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Review Of The Year 2000 - Part Two
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July 2000
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After releasing favourite crowd scapegoat Dean Chandler in May, boss
Dave Webb has a change of heart and signs the laid-back defender up on
a 3-month trial contract.... Pre-season training begins at Ninesprings, players
are soon sick of it - literally!......
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The season opens at Havant with Adrian Foster netting the late winner in a 2-1 win
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Former Exeter goalkeeper
Jason Matthews and Bristol City forward David Seal join
the club on trial, as do Gary Funnel and Gary Langridge.....
Pre-season odds are posted by several bookies, Yeovil are around the
10 or 12/1 mark, though some discerning punters manage to get each-way odds
of 18/1 [stop showing off -ed], Rushden are favourites
at 5/4 to 11/8, Doncaster 2nd favourites at 11/2 or 4/1....
Matt Hale is put up for sale after refusing to sign a full-time
contract, Newport and former club Weymouth are interested....
Former Glover Tony Pounder joins Screwfix Div 1 side Frome.....
It emerges from a meeting at Northwich that requirements for entry to
Division Three are set to change - as from 2004 a ground capacity
of 10,000 with 2,000 seats will be the minimum standard.... The proposed
major changes in the boadroom finally come to fruition, the board of directors
being reduced to just 3 people, Chairman John Fry, plus directors and
money-men Norman Hayward and Jon Goddard-Watts..... A cricket
match is played at North Perrot in aid of Tony Pennock's testimonial
fund.....
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The team go on a Cornish mini-tour with Anthony Tonkin shown enjoying Sunday morning football at Torpoint
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The first pre-season friendlies begin.... Dean Chandler is
released (again), no reason being given by the club officially, unofficially
it's rumoured that it's because he played in Pennock's cricket
testimonial while injured, angering boss Dave Webb... The Glovers play
Premiership outfit Southampton in front of 2,471 in Tony Pennock's
football testimonial game, the Saints winning 2-0..... Triallists Gary
Funnel and Gary Langridge are released.... Central defender
Chris Sparks has his contract terminated by mutual consent....
Matt Hale moves back to Weymouth for a 'small fee'....
Experienced Scarborough manager Colin Addison resigns from the
financially troubled Yorkshire club in protest after being told he has to sell
players to balance budgets.... The Glovers go on a short tour of Cornwall,
playing games at Saltash and Torpoint.... Former Dorchester
defender/midfielder Roy O'Brien accepts a 2-year contract at Yeovil,
and Bradley Peters signs a 1-year deal.... However, the lack of major
new signings is now causing concern amongst supporters and local press, the
Yeovil Express in particular not being backwards in coming forwards to
voice its worries over the new season....
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August 2000
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Two new triallists appear in the 8-2 friendly win at Portland - former
Bristol Rovers defender Tom White and ex-Chelsea forward
Nick Crittenden wear the green-and-white shirt for the first time....
David Seal is released by the club.....
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The season starts in style as Barrington Belgrave lobs Kettering's Steve Wilson for the second goal in a 2-0 win
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Goalkeeper Tony Pennock's
position at Yeovil appears uncertain again, the Gazette reporting that
keeper is 'disillusioned' with events at the club.... The local press is
criticised by John Fry for being overly negative.... It now seems
that work on the new roof over the home terrace will not begin until September
at the earliest, John Fry tells a meeting of the E2000 Appeal Fund
that the club are waiting to hear if a grant application to the Football
Foundation has been successful.... Former Welling forward Stafford
Browne, who was on loan at Huish Park a season ago, makes a trial appearance
in a pre-season friendly and scores, but isn't asked to return.... A sticky time
at Huish Park as Everton field a team of reserves
in a friendly v Yeovil, despite promising to send a full first team; 4,750 have
to watch the likes of Scott Gemmill instead of the advertised
Paul Gascoigne..... The Toffeemen's second-string still win 1-0....
Tony Pennock has a row with boss Dave Webb before the game and
doesn't play.... A London man is found guilty of the manslaughter of former
Yeovil footballer Paul Muir and is sentenced to 2 years in prison. Paul's
family and friends are outraged at the leniency of the sentence..... The
Clarion claims that Tony Pennock has been released by the club,
whilst triallist keeper Jason Matthews plays a friendly for Conference
rivals Nuneaton and another for Taunton Town..... Dave Webb
denies that Pennock is leaving and holds 'clear-the-air' talks with him -
again - and the two kiss and make-up - again....
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Ex-Chelsea wideman Nick Crittenden signs up and stars in a 4-2 win over Hednesford
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Nick Crittenden and Barrington Belgrave both sign 2-year deals at
the club and Tom White agrees a 3-month trial contract.... A young
triallist named Darren Way signs a 2-year contract after excelling in
the reserves 9-1 win over Minehead.... keeper Jason Matthews is
finally released after failing to agree a contract..... The season proper begins
with a 2-0 home win over Kettering, despite the dismissal of Roy
O'Brien after 30 minutes.... The Glovers follow that up with a good 3-2 win
at Woking, but it all goes pear-shaped at Southport where the home
team are too good for Yeovil's young side, winning 3-0.... The Glovers bounce
back at home to Hednesford 2 days later, beating the Pitmen 4-2..... The
Conference are formally invited by the Football League to enter 8 teams in this
season's Auto-Windscreens Shield, which 8 teams haven't been decided on
as yet..... Graham Roberts resigns as manager of Hertford Town,
citing broken promises on finance as the reason.... Popular striker Adrian
Foster is told by Dave Webb that he can leave on a free transfer if
he can find a club - Fozzie has yet to start a game for The Glovers this season.....
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September 2000
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Adrian Foster turns down Woking and joins former Glovers
Rob Cousins, Dean Birkby and David Norton at Forest
Green Rovers on a free transfer....
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Darren Way, having joined the club from Norwich, volunteers on the spur of the moment at Nuneaton to become the club's penalty taker, and starts up a run of successful spot-kicks
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The remaining Glovers consolidate on
their fine start to the season with 3 wins on the trot, away at Nuneaton
and at home to Woking and Chester, to go top of the early table....
The fuel crisis puts the next scheduled fixture, away to bottom club Boston,
in doubt. The York Street club are suffering from injuries and suspensions and
try every trick in the book to call the game off. but Yeovil and the Conference
insist the match goes ahead.... Inevitably the Glovers are thrashed 4-1.... The
Yeovil goal nets are under attack, reports the Gazette - by rabbits....
The furry pests are sharpening their teeth on the nets and ruining them,
according to groundsman Rod Pippard.... Forgotten man
Murray Fishlock sees a specialist in his bid to recover from his
long-standing back problems.... The Glovers receive a bye in the 1st Round of
the NVC Trophy.....
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Whoops! Doncaster's Neil Campbell helps Yeovil on their way by scoring the opening goal in a 2-0 win
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Midfielder Gareth Risbridger signs a 1-year full-time
contract at the club.... Rushden make November's game at Nene Park v The
Glovers all-ticket to away fans.... Dave Webb hosts a Meet The
Manager evening at Huish Park and criticises the local press for 'undue
negativity'.... Yeovil bounce back from the Boston defeat with a 0-0
draw at Stevenage before winning the final 3 games in the month, at home
to Doncaster, away at Hayes, and at home to Morecambe, where
The Glovers manage to come from behind to win 3-2.... After the match David
Webb stuns everyone at the club by announcing his resignation..... The
assumption is made that his former club Southend United, managerless
themselves after sacking Alan Little the previous week, have been talking
to him, but since (it emerges) Webb was working at Huish Park without a contract
then there is nothing the club can do..... A visibly shocked John Fry
appoints Steve Thompson as caretaker manager until a permanent appointment
can be made.....
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October 2000
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Speculation about who will replace Dave Webb rises in the press, with
Kenny Hibbitt, Jimmy Quinn, Terry Cooper, Russell
Osman all being mentioned in despatches along with several other
more-or-less unlikely names, but from quite an early stage it seems fairly
clear that 2 men are front-runners for the job.....
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Colin Addison becomes the club's third manager of the year 2000, taking over a side who are now top of the table
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Former Southampton
boss Dave Merrington and Colin Addison, who resigned from
Conference rivals Scarborough in July, are the clear favourites for the
Huish Park hotseat..... To no-one's surprise, Dave Webb is installed as
manager of Southend United.... Thommo takes charge for the first
post-Webb game as Yeovil bury Dover at Huish Park, winning 4-0 to go top
of the league again, by 1 point from Rushden.... The board appoint the new
manager before the next match away at Hereford the following weekend, but
don't tell anyone who he is, fearing that the news would distract the players
from the job in hand..... In the event the players gain a creditable 2-2 draw
at Edgar Street in Thommo's last game in charge..... The club announce
after the game that the experienced Colin Addison has been appointed as
the new manager of Yeovil Town FC.... The club sell out the intial allocation of
750 tickets given to them by Rushden and are sent a further 250 tickets to
sell.... These are snapped up within a few days, as are the final allocation of
a further 200 tickets Rushden eventually provide.... Tom White is offered
an extended contract to replace the original 3-month trial contract he was on....
In Addo's first game in charge The Glovers beat Woking for the 3rd
time in the season, 1-0 at Kingfield in the NVC Trophy.... Yeovil are drawn at
home to Kettering in the 3rd Round..... Colin Addison reveals that
he didn't apply for the Yeovil job, and that John Fry approached him
first to see if he'd be interested in taking it....
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Barrington Belgrave scores arguably the goal of the year against Kingstonian
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The Glovers are drawn
against Ryman League Div 2 side Horsham in the 4th Qualifying Round of
the FA Cup.... The team win their next 3 games in a row, 2-1 at Northwich
after going 1 down to begin with, 2-0 at Wellington in the Somerset
Premier Cup and 3-1 at home to Kingstonian, again after going a goal
down at first..... Yeovil now have a 4 point lead at the top over Rushden,
but internet bookies Blue Square still make EWBAMBNET's men odds
on favourites to win the Conference at 4/5 with Yeovil 2nd favourites at 15/8....
ex-boss Dave Webb tells the press that he promised Yeovil that he would
not bid for any of the club's players, before going on to say, "if Barrington
[Belgrave] became available for transfer then I would be the first person in the
queue for his signature. He is a very good player, who works extremely hard and
scores goals. I rate him very highly and the Southend fans would love him.".....
The biters were very nearly bit in the FA Cup - Horsham hold the Glovers
to a 1-1 draw at Huish Park, it takes a streaky own-goal for The Glovers to stay
in the competition and force a replay in Sussex..... It starts to rain
around now, and seemingly doesn't stop again until around Christmas time, when
it begins to snow instead....
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November 2000
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Injured defender Murray Fishlock says he can see "light at the end
of the tunnel" after undergoing specialist treatment on the back injury that
could mean the end of his career - he hopes to be back playing in 2001.....
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1200 travelling fans see Warren Patmore open the scoring at Rushden in a 2-1 win
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Terry Skiverton, Warren Patmore and Barrington Belgrave are
picked for the FA XI to play the Southern League later in the month - the
game is in effect one of the trials for the semi-pro England team....
Ben Smith is added to the squad later.... Tom White agrees a new
1-year deal with the club.... The Glovers take 1,200 fans with them up to Nene
Park for the big game of the season so far - and come away with all 3 points as
they beat Rushden & Diamonds by 2-1.... The win leaves Yeovil 4 points
clear of Rushden at the top with a game in hand.... The Non-League Paper,
which sadly is gaining a reputation for printing dubious stories, accuses
Warren Patmore of making 'obscene gestures' to Rushden fans during the
game at Nene Park.... The story is rubbish, even Rushden fans defend
Wazza and the referee refuses to back the claims.... After several
postponements due to the monsoon gripping the country Yeovil finally play
Horsham in the FA Cup replay, and are relieved to come away from Sussex
with a 2-0 win.... The Glovers are drawn against 2nd Division Colchester
in the 1st Round proper.... Striker Warren Patmore, out of contract at
the end of the season, is reported as having initial talks with
Colin Addison regarding a new full-time contract, something Wazza
has always refused to contemplate before, preferring to stay part-time.... The
Conference game v Dagenham is called off because of a waterlogged pitch,
but Wazza's testimonial game v Blackburn Rovers goes ahead,
despite the cold and wet weather.... Rovers thrash The Glovers 10-0, the side
that won the Ryman League in '96-'97 turning out for Yeovil in the 2nd
half, including the likes of Graham Roberts, Mickey Engwell and
Howard Forinton... Only 1,672 at the game and Wazza isn't
best pleased with relatively small attendance - and says so.... Yeovil, along
with 7 other Conference clubs, are officially invited to take part in the
LDV Vans Trophy, the replacement for the Auto-Windscreens Shield....
Barrington Belgrave is quoted in the Southend Evening News as
saying how much he owes to David Webb and how the thought of joining
Southend is appealing....
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Lovely Bubbly! The Glovers are on another classic FA Cup run after mauling Colchester 5-1
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The Glovers add their 19th League scalp to their
belts when they demolish Div 2 outfit Colchester United by 5-1 at Huish
Park in front of the largest crowd of the season so far, 4,552.... They are
drawn away to 3rd Division Blackpool in Round 2, the match to be screened
live by Sky TV, netting the club an extra £75,000 in appearance
money.... Yeovil borrow Somerset Cricket Club's water-hog in an effort
to ensure future games will go ahead..... The Glovers are drawn against fellow
Conference side Hereford in the 1st round of the
LDV Vans Trophy.... The Sun reports that Tom White's baby
daughter is undergoing chemotherapy afer an operation on a brain tumour....
The Gazette finally catches up with the Belgrave quotes from the
Southend press and repeats them, Colin Addison is not amused and accuses
the paper of taking the strikers words completely out of context.... In the
meantime he offers Belgrave a new and improved contract.... John
Fry appears on Talksport radio for 2 hours, answering fans questions and
being interviewed by commentating legend Brian Moore.... Bristol City
striker Alex Meechan joins The Glovers on a month's loan.... Yeovil
draw 2-2 at Scarborough to go 5 points clear of Rushden, but
lose again at Taunton to go out of the Somerset Premier Cup -
no one cares.... Goalkeeper Paul Binder arrives at Huish Park, on
trial.... Youth Team striker Richard Parkinson is given a contract
until the end of the season.... Yeovil's allocation of 1,020 tickets for the
Cup game at Blackpool are sold out....
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December 2000
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Yeovil go 7 points clear after beating Telford 2-0 at Huish Park....
The new chief executive of the Football League, David Burns has talks
with Conference chief executive John Moules regarding increased promotion
places to Div 3.... The simmering row between the YTISA and John Fry
ends up being reported on Ceefax, of all places.... The club backs down
in the end and at last agrees to arrange a meeting.... Former manager
Dave Webb is reported as admitting that he may have made the wrong
decision to leave Yeovil for Southend....
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Nick Crittenden fires home the winning goal against Blackpool in front of the Sky TV cameras. Photo © Tim Lancaster.
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In the run-up to the
Blackpool FA Cup game, 'Pool manager Steve McMahon claims that
his side are the underdogs for the game and that Yeovil are the bigger club
with a higher wage-bill.... The Glovers prove at least some of what he says
is right by winning 1-0 on a pitch more fit for water-polo than football in
front of the Sky TV cameras and 1,000 travelling fans.... Their reward
is an away tie at 1st Division Bolton Wanderers in the 3rd Round....
From the sublime to the ridiculous - The Glovers are drawn at home to Bath
City in the 3rd Round of the FA Trophy.... John Fry is quoted
in the Gazette as saying that the Sky TV money was badly needed as the
club was in a "desperate financial situation" - he later claims that
his words were taken out of context by the paper and that he was referring to
the proposed roof construction project rather than the club's financial
health as a whole.... And talking of the roof, the club at last announces
officially that work on the construction of the new roof over the home
terrace will begin in January.... Its 10 wins out of 10 at Huish Park as
Yeovil beat Northwich by 1-0 to go 5 points clear of Rushden
with 2 games in hand....
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The year ends as it began - with a 1-0 win over Forest Green
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Barrington Belgrave ends all the speculation
on his future by signing the improved contract offered to him by the club....
After 2 postponements The Glovers finally play their LDV Vans Trophy tie at
Hereford, and a weakened team crashes out of the competition 4-0....
Just prior to Christmas Colin Addison returns to former club
Scarborough to make his first buy for Yeovil, utility man Simon
Betts signing for The Glovers for £10,000.... Addo's also
linked to a number of other players, including Scarborough striker
Steve Brodie, team-mate and midfielder Gareth Stoker,
Rushden's former Glover Matt Stowell. and Halifax
striker Lee Potter.... Boxing Day sees The Glovers winning 1-0 at
Forest Green Rovers to go 7 points clear of Rushden with 2
games in hand.... BBC Ceefax announces that this season's FA Trophy
final will be held at Villa Park.... Yeovil's final game of the year,
away to Kettering is postponed because of a frozen pitch - this means
that The Glovers have - for one reason or another - had 9 games postponed
since the 11th of October.....
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Go to 2000 Season Review Part One
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