THE BLUES
So we now have two away games, at Yeovil and Cheltenham next week, that will define the rest of our season. Two wins, maybe a win and a draw, and bring it on. One or zero points and it will be a long wait until August for it to start all over again with a home defeat against Borient.
The news that Tilly is looking for another forward to replace the new signing Revell, a possible hernia op could see him out for six weeks, will sadden the hearts of us that see height at the back the main obstacle for the play offs.
The front six are fine, fourth best scorers in the division, it's the back five, fourth worst, that's the problem and I'm sure Tilly knows it but does not want to hurt further already fragile confidence. Simon Francis showed that even though he was not fully confident in his new position, a few extra inches and a good positional sense can lead to defensive headers being won and cleared. Even so another set piece led to another goal and it does seem that Flavs confidence has been shot to pieces since he was dropped earlier in the season. Victor may add inches at left back but his radar is sadly faulty.
Lewis Hunt was a welcome return last weekend and must stay, stronger in defence than his rivals, his energy going forward had been missed. Adam is Adam. Clarkey is Clarkey and I'm sure Tilly will place him back in the side. If so, funny that Tilly's policy of no change which lost our most consistent defender Lewis Hunt his place, would not stretch to the Barrett and Clarke show, a pairing that, on and off, has led to 46 goals being scored against us and God knows how many last season.
The Bournemouth victory continued the dodgy form, bar the odd oasis moment like the victory v Leeds, that has been with us since Christmas, and some will say since August. No matter how confident the midfield and forwards are, playing with great skill at times, and in Barnard and Walker we seem to have signed two six yard poachers backed with a high work ethic, the less said about Walkers six yard miss the better, if we continue to let in soft goals like the Cherries equaliser, heads will drop.
No wonder the Mac/Bailey double act's energy levels seem low at times, they must be pissed off with all their hard work and great strikes going down the toilet with poor defensive play.
Let's hope we can wing it all the way to the play offs but whatever the final places in League One come May, Tilly must change things next season and show strength against what I have no doubt are strong personalities. Two of Clarke, Barrett and Flavs must go, or in Adam's case maybe moved to the safer position of left back. COME ON YOU BLUES - 2-1!!!!!!
THE OPPOSITION
A run of one win in the seven games since the 1-1 draw with the Blues last month, and that an injury time winner v Northampton, has seen their play off chances fade as they find themselves in 15th place on 41 points. Still a good run could see them haul themselves up the table as the League table is very close with 12 clubs between 40 and 49 points, six points and seven places below the Blues. Their home record is mixed with seven wins but six defeats, they share with Southend a lack of draws, only three, so a result seems on the cards, and they also share a less than consistent defence, scoring 15 at Huish Park but letting in 17. Feed the Barnard and he will score.
Yeovil have signed Andy Kirk on a free from Northampton and midfielder Lee Peltier from Liverpool but they have been busier in the loan market with six players coming in on loan. Lloyd Owusu is still their top league scorer with 8 although he hasn't scored since the draw at Roots Hall.
After the poor 3-0 defeat at Oldham manager Russell Slade is not hopeful that the play offs can be reached. It has been a miserable start to 2008 for Slade's side, who have won only one of their 10 games and failed to score in six of them. And Slade conceded that only six points from a possible 30 is nowhere near good enough to secure a top-six finish for a second consecutive season. "We have no chance, we are not good enough," said the Glovers boss. "Shambolic defending cost us. We had a good 10 minutes just before half-time and looked to be getting back into the game only to waste a glorious opportunity in a one-on-one. You have to put those away at any level. We started the second half okay only to concede a calamitous second goal. We seem to be in a charitable mood at the moment and even gifted them an own goal. Effectively, it was game over. We had too many players out of sorts and you can't win a football match with only five in form. We were on a hiding to nothing."
Yeovil Town midfielder Marc Bircham insists the spirit within the club is still good despite the dire recent run of results, scoring five but conceding fifteen! However, Bircham told his own personal website: "We're making chances, but we're not scoring them. At the other end we've conceded some early goals, which means you're chasing the game. "The work-rate is there. We just need a bit of luck. But the spirit's really good. It's a great squad down here and the confidence is still good."
THE MATCHES
Played 11; WON 3 DRAWN 2 LOST 6
Not doing all that well then, though the Blues did beat them away the last time we played at Huish Park. Feb. 4 2005 was the day, Bentley and The Goat scoring in a 2-0 win. Last time out on Jan. 12 this year a Bailey cracker had given us the lead before Yeovil grabbed an equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
THE GROUND
Yeovil is predominantly remembered for some classic 'giant killing' deeds in the FA Cup and the famous slope of the pitch. With the move to a new ground in 1990, that slope has gone, but the team have continued to impress.
Generally the ground is a tidy looking one, in a pleasant setting, with lots of trees visible behind the stands. Both sides of the ground are similar looking stands and are of the same height.
They are both cantilevered, covered single tiered stands that are all seated. Each stand has windshields to either side. The only differences between these stands, is that the AgustaWestland Community Stand has some executive boxes running across the back of it, plus the dug outs and players tunnel, whilst the Cowlin Stand has a press box suspended from beneath its roof and a small simple looking electric scoreboard. At one end is the medium sized Carlsberg Terrace, which is covered and for home supporters and again has windshields to either side.
Opposite is the Copse Road Terrace, which is given to away fans. This is smaller and uncovered. Oddly the steel work is in place at the back of this stand to incorporate more terrace space, but the concrete rows have so far not been added. Perched above the rear of this stand is a large electric scoreboard. The ground is completed with a set four modern floodlight pylons, one in each corner of the ground.
Away fans are situated in the Copse Road open terrace at one end of the ground. This is uncovered, so hope for a dry day. (I'm afraid light drizzle is forecast, so take a brolly!) Up to 1,750 supporters can be housed in this area. Additionally a small number of seats are allocated to away fans in the AgustaWestland Community Stand. As this stand is covered, this may be a better bet, especially if the weather is bad.Normally a visit to Huish Park is enjoyable, and the atmosphere good.
This is boosted by a very vocal crowd in the home terrace as well as the presence of a drummer and trumpeter in that end (on my last visit the trumpeter was even imitating an ambulance siren as the trainer ran on to treat an injured player!). If Yeovil score then 'Glad All Over' by the Dave Clark Five blasts out around the ground. It is worth noting though that the local fans are passionate about their club and caution around the ground may be required for some of the bigger games.
THE CAR
The ground is located on the very outskirts of Yeovil and is signposted from
the A303. Leave the A303 at the Cartgate roundabout and take the A3088 towards Yeovil. Follow the road for around four miles until you reach a roundabout on the outskirts of Yeovil with the Westlands Airfield directly in front of you. Turn left at this roundabout and then continue straight on, crossing a number of roundabouts. As you pass the entrance to an Asda superstore, take the next left for the ground, which can be seen from the road.
There is a fair sized car park at the ground, which costs £2. Otherwise there is plenty of street car parking to be had on the roads leading down to the ground. Getting away from the ground can be a bit of nightmare as there is only one road out of the official car park.
THE TRAIN
Yeovil has two railway stations, Yeovil Junction is 2-3 miles out of town and Pen Mill junction about a mile from the town centre. Both are on the opposite side of town to the ground. From both stations it is advised to get a taxi to the stadium or alternatively if you arrive at Yeovil Junction, then you can catch the 'Hopper' minibus to the bus station in the town centre.
On Saturday matchdays there is one shuttle bus that runs from the station to the ground which leaves the bus station at around 1.50pm (returning from Huish Park at 17:05). Otherwise there is the First Traveller Bus Service No:1 that leaves from the town centre (stop outside Lloyds TSB in the High Street) and drops you at the Abbey Manor Housing Estate, which is near to the stadium.
THE PUB and FISH AND CHIPS!
The ever excellent Yeovil independent website recommend three pubs you could visit on the way to the game. The Red House, (Dorchester Rd, BA22 9RA), on the outskirts of Yeovil has changed hands and gone more upmarket, focusing on food. It is wheelchair-friendly. The Quicksilver Mail pub, (168, Hendford Hill, BA20 2RG), has been making real efforts in the last few years and now appears in good pub guides, particularly real ale ones. It is also one of the fewer and fewer outlets in the town that does proper farmhouse style cider. Food lunchtimes and evenings, and well behaved children and dogs are welcome. The Yeovil Court on West Coker Road, (BA20 2HE), is altogether more upmarket - recommended only for club directors, vice presidents and similar riff-raff. (So Blues fans welcome.) More of a restaurant than a pub really.
There are three pubs within 15-20 minutes walking distance of the ground: A new Brewsters establishment, The Bell (a 'Hungry Horse' house) and The Arrow. The Bell, (207, Preston Rd. BA20 2EW), is child-friendly and the pub of choice for an ever-increasing number of home fans for a pre-match / post-match pint and features large meals, a giant screen for televised matches, a pool table and some basic real ale. Quality has varied considerably over the years. It's been very good, and very poor. Currently it is somewhere around the "OK" point. The Arrow, (The Forum, Preston Rd. BA21 3TL), a modern pub situated on the Abbey Manor housing estate next to the ground has always been popular with home fans, personally a bit too soulless for my taste, though others swear by it. If you're looking for something to eat but don't want to use a pub, Palmers Fish & Chip Restaurant/Takeaway, (Bunford Lane BA20 2EJ), can be found on the other side of Bunford Lane from the Brewsters pub, just off the Crematorium roundabout; and the Preston Road Takeaway is situated down from The Bell on the opposite side of Preston Road.
THE REF
Saturday's match will be officiated by referee Roger East (Wiltshire). Having been promoted to the Football League's main referees lists in the past year or two his last game was on February 12th when he dished out four yellow cards to Walsall in their 1-0 defeat against Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium. So far this season his card count has been low, with 47 yellows and three reds, spread across 20 games, mainly at League One and League Two level. Two of those reds came as part of the same incident in a Brighton vs Huddersfield Town match in the middle of last month. A touch fussy then, he got booed by both sets of supporters when he took control of our 1-0 win at Northampton last year.
Mr East will be assisted by James Cox (Worcestershire) and Eamonn Smith (Surrey). The Fourth Official will be Wayne Barratt (Worcestershire).
THE HISTORY
Yeovil have spent almost all of their history outside of The Football League but are still one of the most famous FA Cup "giant-killing" teams that has earned them notoriety around the country and indeed it can be said around the world. The club, founded in 1890 as Yeovil Football Club, shared a ground for many years with the town's rugby club. In 1895 they became Yeovil Casuals and moved to play their home games at the Pen Mill Athletic Ground. The club became Yeovil Town in 1907, and in 1915 an amalgamation of Yeovil Town and Petters United led to a new club called Yeovil and Petters United. This season's away shirt, a predominantly black kit with amber trim, was inspired by the amber and black colours of Petters United. In the 1948-49 FA Cup,Yeovil defeated Sunderland in the fourth round, in front of over 16,000 ecstatic fans (a club record) this gave them the "Giant-Killing" status. At the next hurdle, over 81,000 saw them lose to Manchester United at Maine Road 8-0.
Between 1955 and 1973 they lifted the Southern Football League crown three times, with the runners-up spot being reached on two occasions.
During this period, Yeovil Town applied for election to the Football League on a number of occasions, coming within a few votes of being elected in 1976.
1979 saw the birth of what is now the Football Conference the game's 'Fifth Division' - of which the Glovers were founder-members. In 1985 they were relegated to the Vauxhall Opel League. After three years Yeovil won the championship in 1988 and returned to the Conference.
There was success in the Bob Lord Challenge Trophy in 1990 and three years later Yeovil finished fourth in the Conference, their best finish ever. In January 1995 Graham Roberts was appointed manager, but demotion back to the Isthmian League (ICIS) soon followed. Yeovil secured promotion back into the Conference in 1997 after winning the ICIS League (as it was then known) by a record number of points - 101.
Gary Johnson took charge in June 2001 and he won the FA Umbro Trophy in his first season in charge with a 2-0 victory over Stevenage Borough in the final at Villa Park. This was their first major trophy in 106 years as a Football Club. Yeovil Town earned promotion to the Football League in the following season, by winning the Football Conference by a record 17 points margin. They accumulated a huge 95 points and scored 100 goals, remaining unbeaten at Huish Park.
The team's first season in League football saw them finish in a creditable eighth place just missing out on the play off positions by goal difference, just four goals.
In February 2004, the team released the single "Yeovil True". The single reached 36 in the UK charts before dropping out of the top 75 the next week. The single was only available in major record stores in the town.
In 2004-05, only their second season in the Football League, Yeovil were crowned champions of League Two and were promoted to League One sealing the success on Saturday April 30 with a 1-0 win at Roots Hall in front of 11,735.
In September 2005, manager Gary Johnson left Yeovil Town for Bristol City, after having turned down job offers from both Plymouth Argyle and Derby County. He was replaced by second-in-command Steve Thompson, and Kevin Hodges was appointed as his number two, but at the end of the 2005-06 Thompson was demoted to first team coach, with the club advertising for a new manager. Russell Slade was named as his replacement on June 7, 2006.
The Messiah, (for some), David Webb bought the club from Jon Goddard-Watts in December 2005, taking over the role of Chief Executive from Chairman John Fry. He resigned from this position in February 2006. In June 2006, it was announced that John Fry had bought all of Dave Webb's share to become the new owner of Yeovil Town FC.
On September 30, 2006, Yeovil moved into second place in League One after a 2-1 victory over Brentford, which was their highest-ever league position. Yeovil finished the regular season in fifth position, securing a play-off semi-final against Nottingham Forest, twice European champions. On May 11, 2007, Forest won the first leg 2-0 at Huish Park. Seven days later, Yeovil won the return leg at the City Ground 5-2 after extra time, taking the tie 5-4 on aggregate. Yeovil met Blackpool at Wembley Stadium on May 27, 2007, and were beaten 2-0, thus missing out on promotion to the The Championship. Almost 30,000 supporters took the trip up to Wembley, a large following for a club based in a town with a population of only 41,871.
Yeovil Town Football club have had many players who have played at the international level, for instance Marc Bircham [Canada], Andrejs Stolcers [Latvia], Efe Sodje [Nigeria], Lloyd Owusu [Ghana], Jean-Paul Kamindumba Kalala [DR Congo], Arron Davies and Gavin Williams [Wales].
Huish Park is Yeovil's latest stadium and there has been a mention that Huish could become the new home of a 15,000 all seater.
(Thanks to all the usual suspects for their help with this article including www.ciderspace.co.uk.)