry Skiverton Testimonial : Matchday Admission Prices.

Link: Terry Skiverton Testimonial : Expected Squad Members.

3 July 2009 : Ince Back With Dons

Paul Ince has made a return to Milton Keynes Dons tonight as their first team manager. He replaces Roberto Di Matteo who left the club for West Bromwich Albion earlier this week.

Ince, who has signed a two year contract with the League One side, left 12 months ago for Premier League side Blackburn Rovers, but had a fairly torrid time in Lancashire, lasting only until December 16th before being fired 177 days and 17 games into his contract.

He will formally be unveiled at the club on Monday with his new club yet to unveil Ince's backroom staff.

3 July 2009 : Stockport Set Up CVA

League One side Stockport County should move out of administration in 28 days time, according to a statement released today. The Hatters have agreed a CVA with their creditors following a meeting today. Reports suggest that 82% of their creditors voted in favour of the CVA - in excess of the 75% needed for it to be ratified. There is now a 28 day period where objections are able to be raised.

With the CVA now set up, subject to any appeals, Stockport's next step will be to secure a new lease on their Edgeley Park ground. Owners Cheshire Sport have said that today's creditors meeting should open the door for that to happen:

"Cheshire Sport is encouraged that following the creditor meeting that the Melrose consortium is now another step closer to saving the football club and ensuring that Stockport County will continue to play league football at its home ground for the foreseeable future. Hopefully following the meeting the Melrose consortium will be in a position to bring its acquisition of the football club to a successful outcome before the start of the new season. Cheshire Sport and the Melrose consortium are at an advanced stage of negotiation on the terms of a new lease and it is hoped that these negotiations will be concluded early next week. We have met many times with Jim Melrose and Graham Gallagher, who will be taking charge of the football club going forward, and have been very impressed with their knowledge of the sport and their plans for making Stockport County a successful club both on and off the pitch."

Once the Melrose Consortium have obtained a lease for the ground, they should be able to take that and their CVA to the Football League and apply to take over the 'Golden Share' held by the old Stockport County company.

As things stand, given the Hatters served their 10 point penalty against last season's totals, they should start this season on zero points, thus avoiding any sort of meaningful penalty from the Football League for junking the debts of the old company.

3 July 2009 : Terry Skiverton's Testimonial Programme Previewed

Terry Skiverton's Testimonial Programme.

Tomorrow afternoon sees player-manager Terry Skiverton's long-awaited Testimonial Match take place at Huish Park. In a match that kicks off at 3.00p.m. a Terry Skiverton Select XI will be taking on the Yeovil Town 2002-03 Squad that got the Glovers into the Football League.

As a souvenir of the day itself, there will be an 80 Page Programme available to buy. The price of the programme will be just £2.00 and it is packed with articles and photos centring around Skivo himself and the players that will be appearing for both sides on the day.

The programme has been produced by the team behind the Slope and Glory book, with editor Seb White at the helm, but being assisted by a catalogue of Yeovil Town supporters, in particular designer Thomas Freke and Testimonial Committee member Stew Bratherton. This site has contributed articles and photos from the past 10 years, making the programme one that is "by the fans, for the fans" as an appreciation of Skivo's time with the Glovers.

Articles include a summary of the past 10 years, appreciations of Terry Skiverton written by his former managers, his former team-mates, Chairman John Fry, local MP David Laws and representatives of the local media, all creating their own personal angle of the great man himself.

There is an extensive interview with the man himself, an appreciation of some of his key goals, a review of his recent Testimonial Golf Day, supporters memories of key moments in Skivo's career, a quiz corner, plus player profiles of hopefully most of those (barring late surprises) who will be on the field of play on Saturday. There is also a historical review of past testimonial matches involving Yeovil Town.

The two pounds tariff for this programme makes it an easily affordable and hopefully great souvenir of what promises to be a very unique day. The programme will be on sale from the usual Huish Park stockists, so make sure you don't miss out.

2 July 2009 : Interview With Scott Murray

Yeovil Town signed winger Scott Murray yesterday on a 12 month contract to complete their third incoming transfer of the summer. The former Bristol City player caught up with BBC Bristol reporter Richard Hoskin today to chat about his arrival at Huish Park.

The audio recording of the interview is on the BBC Sport website, and we've also provided a full transcript of that interview. Access both via the links below.

Link: BBC Sport Website : Scott Murray Interview : Audio Version.

Link: BBC Bristol Interview With Scott Murray : Full Transcript.

2 July 2009 : Bates Is A Material Mis-stater Of Circumstances (Liar) - Official

Not that it will come as any surprise to those who have even cursorily followed the devious, bullying disingenuousness of Mr. Ken Bates over the years, but today some justice caught up with the 78-year-old tax dodger who has the majority of his business interests registered in the name of his wife, who has taken up citizenship in the tax haven of Monaco along with her husband.

In the civil action for libel brought by a former director of Leeds United, Mr. Melvyn Levi, the judge, Sir Charles Gray, found the case against Bates proven. Bates, he said in his judgement, had "materially mis-stated the circumstances" and also in three separate articles had asserted things that were "not true". In other words Bates is what laymen would term a liar. Sir Charles also stated that he considered the attempt by Bates to blame and smear Mr. Levi was a "convenient strategy" for the Leeds Chairman, with an outcome at the time that was "very satisfactory" for Bates. The judge also found against the counter-claim from Bates that Mr. Levi had attempted to blackmail him, saying that he considered this false allegation "particularly serious".

The sum of £50,000 in damages has been awarded against Bates, along with costs thought likely to reach around one and half million pounds. Bates, who was not in court to hear the judgement, was ordered to make an immediate interim payment of £400,000 towards the legal costs pending final calculations of the total bill.

Bates has been refused leave to appeal, although he could still apply direct to the Court of Appeal at the risk of even larger legal bills should he fail. So far there has been no comment on the result of the case from Bates, though doubtless we are in for plenty of whining and faux outrage at the injustice of it all, and how he's an entirely innocent man who's being unfairly victimised, once he finds his voice.

2 July 2009 : Warne On Trial At Rotherham

Former Yeovil Town striker Paul Warne is on trial with League Two side Rotherham United. The 36 year old left Huish Park late last month and has been recruited in by current boss Mark Robins, who ought to know Warney pretty well - they were strike partners for three years with the Yorkshire side during Warne's original spell with the Millers.

There is no contract on the table yet, but there's little doubt that it would be a popular return for a player who made over 250 appearances for the Yorkshire side between 1999 and 2005.

2 July 2009 : League One Matches On Sky

Television broadcaster Sky Sports have selected three League One matches to be broadcast during the early part of the 2009-10 season. Matches chosen are as follows:

Sat 8th August : Southampton vs Millwall : 12.45p.m.
Sat 5th September : Charlton Athletic vs Brentford : 12.15p.m.
Mon 14th September : Milton Keynes Dons vs Norwich City : 7.45p.m.

Link: Sky Sports Carling Cup Live Matches.

2 July 2009 : Skivo Confirms Howe Interest

Yeovil Town manager Terry Skiverton admits that he has enquired about Peterborough United striker Rene Howe, but stops short of suggesting that a formal offer has been made for the player.

Howe's name came up in the Peterborough press, with additional interest from Lincoln City and Notts County and Terry admitted to BBC Somerset that he did have an interest in the player, but implied that nothing was imminent in terms of transfers:

"I like Rene Howe as a player. He's come up through the right way - the non-league way! He's a good forward but he's not really going to get much of a chance at Peterborough. But with those sort of situations it's hard to get those sort of players out. So there has been interest, but it is only interest and there is nothing set in stone."

1 July 2009 : Murray Will Bring Significant Experience

Yeovil Town manager Terry Skiverton believes that Scott Murray's significant experience will give a boost to his side. Murray officially signed earlier today (see news below) to give Yeovil their third signing of the summer, and speaking to BBC Somerset, Terry believed it was important to have that kind of a player in his team:

"It's just his experience. He's been about and he's been a very good player at Championship level for a long time. For us to secure his services, I must admit I'm very happy. For me, it's a case of a coup for Yeovil Town. I think the location and the area helped us out. He's a great person to have around the changing rooms and he is a very experienced player who I know is going to make a contribution to the team."

The Glovers first team squad is at present still relatively small, and it is inevitable that there will be more signings due before the 2009-10 season kicks off. However, Terry said that Murray was unlikely to be joined by additional signings in the immediate future, although stressed that talks were ongoing with some unnamed players:

"Not so much at the moment, although we've got quite a few irons in the fire. But I'll let you know as they come along. I don't want to shoot myself in the foot, but there are maybe another two or three that are pending."

Terry also confirmed that club captain Terrell Forbes was back in South Somerset after his summer break, despite not having signed a new contract, and the Yeovil boss said he saw that as a positive thing:

"Terrell Forbes has been in today, so that tells you the commitment that Forbsey is willing to put into the squad. As I've said before, things will be getting announced, but until they are all done and dusted and signed off, I can't really say too much at the moment."

Terry revealed that the club had two trialist goalkeepers in training today, one of which is known to be Darren Behcet. He admitted that even if Josh Wagenaar signs a new deal upon his return from Canada that he will be looking to sign a second keeper:

"We've got two goalkeepers who are in training with us today and they're actually out there at the moment. But goalkeeping would be another area that we need to look at. For me, it's just been very difficult with everything that has been going on to get in touch with Josh."

Finally, Terry stressed that there were no issues with transfer-listed midfielder Danny Schofield on the first day of training, welcoming him back, despite the player asking to leave the club, due to a failure to settle in the area:

"Danny Schofield has been training and his attitude has been fantastic and I'm really looking forward to having him back."

1 July 2009 : Behcet On Trial

Yeovil Town have announced that former goalkeeper Darren Behcet is on trial and back training with the club. Behcet was playing with AFC Hornchurch towards the end of last season, although did make a Reserve Team appearance back in February for the Glovers. Since leaving Yeovil 12 months ago he has also played for Bognor Regis Town, Sutton United and Grays Athletic, without really settling down at any of them.

Former Glovers midfielder Paul Terry is also training with the squad, although the way this is phrased suggests that he is just down in Somerset prior to this weekend's Testimonial Match. Paul is currently a free agent after being released by Leyton Orient at the end of last season.

Some very welcome news is that club captain Terrell Forbes was training today at the club, despite being out of contract at the club, giving some hope that he would rather remain in Somerset. The club also refer to transfer-listed midfielder Danny Schofield, suggesting that he "had been the subject of rumours linking him with a move back up North" - certainly the first we've heard of supposed direct interest in the former Huddersfield Town player, who still has a year left on his contract to run.

1 July 2009 : Ladies Friendly

Southampton Saints, who will be playing in the Women's Regional Southern Premier Division next season, a level below Yeovil Town, have announced their first pre-season friendly will be away to the Glovers on Sunday 2nd August. The venue has not been confirmed, though we are presuming Yeovil Town Ladies will be continuing to play at Somerton.

The line-up for the Women's Combination South West Division in 2009-10 has now been confirmed as :

AFC Team Bath; Chesham United; Cullompton Rangers; Forest Green Rovers; Havant & Waterlooville; Newquay; Oxford City; Plymouth Argyle; Reading Royals; Swindon Town; Wincombe; Yeovil Town.

1 July 2009 : Murray Signing Now Official

The signing of former Bristol City winger Scott Murray has now been officially confirmed, with the Scotsman arriving at the club on a one year deal.

Scott is a former Highland League player who started his career with Fraserburgh, before breaking into the top flight with Aston Villa in 1994, with Villa paying a bargain £35,000 for his services. But the main part of his career has been spent at Bristol City who he joined in 1997, having two spells sandwiched by a partial season at Reading. Last season he finished the season on loan at Cheltenham Town before being released by City. Murray will retain connections with City, according to their Official Site, continuing to assist with their Academy.

Scott's spell with Reading that briefly interrupted his 11.5 years at Ashton Gate came between June 2003 and March 2004, with a £650,000 transfer sending him along the M4. But despite playing 34 times for the Royals, he returned again, and ultimately made 427 appearances for the Robins across the two spells, netting 74 times in the league and a further 18 times in other competitions.

He was born in Aberdeen on May 26th 1974 and is therefore 35 years old. He has one Scotland B cap to his name, gained via the substitutes bench in a match against Germany.

A big welcome to Scott and we hope he has a successful year at the club.

NB: The contract length is of slight confusion. The Bristol City official site describe it as a one year contract whilst Yeovil's describe it as a two year deal. We've assumed the club holding the contract understand the situation better for the moment.

Update 17.15: The Yeovil Town Official Site has now changed it to one year.

1 July 2009 : Wagenaar Gains Second International Cap

Yeovil Town goalkeeper Josh Wagenaar kept a clean sheet yesterday as the Canadian National side beat Guatemala 3-0 in a friendly match ahead of their involvement in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. This was Josh's second full international cap and he played 45 minutes before being replaced by Greg Sutton between the sticks as coach Stephen Hart made full use of the friendly to look at his full squad.

Canada scored their goals through Ali Gerba and Patrice Bernier, with Gerba grabbing one in each half in a match played at Oxnard College in Canada.

The Canadian squad will spend today in Oxnard before moving to Los Angeles where they will prepare for their opening CONCACAF tournament match against Jamaica, which takes place on Friday 3rd July.

1 July 2009 : Skivo Explains Testimonial Planning

Glovers boss Terry Skiverton has explained why it took so long before he was able to release the names of those playing in his Testimonial Match this coming Saturday. The 2002-03 Conference Title Winning Side take on a Terry Skiverton Select XI team at Huish Park on July 4th, kick-off 3.00p.m. and the line-ups were made available last Thursday.

Amongst a list of star-studded names, Skivo has managed to secure England captain John Terry, who will also captain his 'Select XI' side and the Yeovil boss explained that getting names of that calibre made for complicated arrangements:

"I understand that a lot of supporters were a bit disappointed we did not release the names quicker, but when you are trying to get hold of the England captain it is very hard."

Whilst a lot of the names were provisionally known many weeks ago, Terry added that he was reluctant to release them in case he ended up having to do a u-turn on many of them:

"What I did not want to say is that this or that player is coming and all of a sudden they all let you down and do not end up playing. When they actually do tell you they are going to come down it makes it much safer for me. It was not just John Terry – there are other people who had to get permission. You have got to wait for them to speak to their managers and everybody we have put on the list has been ticked off."

Tickets are on sale from the Huish Park Ticket Office for Saturday's match, either in person or by calling them on 01935-847888. For admission prices and the list of confirmed players, follow the links below.

Link: Terry Skiverton Testimonial : Matchday Admission Prices.

Link: Terry Skiverton Testimonial : Expected Squad Members.

1 July 2009 : South-West Challenge Cup Day Pricing

Individual match day tickets are now available for this summer's South-West Challenge Cup pre-season tournament. The advance 'group' ticket sales ended yesterday, but in its place are tickets that will cover each single day of the tournament at the Group stages.

Tickets for all Group stage games will be priced at £5.00 and will admit one adult and one child on the day specified on the ticket. In addition, assuming you're willing to jump into your car the second one match finishes, there is no limit on the number of matches that you can see on that day under the same ticket.

For example, on the Monday evening (July 13th), Yeovil Town play Belgian League side RRFC Montegnee at Appledore with the match kicking off at 6.00p.m. With that match likely to finish around 7.45p.m. there is nothing to stop you making the short journey to either Bideford or Barnstaple where the two Devon sides will be hosting Wycombe Wanderers and Blackpool respectively with an 8.00p.m. kick-off. No speeding along the Devon country roads though!

Obviously if you want to see multiple matches on the same day, you'll need to keep hold of your matchday ticket when you pass through the turnstiles of your first match as you'll need it for subsequent admissions at other grounds.

For the full South West Challenge Cup schedule, and to buy advance tickets, follow the links below.

Link: South-West Challenge Cup Full Draw Details.

Link: South West Challenge Cup : Online Ticket Purchase.

1 July 2009 : Pre-Season Training Begins Today

Yeovil Town's First Team have returned for pre-season training this morning as part of the formal preparations for the 2009-10 season. The currently small squad should be augmented today by the arrival of new players and trialists at Huish Park, including defender Stefan Stam and right-back Danny Hutchins, who should formally put pen to paper on their new contracts today.

Last season's squad met up on Monday for a trip to former player Lee Archer's fitness studios in Bristol where they went through VO2 tests - a recognised benchmark for assessing an individual's ability to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental exercise, which reflects the physical fitness of the player.

They will have now been joined by Hutchins and Stam, with the rumourmill suggesting that former Bristol City winger Scott Murray has arrived at Huish Park this morning, although this has yet to be confirmed. Doubtless there will be plenty more on their way. However, we'll have to wait and see if Terrell Forbes is one of them - there has been little mention of the Club Captain in the past couple of weeks, and the acid test will be whether he shows for pre-season training, given that he is now no longer under contract at the club. Goalkeeper Josh Wagenaar is out in Canada on international duty, but has also yet to commit to a new deal.

Over the summer, a catalogue of players have been linked with a move to Huish Park, including Kevin Gall (Carlisle News and Star), Anthony Barry (Liverpool Daily Post), Dan Stratford (Washington Post), Scott Murray (Exeter Express and Echo), Stefan Stam (Sky Sports), Jonathan Obika, Andros Townsend, David Noble, James Wilson (Sunday Independent) and Rene Howe (Peterborough Evening Telegraph). Of those so far, only Stam has been confirmed, but this should be the week where the others begin to be confirmed ... or turn up playing for other clubs. However, boss Terry Skiverton has tended to keep his cards close to his chest throughout the summer, so expect a few surprises along the way.

30 June 2009 : Dons Lose Management Team

League One side Milton Keynes Dons have suffered a blow this evening with the departure of manager Roberto Di Matteo. The former Chelsea star has headed to the Midlands to take up the vacant managerial position at Championship side West Bromwich Albion.

They have also lost assistant manager Eddie Newton and fitness coach Ade Mafe who are joining Di Matteo at the Hawthorns. The Dons have yet to indicate who will assume caretaker control of the club in advance of a permanent appointment at the club.

30 June 2009 : Pinnacle Pull Out Of Saints Takeover

Southampton have suffered a blow today with the news that the Pinnacle Consortium have dropped their plans to buy the club. Pinnacle, who were headed by former player Matt Le Tissier, got cold feet after the Football League refused to allow them the right to appeal against the 10 point deduction incurred when Southampton's parent company went into administration at the end of the 2008-09 season.

In a further blow, a consortium headed by local businessman Marc Jackson has also pulled out, with Jackson citing his inability to get financial backing for his plans. That just leaves the Swiss-based consortium, who have yet to reveal themselves publically, and another overseas consortium, who the Daily Echo believe entered the race late last week.

The two overseas groups need to move fast. Administrator Mark Fry implied that there could be very serious repercussions if a deal is not concluded by the end of this week, with liquidation now a very serious possibility.

That said, Fry may have bought the club more time in the last few days although not without cost. Top scorer David McGoldrick has signed for Nottingham Forest in a deal believed to be worth one million pounds, whilst Andrew Surman is being lined up for a £1.5 million pound move to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

But they still face other problems. Head coach Mark Wotte's contract runs out today, meaning he will by default revert back to his previous role as Academy Director at the club. Coaches Michael Svensson and Dean Gorre are also out of contract meaning that as of tomorrow, they have no senior coaches contracted at the club. With the administrator unlikely to dish out any managerial contracts prior to a takeover being completed, that is likely to disrupt Southampton's pre-season schedule, although with the overall future of the club in doubt, that may be the least of their fans worries.

30 June 2009 : Joyce Teams Up With Slade Again

Former Yeovil Town physio Jim Joyce is back in League One football again - and has teamed up with former Glovers manager Russell Slade at Brighton and Hove Albion.

Joyce left Yeovil just under a year ago for a position at Aldershot Town citing the time he was having to spend away from his family near Southampton as part of his work at Huish Park. He will now move along the South Coast to take up a new position as Head of Physiotherapy at the Withdean Stadium, with a team of medical staff working under him.

The former Saints physio explained to the Aldershot official site his reasons for leaving:

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Aldershot Town. It is a great club with so many good people involved. However the opportunity that has arisen for me is too good to turn down at this stage of my career. I am sad to be leaving but also excited about the new venture. At Brighton I will head a team pf physios whereas at Aldershot you are stretched because you have to cover first team, reserve and to a certain extent youth team too which means that you spread yourself thinly."

Joyce will meet two of his former clubs this coming season, with him having had a lengthy spell at Southampton before he headed to South Somerset.

Slade has so far signed four players this summer, with Stockport County pair Gary Dicker and James Tunnicliffe and MK Dons winger Mark Wright being joined by Welsh international defender Andrew Crofts from Gillingham.

30 June 2009 : Peltier Sold By Terriers Ambition

Outgoing right-back Lee Peltier has given his first thoughts upon leaving Yeovil Town for the Galpharm Stadium. Lee has joined Huddersfield Town as part of a three year contract leaving the Glovers for an undisclosed fee.

Peltier's departure came as little surprise, with various club personnel making a series of "will not stand in his way" comments to the media, suggesting that there was a lot of effort behind the scenes to try and bring in a transfer fee for a player with one year left on his contract.

Lee told the Huddersfield official site that his agent brought him the news, and that Huddersfield's level of ambition sold the move to him:

"My agent phoned me and informed me that Huddersfield were interested. From there, everything seems to have progressed very quickly. I spoke to Lee Clark, listened to what he had to say and automatically became interested in coming here. I think that Huddersfield are one of the most ambitious clubs around at the moment. The Club has the fanbase, the Stadium, the facilities and are bringing the right players in - I believe it could be a big year for Huddersfield. We have tried to get the move wrapped up quickly so I can get involved in training and I can't wait to get started with the lads."

Lee also said his decision to move was influenced by Glovers team-mate Danny Schofield and former loan player Jonathan Worthington, who both played at the Galpharm Stadium:

"Obviously I played with Danny Schofield at Yeovil last season and he never had a bad word to say about his time at Huddersfield. I also know Jon Worthington from his time on loan at Yeovil and he said that Huddersfield was a good club."

30 June 2009 : Peltier Signing Now Made Official

Huddersfield Town's official site have now carried our earlier news that right-back Lee Peltier has officially joined the Terriers. Huddersfield indicate that the transfer is subject to the outcome of their medical and state that he will be signing a three year deal at the Galpharm Stadium. Rather predictably the fee is undisclosed.

Lee made 76 appearances for the Glovers, scoring one goal in the away match against Swindon Town in December 2008. We naturally wish Lee all the best for the next three years in Yorkshire and thank him for some classy performances last season.

30 June 2009 : Terriers Confirm Peltier Signing

Huddersfield Town manager Lee Clark has confirmed that a deal is set for his club to formally sign Yeovil Town right-back Lee Peltier today. Clark has revealed that he has been aware of Peltier's abilities since seeing him play for Norwich City Reserves back in January 2008.

Clark was Assistant Manager for the Canaries before moving to the Galpharm Stadium and has told the BBC that he was a player that he was impressed with at the time:

"Lee (Peltier) is a player I know well. We had him on trial at Norwich. We just didn't have the finances to pursue the deal. He played for Paul Stephenson in the Reserve side at Norwich and we were impressed by him, so we've obviously monitored him since he's come to Yeovil. He is a fantastic athlete and very accomplished on the ball, which you would expect having been schooled at Liverpool. I thought it was necessary for us to bring in a permanent right-back and I'm delighted with the capture of Lee Peltier."

29 June 2009 : Peltier Undergoes Medical At Galpharm

The latest news on Lee Peltier's transfer to Huddersfield Town has been revealed this evening. BBC Radio Leeds report that Yeovil Town's right-back has undergone a medical at the Galpharm Stadium this afternoon and is expected to formally sign for the Terriers tomorrow.

If matters have reached this stage, it would suggest that all transfer fees and personal terms have been agreed between all parties. Assuming the BBC have their facts straight, we should hear official news on his departure tomorrow.

29 June 2009 : Johnson Happy To Recommend Murray To Glovers

Yeovil Town are now being labelled as front-runners for former Bristol City winger Scott Murray's signature, according to the Bristol Evening Post. The veteran is a free agent after being released by Gary Johnson last month, and Johnson himself has told the paper that he is willing to recommend him to any club:

"He would be great for anywhere he goes with his personality and experience. I would recommend him to anyone."

Johnson admits that he is anxious to not entirely cut links with a player who is currently taking coaching badges towards the end of his career, and wants to stay in the West County:

"We like to think we haven't cut the umbilical cord just yet. This is a club he is comfortable at and if there is a chance he wants to come back here in the future we will look at it."

Murray has had interest from League One side Exeter City this summer as well. The rumourmill has suggested that they only offered him a three month deal, and that he was therefore seeking a club that could offer him greater job security. The player is one of the few that manager Terry Skiverton has explicitly confirmed he is in talks with.

29 June 2009 : Howe Becomes Latest Linked With Glovers

The Peterborough Evening Telegraph are claiming that Yeovil Town are chasing transfer-listed striker Rene Howe. They don't add any details of the likely status of any deal in what is a brief footnote to an unrelated article.

Howe is a former Bedford Town and Kettering Town striker who has had loan spells with Morecambe and Rochdale over the past two seasons, netting 10 times in a season-long loan in Lancashire last season. He has not made an appearance for Peterborough since January 2008 and is therefore well down the pecking order at London Road.

Howe had talks with Lincoln City over the weekend, but the paper claims that Notts County and Yeovil Town are two other interested clubs. He is 22 years old and was born in Bedford on October 22nd 1986. Peterborough signed him for an undisclosed fee in May 2007, but with just two league starts to his name since becoming a Posh player his transfer-listing is little surprise with Peterborough having headed up two divisions since his arrival at the club.

29 June 2009 : Peltier Linked With Huddersfield Move

News on the rumourmill claims that Yeovil Town's right-back Lee Peltier is being lined up for a move to League One rivals Huddersfield Town. Reports are being made by BBC Radio Leeds that the 22 year old has been the subject of a bid by the Terriers, who have been spending big this summer, recently capturing striker Robbie Simpson from Coventry City for £300,000 whilst taking Peter Clarke from Southend United on a free transfer. Tranmere Rovers midfielder Antony Kay has also arrived on a free transfer.

The BBC describe Peltier as "set to join" Huddersfield, labelling him as their "fourth signing of the summer", but do not reveal any fees or contract lengths at this stage. However, they suggest that the deal could go through today.

Obviously, we'll bring more information as this story evolves.

28 June 2009 : Terry Skiverton Testimonial Competition Results

Some of you may recall we ran a competition on behalf of the Terry Skiverton Testimonial Committee to allow some Under 16s to take part in a half time penalty shoot-out as part of Skivo's Testimonial match. Competition organiser Stew Bratherton has announced that the following YTFC supporters are the winners of the competitions that were run in conjunction with Ciderspace and the Western Gazette.

Ciderspace Winners – Correct Answer Welling United

Katie Horsburgh
Jack Bromham

Western Gazette Winners – Correct Answer 39 Goals

Jack Jackson – (From Calne, Wilts)
Ellie Jackson – (From Calne, Wilts)

Can the parents of the above please send Stew a picture (electronically) at stew@brathertons.freeserve.co.uk with the following details as soon as possible (no later than Sunday evening), so we can get it in the programme for the day.

* Full Name
* Where you reside
* Date of Birth
* School
* Favourite Players

The winners will take 3 penalties during the half time break during the fixture. One penalty each will be taken against Chris Weale, Steve Collis and Tony Pennock. Stew Bratherton will be in touch later in the week with exact details and timings, the children will obviously receive complementary entry to the game, however parents will be expected to purchase a ticket.

Many thanks to everyone who entered the competitions.

27 June 2009 : New Two Year Deal For Welsh

Andy Welsh and Yeovil Town have agreed a new contract that will tie the winger to Huish Park for another two years.

Welsh arrived right on the transfer deadline of September 1st last season when Lloyd Owusu was finally moved out to make space in the budget for his signing. Taking things to the wire The Glovers nearly missed out, with then manager Russell Slade stating :

He was at Morecambe before I hijacked it and also there was a Scottish club as well. He was 40 minutes away from signing until I moved swiftly to draw his attention to Yeovil. I was quite impressed with him when he was with us for a week on trial but we weren't able to do anything then.

Welsh was given a deal until the end of the 2008-09 season. He made 37 appearances last term, 23 of which were starts in something of an in and out season. There was a steady if unspectacular beginning as he found his feet in September and October, but then he fell out of favour and it wasn't until after the New Year that he was back, hitting his best spell of form in January and February. Then the change in management followed by the acquisition of a large number of loans saw Welsh largely drifting out of the starting picture once again at the back end of the season.

At his best Welsh is a good provider, and Yeovil supporters will be hoping to see many more of the sort of performances he was turning in during the early months of 2009.

27 June 2009 : Flinders Heads To Hartlepool

Former Yeovil Town loan keeper Scott Flinders has signed for League One side Hartlepool United. Flinders was released by Crystal Palace at the end of last season and has signed a permanent contract at Victoria Park.

Flinders made nine appearances for the Glovers during February and March 2008 and there have been unconfirmed whispers from time to time that Yeovil have been keen to bring him back to Huish Park. Flinders certainly suggests that he had other offers on the table although doesn't hint at what they were:

"I've had a bit of interest from a few clubs but I'm happy to be signing for Hartlepool, it's going to be a good step for me to move on in my career. One of the main things is Chris Turner being a goalkeeper himself and to get advice from him in training and after games, which can only help and it`s a chance to move back up north."

If the bookies are to be believed, Hartlepool could be one of Yeovil's main rivals in the coming season, with the North-East tipped for relegation in most quarters. However, Flinders has become their fifth signing of the new season, with Neil Austin, Adam Boyd, Leon McSweeney and Peter Hartley having already penned deals for Chris Turner's side.

27 June 2009 : One Week Left To Keep Saints Alive

Southampton Football Club administrator Mark Fry believes that he has just one week left before drastic action has to be taken as the club seek a buyer that will take them out of administration. Fry doesn't mention "liquidation" as such, but it is clear that is one of the options on the cards if the Saints do not have a buyer by next Friday.

The Pinnacle Consortium, headed by Tony Lynam and Matt Le Tissier had appeared to be first in line to buy the club, but with their period of exclusivity having expired, Fry has now invited offers from other parties and has warned that he does not have much time to play with. Saints staff were due to be paid this week, and whilst Pinnacle funded last month's wages, there is no indication of anyone stepping forward to pay the bills this time round, meaning that Southampton's position as a viable ongoing concern will be cast in doubt unless a buyer steps in quickly.

In a statement released yesterday, Fry said that due to Pinnacle's reluctance to takeover the club whilst they could not appeal against the 10 point penalty incurred by the Football League, the club had gone full circle and were now back where they started:

"Essentially we are in the same position that we were in this time last month and we remain reliant on the goodwill of the staff to keep the Club running until we are able to sign a deal with an interested party. I have outlined to staff that I hope to be able to give them an update by the end of next week. There will not be a further 'exclusivity period' available to potential purchasers due to the tight deadlines that we are working to. All contracts have now been prepared so now it is a case that the interested parties have to agree to those contracts, sign them and complete the purchase. If towards the end of next week we are in a situation where no bids for the Football Club are forthcoming, I will meet with the Directors of the Football Club to discuss options."

If Fry's official statement merely talks of "options", in speaking to the Southampton Daily Echo he is far more explicit in what the future holds if Southampton do not get a buyer in place by next Friday:

"The end of next week is a key tipping point in this. It’s the gravest its been in the period of administration. There was a very short timeframe from the point we got involved. We stretched that as far as we can possibly stretch it and a deal really needs to be completed."

Aside from Pinnacle, there are two other potential buyers. One consortium is headed by local businessmen Marc Jackson and Stuart Green, who have already having tried to invest in AFC Bournemouth, whilst the other party is believed to be based in Switzerland. Fry explained what the current situation was:

"There are two other parties that have expressed a genuine interest in the purchase of Southampton Football Club, and I have spent this week in very detailed discussions with those parties. On Thursday I met with the representatives of a bid that is coming from abroad and who have the funds available to complete a takeover. I am expecting to hear back from them by the early part of next week as to whether they would like to push ahead and complete the purchase of the Club."

Jackson's attempts to buy Bournemouth broke down in April 2008 after he withdrew funding from a consortium he was part of and so he is being seen as an outside bet by the local media. Meanwhile the Daily Echo are casting doubt over the credibility of the Pinnacle Consortium, claiming that they are headed by Barnet-based "letting agent" Michael Fialka. The Echo claim that Fialka lives in a semi-detached house valued at around £300K-£400K, with his parents and co-owns two companies with turnovers of just over £50,000 per year with his brother. They are therefore casting doubt over Fialka's wealth. Fialka's father is a taxi driver, whilst his mother owned a lingerie store in Cockfosters. Either the Echo have the wrong man, or Pinnacle's ability to fund the takeover of the £14 million-rated football club is looking somewhat dubious.

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