Yeovil Town's captain Paul Huntington admits that having to play in front of a succession of loan goalkeepers this season has not been 'ideal'. The Glovers have worked with a total of five keepers this season, with injuries and recalls forcing their hand, and on occasions going into matches being unsure who will play right up until the day of the game itself.
Whilst Chelsea goalkeeper Sam Walker has been between the sticks for the close of the 2011-12 season, the Glovers have also used Norwich City's Jed Steer, West Ham United's Czech Republic keeper Marek Stech, Watford's Rene Gilmartin as well as their own goalkeeping coach Gareth Stewart.
Huntington has told BBC Somerset that whilst he feels the outfield players have adapted to the ever-changing situation, that stability helps the team as a whole:
"I think we've adapted. I don't think it's ideal, if I'm honest. Obviously you want that continuity and it would be ideal if you had someone for the whole season, but that wasn't to be the case. Last year we were lucky with the two (John Sullivan and Stephen Henderson) that we had. But that's not been a problem really, and you can't blame it on anything that we've had. We've just got on with it and adapted, and we're just looking to get over that line now."
Yeovil Town's situation has not been as bad as it was during the 1996-97 season. During that year, the Glovers used Tony Pennock, Mark Tyler, Chris Seymour, Keith Harvey, Jamie Smith and Graham Roberts as goalkeepers, including a four game spell when they used four different people between the sticks.
Main keeper Tony Pennock had been ruled out due to appendicitis, meaning that the Glovers took on Mark Tyler from Peterborough United whilst Pennock recovered from his operation. However Tyler himself became unavailable meaning that midfielder Chris Seymour played 90 minutes in goal during a League match at Boreham Wood, whilst Lee Harvey's brother Keith came in for one game only from his Sunday league side for an FA Trophy game against Evesham United. Youth Team keeper Jamie Smith took over for a County Cup game before Tyler returned to the side again. Manager Graham Roberts played 90 minutes in goal on the final game of the season when he shut out Bristol City in the Somerset Premier Cup final.
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6 April 2012 : 
