At the turn of the year, Yeovil Town found themselves in the League One relegation zone and it seemed as though their stay in the third tier of English football was going to come to an end after six years.
However, after making a number of astute loan signings during January and adding a few more experienced permanent signings, Terry Skiverton has steered the Glovers away from the drop zone.
They currently lie in 18th place in League One and the possibility of equalling or bettering last season's 15th place finish is now a realistic possibility.
Planning for next season is already under way with Skivo announcing that he already has in mind which players he wants to offer contracts to. He has also announced that he is interested in securing the services of on loan Manchester City winger Andrew Tutte, after the young wide man scored his first goal for Yeovil on Easter Monday against Peterborough United.
It was the second time in three days that the Glovers had picked up points against a top six side after Shaun MacDonald scored a dramatic late leveller against Bournemouth.
If Yeovil can take that form into the 2011-12 campaign, they could turn out to be a force to be reckoned with.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Monday, 25 April 2011
TRURO MAKE HISTORY WITH FIFTH PROMOTION
Truro City became the first team in the history of English football to win five promotions in six years when they clinched the Zamaretto Southern Premier title with a 3-0 win over Banbury United.
Les Afful, Barry Hayles and Andy Watkins were on target for Lee Hodges' side, who will be playing in the Blue Square South next season.
This is the latest chapter in the remarkable rise of a team that were playing in the Jewson South Western League as recently as 2006.
Since then, they have gained promotion through the Western League and they also won the FA Vase in 2007.
This latest promotion means only two leagues separate Truro from the Football League.
Les Afful, Barry Hayles and Andy Watkins were on target for Lee Hodges' side, who will be playing in the Blue Square South next season.
This is the latest chapter in the remarkable rise of a team that were playing in the Jewson South Western League as recently as 2006.
Since then, they have gained promotion through the Western League and they also won the FA Vase in 2007.
This latest promotion means only two leagues separate Truro from the Football League.
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
ALLAN BROWN 1926-2011
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of former Torquay United manager Allan Brown at the age of 84.
Allan made his name as a player with Blackpool and his team-mate included Sir Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen. He also won 14 caps for Scotland.
He managed the Gulls from January 1969 to October 1971 after he was appointed to succeed Frank O'Farrell. Coincidently, Allan had applied for the job that O'Farrell left Plainmoor to take, the Leicester City manager's job, before he arrived at Plainmoor.
Prior to taking charge of United, he had managed Wigan Athletic and Luton Town.
After taking charge of Torquay, Allan found himself busy in the transfer market, bringing in players such as John Rudge from Carlisle United for £7,000 and Tommy Mitchinson from Aston Villa for £6,000. He also sold fans' favourite Robin Stubbs to Bristol Rovers in a deal worth £12,000.
Under Allan's guidance, the Gulls finished 6th, 13th and 10th in the 1968-69, 1969-70 and 1970-71 seasons respectively.
In the 1970-71, they recorded their last league double over Plymouth Argyle to date.
Allan left Plainmoor early in the 1971-72 campaign after publicly stating in a post-match interview: "This team will get me the sack!"
Neverthless, during his tenure in charge of the Gulls, he had made the club in the region of £100,000 in transfer fees in a period that saw the average attendances at Plainmoor shrink from 9,000 to 6,000.
His post Plainmoor career saw him manage Bury, Nottingham Forest, where he was the predecessor of Brian Clough, and Southport.
He also had two spells as manager of Blackpool as well as a stint in Kuwait.
We would like to pass on our sincere condolenses to his family, friends and former team-mates.
Allan made his name as a player with Blackpool and his team-mate included Sir Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen. He also won 14 caps for Scotland.
He managed the Gulls from January 1969 to October 1971 after he was appointed to succeed Frank O'Farrell. Coincidently, Allan had applied for the job that O'Farrell left Plainmoor to take, the Leicester City manager's job, before he arrived at Plainmoor.
Prior to taking charge of United, he had managed Wigan Athletic and Luton Town.
After taking charge of Torquay, Allan found himself busy in the transfer market, bringing in players such as John Rudge from Carlisle United for £7,000 and Tommy Mitchinson from Aston Villa for £6,000. He also sold fans' favourite Robin Stubbs to Bristol Rovers in a deal worth £12,000.
Under Allan's guidance, the Gulls finished 6th, 13th and 10th in the 1968-69, 1969-70 and 1970-71 seasons respectively.
In the 1970-71, they recorded their last league double over Plymouth Argyle to date.
Allan left Plainmoor early in the 1971-72 campaign after publicly stating in a post-match interview: "This team will get me the sack!"
Neverthless, during his tenure in charge of the Gulls, he had made the club in the region of £100,000 in transfer fees in a period that saw the average attendances at Plainmoor shrink from 9,000 to 6,000.
His post Plainmoor career saw him manage Bury, Nottingham Forest, where he was the predecessor of Brian Clough, and Southport.
He also had two spells as manager of Blackpool as well as a stint in Kuwait.
We would like to pass on our sincere condolenses to his family, friends and former team-mates.
Monday, 18 April 2011
GRECIANS STRENGTHEN PLAY OFF BID
Following their win over Leyton Orient, Exeter City now lie five points off the League One Play-Off zone, leaving Grecians’ fans dreaming of possibly being involved in the end of the season showdown.
Exeter came out on top against fellow Play-Off hopefuls Orient 2-1 with veteran striker Jamie Cureton scoring twice.
This victory leaves the Grecians level on points (61 points) with their East London opponents, but one place behind them on goal difference, three points behind seventh placed Rochdale and five behind Bournemouth who occupy the final Play-Off spot that the four sides are currently battling it out for.
With four fixtures remaining, which include a home clash with Oldham Athletic, a trip to Tranmere Rovers on Easter Monday, the eagerly awaited Devon Derby clash with Plymouth Argyle before travelling to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday on the final day of the campaign.
To stand any chance of making the top six, the Grecians will probably need to secure at least ten points from the 12 they currently have to play for, which will mean they will need to win at least three of those remaining four matches.
It could also mean that the outcome of their season will come down to a final day decider. However, this is something that Exeter have become used to under Paul Tisdale.
In the 2007-08 season, they clinched promotion to the Football League via the Play-Off after beating Cambridge United at Wembley.
The following campaign saw them defeat Rotherham United on the final day of the regular 2008-09 season, which the Grecians secure automatic promotion from League Two.
These feats were followed up on the final day of last season when Exeter defeated Huddersfield Town to secure their League One status.
It is also worth noting that a top eight finish would see the Grecians equal or better their highest ever league finish.
Exeter came out on top against fellow Play-Off hopefuls Orient 2-1 with veteran striker Jamie Cureton scoring twice.
This victory leaves the Grecians level on points (61 points) with their East London opponents, but one place behind them on goal difference, three points behind seventh placed Rochdale and five behind Bournemouth who occupy the final Play-Off spot that the four sides are currently battling it out for.
With four fixtures remaining, which include a home clash with Oldham Athletic, a trip to Tranmere Rovers on Easter Monday, the eagerly awaited Devon Derby clash with Plymouth Argyle before travelling to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday on the final day of the campaign.
To stand any chance of making the top six, the Grecians will probably need to secure at least ten points from the 12 they currently have to play for, which will mean they will need to win at least three of those remaining four matches.
It could also mean that the outcome of their season will come down to a final day decider. However, this is something that Exeter have become used to under Paul Tisdale.
In the 2007-08 season, they clinched promotion to the Football League via the Play-Off after beating Cambridge United at Wembley.
The following campaign saw them defeat Rotherham United on the final day of the regular 2008-09 season, which the Grecians secure automatic promotion from League Two.
These feats were followed up on the final day of last season when Exeter defeated Huddersfield Town to secure their League One status.
It is also worth noting that a top eight finish would see the Grecians equal or better their highest ever league finish.
MATT HELPS POTTERS TO REACH CUP FINAL
The South West will be represented in this year’s FA Cup final after Stoke City’s Cornish winger Matthew Etherington helped the Potters’ defeat Bolton Wanderers to set up a meeting with big-spending Manchester City at Wembley.
Truro-born Etherington opened the scoring for Stoke as they defeated a crushing 5-0 defeat on the Trotters 5-0 in the Semi-Final meeting at Wembley.
After making his debut for Peterborough United in the 1996-97 season as a 15-year old joined Tottenham Hotspur in a joint deal with Simon Davies in 1999 and has also represented England at Youth and Under-21 level.
In 2003, Etherington joined West Ham United and helped the Hammers win promotion back to the top-flight in the 2005-06 season. He featured the West Ham starting XI in their Championship Play-Off final winning side at the Millennium Stadium.
A year later, he was back in Cardiff after the Hammers reached the FA Cup final where they were beaten on penalties by Liverpool after drawing 3-3 after 90 minutes and extra time.
Midway through the 2008-09 season, Etherington moved on to Stoke City and he has helped Tony Pulis’ side to establish themselves in the top-flight and now has a chance of picking up an FA Cup winners’ medal.
Other South West footballers to have appeared in FA Cup finals in recent include Etherington’s fellow Cornishman Nigel Martyn who kept goal for Crystal Palace in the 1990 final and Devonian Dan Gosling who appeared as a substitute for Everton against Chelsea in the 2009 final.
Truro-born Etherington opened the scoring for Stoke as they defeated a crushing 5-0 defeat on the Trotters 5-0 in the Semi-Final meeting at Wembley.
After making his debut for Peterborough United in the 1996-97 season as a 15-year old joined Tottenham Hotspur in a joint deal with Simon Davies in 1999 and has also represented England at Youth and Under-21 level.
In 2003, Etherington joined West Ham United and helped the Hammers win promotion back to the top-flight in the 2005-06 season. He featured the West Ham starting XI in their Championship Play-Off final winning side at the Millennium Stadium.
A year later, he was back in Cardiff after the Hammers reached the FA Cup final where they were beaten on penalties by Liverpool after drawing 3-3 after 90 minutes and extra time.
Midway through the 2008-09 season, Etherington moved on to Stoke City and he has helped Tony Pulis’ side to establish themselves in the top-flight and now has a chance of picking up an FA Cup winners’ medal.
Other South West footballers to have appeared in FA Cup finals in recent include Etherington’s fellow Cornishman Nigel Martyn who kept goal for Crystal Palace in the 1990 final and Devonian Dan Gosling who appeared as a substitute for Everton against Chelsea in the 2009 final.
BRANSTON NAMED IN PFA LEAGUE TWO XI
Torquay United central defender Guy Branston has seen his performances recognised by his fellow professionals by being selected in the PFA League Two Team of the Season for 2010-11.
Guy has been a rock of stability in the Torquay defence alongside fellow central defensive partners Chris Robertson and Mark Ellis, since he joined the Gulls from Burton Albion last summer, having originally been on loan at Plainmoor in the latter part of the 2009-10 campaign.
In being named in the PFA XI, Guy joins a list of Torquay players to have been named in the PFA Team of the Season in recent years that includes Rodney Jack (1997-98), Alex Russell (2002-03 & 2003-04) and David Graham (2003-04).
The Full League Two Team of the Year is as follows:
League 2 Team of the Year
Tommy Lee - Chesterfield
Damian Batt - Oxford United
Joe Skarz - Bury
Ian Sharps - Shrewsbury Town
Guy Branston - Torquay United
Gareth Ainsworth - Wycombe Wanderers
Danny Whittaker - Chesterfield
Nicky Law - Rotherham United
Ryan Lowe - Bury
Craig Davies - Chesterfield
Jimmy Ryan - Accrington Stanley
Guy has been a rock of stability in the Torquay defence alongside fellow central defensive partners Chris Robertson and Mark Ellis, since he joined the Gulls from Burton Albion last summer, having originally been on loan at Plainmoor in the latter part of the 2009-10 campaign.
In being named in the PFA XI, Guy joins a list of Torquay players to have been named in the PFA Team of the Season in recent years that includes Rodney Jack (1997-98), Alex Russell (2002-03 & 2003-04) and David Graham (2003-04).
The Full League Two Team of the Year is as follows:
League 2 Team of the Year
Tommy Lee - Chesterfield
Damian Batt - Oxford United
Joe Skarz - Bury
Ian Sharps - Shrewsbury Town
Guy Branston - Torquay United
Gareth Ainsworth - Wycombe Wanderers
Danny Whittaker - Chesterfield
Nicky Law - Rotherham United
Ryan Lowe - Bury
Craig Davies - Chesterfield
Jimmy Ryan - Accrington Stanley
Thursday, 14 April 2011
CURTIS MAKES ENGLAND BOW
Plymouth Argyle starlet Curtis Nelson made his debut for England Under-18's as a second half substitute against their Italian counterparts on Tuesday.
The side, coached by former Exeter City boss Noel Blake, drew 1-1 against the Italians in Carpi, near Modena. International recognition for the young defender is a well deserved reward for a player whose emergence has been one of the few bright spots in what has been a difficult season for the Pilgrims.
He returns to club duty on Saturday for Argyle when he faces another recent international debutant in the form of Peterborough United striker Craig Mackail-Smith, who featured for Scotland in their recent friendly against Brazil, as the Pilgrims face the Posh at London Road.
The side, coached by former Exeter City boss Noel Blake, drew 1-1 against the Italians in Carpi, near Modena. International recognition for the young defender is a well deserved reward for a player whose emergence has been one of the few bright spots in what has been a difficult season for the Pilgrims.
He returns to club duty on Saturday for Argyle when he faces another recent international debutant in the form of Peterborough United striker Craig Mackail-Smith, who featured for Scotland in their recent friendly against Brazil, as the Pilgrims face the Posh at London Road.
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