Whilst most local derbies involve a lot of hyping up by local media and players, you get the sense that Yeovil Town club captain Terry Skiverton is doing his best to hype today's game against Bristol City down! Speaking to BBC Somerset Sound Skivo said that he felt that most of his teammates would not see the return of former manager Gary Johnson and seven other players and coaching staff as anything significant:
"From the outside it is a big game but it is only me and Paul Terry that will be involved in the game that are from the non-league days. It would have been big if it had been last season, which was a big game, but for us as a team it is not a big game, it's just another chance to get three points. It's nice to see a couple of old faces. It will be nice to see Gary Johnson, Lee (Johnson), Liam (Fontaine), Wealey (Chris Weale) and Phil Jevons. I've already spoken to Lee and Phil earlier on in the week. It's not a big must-win "otherwise our season is down the pan" game. For us it is just another game that we are looking forward to and wanting to put in a good performance on. None of the others have played for Gary Johnson - you try explaining that to JP Kalala and I don't think he really cares! We've now got players like Marcus Stewart, who isn't playing, or Lee Morris, who have been involved in far bigger games than a League One clash between 4th and 2nd. With us, we will go into the game, we will enjoy ourselves, it will be a packed house, it will be a great flowing game and we are really looking forward to it."
Whilst most local derbies are often cagey affairs where the opposition end up cancelling each other out, Skivo is expecting anything else but that, mainly because of the tactics that Johnson employed at Yeovil Town:
"I think the way that Gary Johnson plays the game; under my time with him, I don't think he ever went negative and I don't imagine that he'll come here and play like that. It will be quite an open game and it will be a very honest game between us and them and one in which all the players will be looking forward to. I think Gary and all the others will be quite looking forward to coming back to Huish Park as well and no doubt they will get a good reception."
Some concern has been raised that Yeovil will have to go into the game without leading scorer Marcus Stewart, but Skivo feels that Yeovil have a multitude of options to look at:
"The gaffer still feels that we've got people here. We've got people like Wayne Gray, who plays up against you and he is one of the quickest strikers in this league. When he opens up, no-one stays with him. Arron Davies can play up front as well and Lee Morris can play up front. Danny Webb had a chance this week. We've still got strikers at the club. Just because Marcus isn't playing, people forget about them. Wayne has popped up with a few good performances when he has come on. He's scored a couple of goals and could have had a couple more goals and has really tormented a few defenders when he has come on. So he will be champing at the bit for a chance."
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4 November 2006 : 
