Always On My Mind

With numerous sides from the West Country involved in the League One relegation scrap, Nobes looks at why psychology could play an important part in surviving.

Yeovil Town, under Terry Skiverton, are well versed in relegation battles

The history books will not record 2010/11 as a vintage year in the West Country. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find a club from the area who have enjoyed a profitable season.

While Bristol City, many pundits dark horses in the Championship, have failed to fully recover from being rocked by Steve Coppell's brief tenure, three other clubs are involved in the fight for survival in League One.

Indeed, with Bristol Rovers currently propping up the rest in the third tier, it's fair to say that, for the city famous for its balloon festival, the last few months have been a deflating experience.

With local rivals Swindon and Yeovil are also embroiled in the relegation scrap, it's enough to make you hit the cider, with all three aiming to avoid a return to the basement division they believed they'd escaped for brighter times in the Noughties.

Arguably though, it is the smallest of the three clubs, Yeovil, who stand the best chance of staving off demotion. Finding themselves at the wrong end of League One isn't new territory for the Glovers.

Barring one appearance in the play offs under Russell Slade in 2007, the Somerset outfit have spent the rest of their six years in the third tier attempting to just to remain there.

Their highest finish is 15th, just six points above the bottom four, and in 2009 they ended up just a couple of points off relegation. They are seasoned strugglers.

While it's true that flirting once too often with the drop will ultimately result in the inevitable, Yeovil's relegation battle experience should actually work in their favour.

Former player, and current boss, Terry Skiverton is working under some of the tightest budget restrictions in the division, yet has a committed and hard working team well suited to the rigours of a dogfight.

A run of eight without a win actually saw them sitting bottom heading into 2011, but the Glovers have responded in typically pugnacious style. A run of 17 points from their first eight games of the New Year lifting them out of the drop zone.

While the manager will be the first to point out that they are by no means clear of trouble yet - they've suffered three successive defeats recently - they have given themselves a great chance of survival.

It's not just the experience of Skiverton's side which should serve them well though. Psychologically they also in a strong frame of mind.

Not only because they know how to win relegation battles, but because they expect to be involved in them.

Ambition must be curtailed when you're competing against much bigger and richer clubs once in the Premier League. While they can always dream of more, finishing fifth from bottom will always be a good year for a club who spent so many years in the Non Leagues.

It should therefore come as no surprise to fans at Huish Park to see their side once again giving a spirited attempt to maintain their third tier status. They are where they expected to be.

For supporters of Swindon and Bristol Rovers though, that couldn't be further from the truth. Neither the Robins or Gas were tipped to figure in the race to avoid League Two, yet both currently sit in the bottom four.

These are tough times for experienced Swindon manager Danny Wilson

It's been a dramatic fall of grace for both, particularly the Wiltshire side though, who were just 90 minutes away from a place in the Championship last season as they faced Millwall in the play off final.

Danny Wilson's team had arguably overachieved in reaching the showpiece occasion, and on the day found themselves out fought and out played by the Lions, losing 1-0.

However, their struggles towards the foot of the table this term have been equally surprising. While they lost key players Gordon Greer and Billy Paynter during the summer, they still appeared to have more than enough to remain in the top half.

It's even more of a surprise considering the experienced manager successfully bounced back from play off heartache while boss at Bristol City to qualify for the top six again in the next campaign.

Not so with the other Robins of Swindon who, after selling striker Charlie Austin to Burnley in January, now appear to be taking on the appearance of a ship quickly sinking back to League Two, four years after promotion from it.

That came under Paul Sturrock, who guided Swindon to 3rd place in 2007, ironically just behind Wilson's Hartlepool. Now both manager and club could be returning to the basement division.

The winners of the play offs that year were Bristol Rovers, and the Gas look near certainties to return to the fourth tier of English football after a nightmarish campaign.

In truth, the rot had set in under previous boss Paul Trollope in the second half of last season, despite Rovers ultimately ending up 10th in the league.

A poor start to the current campaign saw Trollope dismissed before Christmas with the club in the drop zone. Replacement Dave Penney has been able to reverse the slide though.

Rovers have lost their last five games, and with 65 goals conceded have the most porous back line in League One.

At the moment, the long awaited re-development of their Memorial Stadium looks more likely of happening than the Gas do of surviving - and that's saying something.

All in all, it's a long way from the "false position" Rovers defender Byron Anthony was complaining his side found themselves in at the turn of the year.

Meanwhile, Colchester boss John Ward, before his side's 2-1 weekend win over Swindon, suggested Wilson's side have "too many good players to be a bottom four team."

New signing Elliot Benyon was also bullish on Town's hopes claiming that his new boss hasn't even mentioned relegation and "it'll all be forgotten" after a couple of wins.

Too good to go down? Not even talking about relegation? It's the kind of naive rhetoric which so often results in dropping down a division come the end of the season.

True, there's always room for positive thinking, but the shock of players at Rovers and Swindon at finding themselves in such a precarious position can't be understated.

After beginning with such optimism in August, they are now in the position of having to change their mind set and gear up for a fight to the end, scrapping for every point and focusing purely on survival.

In other words, they must successfully adopt Yeovil's mentality and hope that, like their smaller neighbours, it can fit like a glove.

Return Of The Mick

With Mick Wadsworth confirmed as Hartlepool boss until the end of the season, Nobes looks at other managers who've made a return to the game after a long absence.

Mick Wadsworth was last in charge of a League club back in 2003

The longer you're gone, the harder it is to return. So goes the theory when it comes to football management.

Stay on the sidelines rather than the touchline, and you'll soon disappear altogether - doomed to some kind of coaching or scouting role or, even worse, a TV pundit.

However, seven years after leaving his last League manager's job at Huddersfield - albeit he had a brief spell in charge at Non League Chester - Mick Wadsworth is back in management at Hartlepool.

After a successful spell as caretaker following the resignation of Chris Turner, the 60-year-old has been handed the reins until the end of the season with the, long-overdue realistic, brief of keeping Pools in League One.

It's an unexpected opportunity for the Yorkshireman, who has never managed to follow up initial success at Carlisle in the '90s at the likes of Colchester, Oldham, and Scarborough.

However, he's not the only manager to make a return after time away. Here's my top-10 rundown of some of football's returnees - and how successful they were on their comeback.


10. Nigel Spackman

Spackman was fired from his job at Barnsley in 2001 with the Reds struggling towards the foot of the Championship.

He spent the next five years working as a TV pundit but, in 2006, was the surprise choice as new boss at Millwall.

The Lions had been relegated to League One and Spackman rebuilt the squad during the summer.

A slow start saw the 49-year-old sacked with the Londoners near the foot of the table.

Verdict: A long time out of the game was followed by a brief and hugely unsuccessful return to the dugout. Best to stick to the TV studio in the future.


9. Gary Peters

The Londoner led the renaissance of Preston North End when the Lancashire club had been toiling in the basement division.

However, he was exiled from management for five years after leaving Deepdale in 1998.

On his return he walked into the mess at Exeter City - fighting for survival in the Football League.

Despite an almost miraculous end of season run, he was unable to save the Grecians from the drop and departed weeks later.

Verdict: Did extremely well to almost save Exeter and then went on to guide Shrewsbury to within 90 minutes of League One in 2007 before being harshly sacked soon after. A proven lower league manager.


8. Bryan Hamilton

After ending a second spell in charge at Wigan in 1993, Hamilton took over as national team manager of Northern Ireland.

He spent four years in that role and was out of the game for another couple until gaining a surprise return at Norwich in 2000.

The Canaries were struggling in the Championship and Hamilton steadied the ship. However, before the end of the year he had resigned his position.

Verdict: Instantly forgettable return to club management following an undistinguished spell in the international game. Management days are well behind now, which is why he's working in the media.


7. Gary Johnson

Johnson earned his reputation leading Yeovil from the Conference to League One at the start of the last decade.

However, he had first sampled League management at Cambridge United before departing in 1995.

After a brief spell at Kettering he then moved abroad - taking charge of the Latvian national team and laying the foundations that saw them qualify for Euro 2004.

He returned to England at Yeovil in 2001, winning promotion with them in 2003 - and managing in the League again a full eight years after his last crack.

Verdict: The time away worked. He thrived on his return and after leaving Yeovil he subsequently guided Bristol City to promotion from League One and the Championship play off final. Now at Peterborough.


6. Kenny Jackett

First as a player and then later a coach, Jackett served under Graham Taylor at Watford before assuming the top job in 1996.

However, a poor League One campaign saw him relegated back to Taylor's assistant and he later had a spell as Ian Holloway's right hand man at QPR.

He returned to try his hand as the main man at Swansea in 2004 - and took the Welsh club to promotion in his first full season.

Twelve months later, he secured the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and only a penalty shoot out in the League One play off final prevented the Swans from making it successive promotions.

Verdict: Watching Millwall, it's not hard to see the influence of Taylor and Holloway on Jackett's style. However, he has proved successful in guiding both the Lions and Swansea to promotion as a manager. Deserves respect.


5. Brian Talbot

Talbot began the 1991/2 campaign as Aldershot boss - he was gone after a few months, and the club were as well not long after.

After time overseas in Malta he returned home to join the coaching staff at ambitious Rushden & Diamonds - eventually becoming manager in 1999.

Maybe it was those eight years away, or maybe it was the ridiculous money being spent, but he led Diamonds into the Football League in 2001 and two years later they were in the third tier.

Verdict: It was the money. Talbot's subsequent struggles at Oldham and Oxford were more illustrative of his managerial capabilities. In truth, he landed on his feet gaining the Rushden job when he did.


4. Nigel Pearson

Along with the help of one Jimmy Glass, Pearson helped rescue Carlisle from relegation to the Conference in 1999.

However, he didn't stay on at Brunton Park and instead spent the next nine years on the coaching staff at the likes of Stoke, West Brom, and Newcastle.

Once his next managerial role came along though - he once again found himself in a relegation scrap.

However, a final day escape act at Southampton in 2008 proved he hadn't lost his skills in brinkmanship.

Verdict: Left Saints that summer and then took Leicester to League One glory followed by the Championship play offs last season. Now at Hull, he seems to have benefited from learning his trade as an assistant.


3. John Barnes

Okay, I'll hold my hands up, Tranmere's appointment of Barnes last summer was not technically a Football League management return.

However, any chance to recount that hilarious decision - as well his legendary Soccer AM/MW status - must be taken.

Barnes was, of course, installed as part of a dream managerial ticket alongside Kenny Dalglish at Glasgow Celtic in 1999.

It turned into more of a nightmare, albeit a short-lived one. Much like his time at Prenton Park nine years later.

Verdict: First place in the 2008 Caribbean Championships as Jamaica coach will, you feel, always be the pinnacle of Barnes's managerial career. Tranmere's gamble was always doomed to fail - they were lucky it didn't cost them their League One spot.


2. Paul Hart

The proverbial London Bus boss, at one point Hart had to wait a full decade between managerial jobs but then got through three just last season.

Hart was fired from basement division Chesterfield in 1991 and reverted to youth team football at Leeds and then Nottingham Forest.

He got his chance at the top job at the City Ground in 2001 after the departure of David Platt and, after a slow start, guided Forest to the Championship play offs in 2003.

There, they lost to Sheffield United, and a dreadful sequence of results that left them fighting relegation the next season saw him dismissed.

Verdict: After Forest came Barnsley, then Rushden, then Portsmouth, QPR, and finally Crystal Palace. Hart has the dubious honour of being sacked from a club in each of the top five tiers. Best to stick to bringing through the youngsters.


1. Richard Money

When Richard Money left his job as Scunthorpe boss in 1994 he still had a full head of hair.

In-between then and his return to English football in 2006 at Walsall it had mostly gone.

Those 12 years away saw him work at Aston Villa and Coventry before moving abroad to Sweden and then Australia.

His appointment at the Saddlers was out of the blue - but, thanks to a resolute defence, he led the Black Country outfit to the League Two title in his first season.

Verdict: A stunning return to League management. More than a decade away, but Money instantly turned around Walsall's fortunes. Now at the helm of Conference side Luton, where he is once again plotting a promotion push.

Magic Moments

With 11 Non League sides competing in the FA Cup this weekend, Nobes considers whether - when compared to Cup exploits of the past - the competition is still "magic."

Hereford's victory over Newcastle in 1972 has gone down in history

Maybe it's because my club are notoriously poor in it, or perhaps, as Turls so often points out, it's because I'm dead inside, but the FA Cup doesn't particularly hold much excitement for me.

Excuse me for not thinking a competition which, since the inception of the Premier League, has managed to conjure up just six different winners in 18 years is "magic."

After all, we all know what happens, when it comes to the crunch - it's the big guns who are left standing. Only once, when three Championship clubs reached the 2008 semis, has the competition had any diversity.

Of course, by then, the teams at the lower end of the ladder have long since departed - after getting far too many people overly excited and waving around ridiculous home made FA Cup cut-outs covered with tin foil. Seriously, nothing better to do with your time?

Still, before risking another broadside from Turls and, in an attempt to prove I do have something inside me, I'd thought I'd take a little time to reflect on the success of Non League sides in the oldest cup competition in the world.

Who knows, too, the likes of Swindon Supermarine, Droylsden, and Chelmsford could cause an upset of their own if things go well for them this weekend.

While those three, and other, Non League outfits will be hoping to make the back pages on Sunday however, they will be do well to go down in the history books. Giant killing just isn't what it used to be.

Any talk about Non League giant killers, inevitably, must include the names of Yeovil, Altrincham, Hereford, and Sutton United.

Yeovil, now in League One of course, claimed 20 Football League victims during their time in the Non Leagues. It's a record that's still not been beaten.

Most famously, more than 16,000 saw them eliminate top flight Sunderland in 1949 at their old Huish ground with its infamous sloping pitch.

Alty, meanwhile, have knocked out 16 League teams over the years - which is a record for a club who have exclusively played all their football outside the top four tiers of the game.

They're still the most recent Non League side to dump out a top flight side on their own patch, too - beating Birmingham in 1986 at St Andrews. The likes of Wigan and Sheffield United have also suffered at the hands of the Manchester outfit.

Indeed, there was time when Non League sides could knock out top flight clubs. Need I really mention the words "Hereford," "Newcastle," and "Radford again," again?

Yes, that infamous 1972 game at Edgar Street which earned the Bulls so much kudos it helped them gain election into the Football League. It also launched the commentary career of a certain John Motson. Some have been cursing that match ever since.

In all seriousness though, could you really envisage Newcastle losing to the likes of Conference clubs Gateshead or Bath these days? Of course not. They wouldn't even lose to Hereford - currently struggling in League Two.

Will we ever again see the like of Sutton United defeating the FA Cup winners of just two years previously - as they did when overcoming Coventry in 1989? I doubt it.

Not that Non League clubs haven't come close since. Nobody will ever forget the heroics of first Exeter and then Burton, during their respective times in the Conference, holding Manchester United to 0-0 draws.

They both lost their replays, but had caused a storm along the way - as well as raising some serious cash.

However, perhaps that's the saddest thing of all now, is the FA Cup a "magic" competition because of the results it can throw up on the pitch or for the coffers?

Money is always spoken about when it comes to the draw - getting the plum away tie in front of the biggest gate possible, and maybe getting some live TV coverage, too.

Havant & Waterlooville led at Anfield - but they ended up losing

Any serious talk of the top flight club being tumbled would see the Non League manager carted off by the men in white coats. They know it's never going to happen again.

Instead, for the intrepid 11 Non League teams who go into battle over the next few days, an FA Cup run is about pocketing as much money as they can and then returning to their league campaign.

It's cynical but, in these harsh economic times, probably an understandable point of view. Better to just accept it rather than talk of "magic" though. Yes, ITV, I'm looking at you.

Of course, I would expect any accusations of a lack of "magic" in the Cup would be vehemently denied by supporters of Havant & Waterlooville or Kettering.

The former famously led twice at Anfield against Liverpool in the fourth round of 2008 before going down 5-2. The Kettles, too, reached round four in 2009 when they gave a scare to top flight Fulham before eventually losing 4-2.

Indeed, two years ago, eight Non League outfits were still in the competition when the big boys of the Premier League and Championship entered the fray - breaking the previous record dating back 30 years.

That's where the run stopped for the likes of Blyth Spartans, Eastwood Town, Forest Green, and Histon though. Not quite as magical a cup as it once was.

The best a Non League side can do, it seems, is try and emulate Kidderminster - the last team from outside the Football League to reach the Fifth Round having seen off both Birmingham and Preston on their 1994 route.

In recent years, too, Chasetown became the lowest ranked side ever to reach the Third Round when they faced Cardiff in 2008 as a Southern League Division One Midlands team - the eighth tier of the game.

Given the right draw and a bit of luck on the day, a Non League side can upset the odds and put together a good run.

Has the gap between the haves and have nots become so large though that the real upsets - those of the like of Yeovil and Hereford - will never be seen again?

Even my own Boston United managed to write themselves into the FA Cup record books with a 6-1 win at Derby in 1955. The biggest win for a Non League side away at a League team.

Such a convincing margin would never happen in the 21st century. Certainly not courtesy of the Skyrockets anyway, after our customary October exit.

Which leads me onto a concluding thought - if a Non League side doesn't really need the money and have bigger fish to fry - namely winning promotion or avoiding relegation - is an FA Cup run really desirable?

It can lead to a pile up of games due to postponements and a huge backlog of fixtures in the second half of the campaign when injuries and suspensions begin to hit home.

Could we see the day that, like a top flight club with the League Cup, a Non League team simply throws away a FA Cup run. If it's only about getting the money, then what's the point progressing in a competition you've no real chance in?

After all, is the possibility of winning a title or promotion really worth sacrificing over chasing a day out at one of the top grounds where an inevitable defeat awaits? Could the magic die even at the lowest levels?

Something tells me that won't be occupying the thoughts of those Non League teams still competing this weekend though. History is ready and waiting to be made - and me proved wrong.

Just excuse me if I'm focusing on my bread and butter.

Fan Files: Yeovil Town

You might be under the impression we actually know what we're talking about. Sometimes we do.

However, there's no substitute for first hand experience, so, once more, it's time to delve into the Fan Files and ask those in the know about what's really happening at their club.

On this occasion, we turn the spotlight on League One strugglers Yeovil Town.

Glovers fan Ben Barrett has been following the fortunes of his side since 2001.

So Ben, what's the best moment been following Yeovil?

Actually, it came during the first season - not to say I haven't had more. To be at Villa Park to watch us win the FA Trophy against Stevenage was pretty special.

I was in the front row and the late Adam Stansfield ran straight into our section of supporters after scoring. That was the moment I was hooked and a fan for life.

The whole day showed me what supporting Yeovil can be like - the fun of an early morning pounding up and down motorways, an incredible atmosphere, and seeing Gary Johnson's men triumph was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

What about the worst moment?

I've been very lucky. I began supporting after the horrible season in the mid-1990s which saw us relegated from the Conference - so I have seen nothing but a rise through the leagues.

I've seen us win the FA Trophy, the Conference a year later, and then League Two not long after that.

I was convinced a couple of years ago that we were destined for the drop from League One - but even that had a happy ending when a returning hero, 'keeper Chris Weale, scored against Hereford to ensure our survival.

On a personal note, the worst day for me was in 2004 when I missed the Yeovil/Liverpool FA Cup game just a day after my birthday.

Gary Johnson was the architect of Yeovil's rise up the divisions

I've been unfortunate to miss that, and the epic FA Trophy semi final against Doncaster - which some fans speak of as a better day than the final itself.

I'm a generally positive supporter and can honestly say that we might not always win or play particularly well, but I can usually find some positives.

Losing 4-0 and 5-0 to Leeds and Brighton within a few days of each other during Terry Skiverton's first season was about as depressed as I have ever been.

How's this season going then? On the face of it, lower mid-table and keeping your head above water looks just about par-for-the-course for Yeovil?

It's probably been the hardest season to comment on. We've played out of our skins against sides like Huddersfield, Southampton, and Sheffield Wednesday.

Then there have been howling performances against Exeter and Hartlepool - who are teams we should consider beatable.

Being a lower mid-table side is pretty much spot on for a club of our size, value, and budget - although that's probably not in the hearts and minds of our supporters and the biggest of them all is Terry Skiverton.

At the start of the season the key word was 'progression.' We wanted to get ourselves safe and secure as quickly as possible and push on.

Most pundits would have us favourites to finish rock bottom and slowly wither away back into Non League where we belong. I don't think that's in Skivo's script.

On a tiny budget we have brought together one of the best squads I have ever had the pleasure of watching.

Dean Bowditch is a key man up front for the Glovers

I have fallen in love a bit - okay, quite a lot - with Adam Virgo who, despite not being the quickest, has filled filled the gap Skiverton created by taking the step into management.

We've got some great wingers for this level and Dean Bowditch - who has the ability to finish a chance off at the drop of a hat.

If everyone is honest, to still be talking about League One next season would be nice. To be playing sides dropping out of the Championship rather than the ones getting promoted out of the Conference is always preferable.

I genuinely think there is a belief in the squad that we can cause some teams whose size, fan base, and history suggests they should finish above us problems, and push towards the top half of the table. Beyond that - who knows?

You famously defeated Nottingham Forest on the way to play off final heartbreak against Blackpool in 2007. Could you see the Glovers ever hitting those same heights again in League One?

That night in Nottingham is tattooed on the inside of my eyelids - I see it when I sleep, I remember it as if it were yesterday.

You just don't go to Nottingham Forest and put five past them, you just don't. Will we ever see that day again? I would love to think so. The club certainly thinks so.

I was lucky enough to spend some time at the club a couple of years back and staff, supporters, and players that I spoke to were 100 per cent sure that Yeovil are a Championship club in the making. They didn't know when it would happen, they were just sure it would.

Putting things into perspective, for Yeovil to go up would be another story much like we have seen with Scunthorpe and Blackpool.

We haven't a young squad, one with some key players that we would have to keep hold of for a while yet - players like Bowditch, Virgo, and Paul Huntington.

Russell Slade guided Town to the play off final in 2007

Ones we've also had for a while like Nathan Smith and Craig Alcock would have to turn transfers down and remain loyal for things to really move forward.

We all need to remember that Skiverton and his management team are learning as well, so a few mistakes might well creep in from time to time.

I am convinced we can, and will, take the 2007 experience, build on it, then better it. It might not be this season, or next, but it will happen.

Of course, your boss Terry Skiverton stepped up to be manager after many years as a player. How has he found it, and how have the fans had to adjust to now criticising a much-loved figure?

Terry is Mr Yeovil. He arrived at the club in 1999 as a bit of a squad booster, but he has never looked back. He has done it all at the club - from cleaning boots, to lifting trophies, to running the side in the space of ten years.

That meteoric-level of rise can bring the odd mistake, but supporters were made aware of this by his own honesty and pleas to bear with him and assistant Nathan Jones as they mould the club the way that they want it.

At first, people doubted his contacts book and there were concerns that we were in for a line of Non League nobodies and Gary Johnson's 'hand-me-downs.'

Credit to him though, he is out most weeks of the night watching football somewhere, whether it is Bristol City's first team or a Tottenham under-18's you can find him or one of his team out.

He might not always be scouting, sometimes he just wants to learn or add another number to his phone book.

Fans trust him because he loves Yeovil. Nathan Jones still plays occasionally, while Darren Way is another legend, and Ben Roberts has come in and bought into the idea. When everyone sings from the same hymn sheet the result is usually much better.

Skiverton and Jones are the young managerial team at Huish Park

Supporters have voiced their concerns on some things - like why Virgo has played up front or why we don't have a permanent goalkeeper on the books.

It seems we all agree, though, that the club has someone at the club who feels every loss as much as we do and so wants to get it right. In Skivo we trust.

How about your early impressions of this season's League One? Any surprise packages at either end, or is it, like most divisions, increasingly becoming a case of the haves and have nots?

It has been an odd season. Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday stuttered while Exeter and Bournemouth flew out of the traps. Plymouth can't buy a string of results while Brighton lead the way.

It is the cliche of the season to say: "Anyone can beat anyone." It's true though. Our recent form has been nothing short of shocking - we rarely win away from home and often we don't take many fans. To beat Walsall and Rochdale on their own patches then was incredible.

The sides will probably begin filtering out into their rightful positions by Christmas and it'll be interesting to see which clubs remain where they are.

Getting a run of six or seven games unbeaten together could be the difference between 5th and 15th come May - so it's hard to predict.

What I saw of Huddersfield and Southampton recently suggests they have enough to go up. I fear for Tranmere though.

Yeovil have had some success over recent years loaning youth players from Premier League sides like Tottenham. Do you think this is the way forward for smaller clubs in the lower divisions?

Personally, I love having these young loanees. Tottenham recently gave Steven Caulker his first start in a white shirt and he deserved it for the way he played at Yeovil last season.

It's that sort of impression that has led Arsenal to send us Luke Freeman and Manchester United send down Cameron Stewart.

Steven Caulker impressed at Yeovil before being given his break at Spurs

Players like Owain Tudor-Jones and Shaun MacDonald have not just come on loan once, but sometimes two or three times.

It is becoming more and more evident that these teams are seeing Yeovil as a perfect place to give these young lads a taste of proper football. It is then up to the gaffer to find the right mix, something which I think he has got right this time around.

Would we prefer Gavin Williams to be ours rather than Bristol City's? Of course. The same applies to others. I know some people don't like it, but I do.

To finish with then, what's the best thing about being a Yeovil Town supporter?

There are many good things about supporting Yeovil. My personal favourites are that it is never boring - we are always doing something interesting.

Mostly though that other clubs come to us and go home with or without three points and say stuff like, "Yeovil are a credit to the Football League," or, "I can't wait to go back there next season."

To see our fans clap Nottingham Forest supporters out of the City Ground the year after the play off game was incredible.

Forest had secured promotion by beating us, yet Glovers fans lined up along their coaches clapping, shaking hands, and enjoying Forest's moment just as they had allowed us to do 12 months previously.

That is what makes Yeovil one of the best clubs in the League, that and Adam Virgo's enormous shorts.

Ben, thanks for chatting with Soccer AM/MW.

What if... re-election hadn't ended?

Our series where we take a look back at pivotal moments in Football League history continues as Nobes asks what would have happened had automatic promotion from the Non Leagues not been introduced?

Walls come tumbling down: change was in the air 23 years ago

It's with a huge degree of bias that I say the following: 1987 was a special year. Indeed, there was plenty going on 23 years ago.

Maggie Thatcher was wrapping up a second landslide victory to stay in Number 10 for a third term. She then gave the go ahead for the Channel Tunnel to be constructed.

It was also the year of the Great Storm - Britain's worst for nearly 300 years - that battered parts of south and east England. Famously, the previous evening BBC weatherman Michael Fish had dismissed the storm happening.

In popular culture, Americans first caught a glimpse of a TV family called The Simpsons.

After far too many years of an ageing Roger Moore as James Bond getting cosy with much too young lasses we had a new 007, as well, with Timothy Dalton taking over the reins.

Things, it seemed, were changing. Typified by, perhaps, the most famous quote of all 1987 from US President Ronald Reagan who, on a visit to Berlin, demanded: "Mr Gorbachev - tear down this wall!"

That wouldn't happen for another couple of years. However, one barrier was being removed a little closer to home - that between the Football and Non Leagues.

Up until 1987, clubs seeking to gain promotion to the Football League from the Conference had to be elected by current League members.

It was the ultimate 'closed shop' with members able to prevent new clubs joining in favour of keeping the established order in place.

Indeed, the first eight winners of the Conference - established as the outright top division of Non League football in 1979 - failed to win election to the league.

Things had to change - and, in '87, they did. For the first time, the side who finished 92nd in the Football League would drop out of the top four tiers and be replaced by the Conference winners - as long as their ground met regulations.

So, it was probably appropriate that, in May 1987, Starship sat on top of the UK charts with 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now.' It was the prevailing mood among the ambitious clubs of the Conference desperate for their chance in the big time.

Neil Warnock and Martin O'Neill both led clubs into the Football League

That feeling was exhibited no more than on the North Sea coast - where the seaside town of Scarborough was celebrating their team having soared to the Conference title under the management of an ambitious Yorkshireman called Neil Warnock.

The Seadogs were to take their place in the Football League - eventually replacing Lincoln City - relegated after a frantic final day scrap also involving Torquay, and former English champions, Burnley.

The Imps became the first club to ever automatically be relegated from the 92 club - although they bounced back at the first attempt. No doubt they were thankful for the same rule they were cursing only 12 months earlier.

It was the beginning of the constant flow between the two divisions which - albeit thrice interrupted in the mid-1990s because of the condition of the grounds of the Conference winners - has become a natural feature of the English game.

In doing so, too, it opened the door to so many clubs previously restricted to try and make their mark in the Football League.

Just imagine, for a minute though, what might have happened had re-election not been scrapped? What if the team who won the Conference had to rely on a vote to gain membership of the Football League?

Without the change to the rules in 1987, what would fate have held for the likes of Wycombe Wanderers - Buckinghamshire's first professional club long before the MK Dons came into existence?

The Chairboys gained entry into the Football League in 1993 under Martin O'Neill and soon established themselves in what is now League One - remaining there for a decade.

In the past 17 years, they've also made it both the League Cup and FA Cup semi finals - memorably giving Chelsea and Liverpool runs for their respective money. Without automatic promotion, it may never have happened.

Yeovil Town, too, finally reached the promised land in 2004 after near misses in elections. After winning promotion in only their second season, they're now in their sixth consecutive season in the third tier.

Two clubs who, until the rules were changed, would never have been able to be the credit to the Football League they have become. Two counties in Buckinghamshire and Somerset that would never have enjoyed 92 club status.

Some could argue that they would have got there eventually. With persistence, a vote would have gone their way.

Altrincham's Moss Lane could have been a Football League ground in the '80s

Possibly, but history also shows that clubs who missed the boat have never got as close again.

Take the example of Enfield. The Hertfordshire outfit won the Conference title in 1983 and 1986 - the final season of re-election. They missed out in the vote on both occasions.

It was to prove their high point. The club spiralled back down the pyramid and financial problems eventually saw them wound up and a new club created in 2007.

Altrincham, too, are another club who seemed to have missed the Football League boat. The Greater Manchester outfit won the first two Conference titles but lost out in the re-election process both times.

That included, in 1980, losing out by just a single vote. Although they are still in the Conference, they are now a small fish competing alongside a plethora of ex-League teams. They may never return to those same heights.

For every Yeovil, Wycombe, or Boston - who lost out on a vote in 1978 before finally winning promotion in 2002 - there are clubs like Wealdstone and Runcorn who drifted into obscurity when they didn't win election as Conference champions.

The Football League landscape could look very different to what it does now - and not just with the teams who could have made it, but those who've dropped down.

This season's Conference has more of a look of a 'League Three' about it than the top division of Non League football. True, there are still Histons and Eastbournes.

However, a division including the likes of Luton, Grimsby, Mansfield, Wrexham, York, Darlington, and Cambridge deserves respect.

The second relegation place - following on from the removal of re-election - has not only opened the door to many Non League outfits, but also seen an increase in the quality and size of clubs in the Conference.

It's also unlikely the likes of Carlisle, Exeter, Shrewsbury, or Oxford - all relegated from League Two before being subsequently re-promoted - would have ever lost a re-election vote.

All four clubs dropped down but returned stronger than when they went down into the Non Leagues. Arguably, it allowed them to start again and get things moving in the right direction.

Would the Crewe and Dario Gradi story have been the same without re-election?

With re-election, they could have survived by the skin of their teeth and never found any forward momentum - continuing instead to toil around the lower reaches of the basement division.

The argument could even be extended further - what if re-election had never existed in the first place? With the bottom club immediately being relegated, things could have been massively different.

For instance, how about that bastion of good football, producing young talent, and punching above their weight? Crewe Alexandra may be a neutral's favourite, but no club has finished bottom of the Football League more often.

On eight occasions, Alex have finished propping everyone else up. Most recently in 1984, when they survived re-election and temporarily denied Maidstone United a place in the Football League.

Had they slipped down in '84 - the first season under the management of one Dario Gradi - what would have happened to the conveyor belt of talent that produced the likes of David Platt, Danny Murphy, and Robbie Savage?

The Cheshire club may never have enjoyed the success they did in competing in the second tier for a number of years had they lost any one of their re-election votes.

It's also unlikely the term the 'Rochdale Division' would ever have entered the footballing lexicon had Dale lost one of a number of re-election votes they had to endure.

Most notably, just one vote saw them survive the drop in 1980 at the expense of the aforementioned Altrincham. Even in 1978, it was Southport who took the drop at their expense when Wigan Athletic entered the Football League.

Dale spent 36 consecutive seasons in the basement division until promotion last term - nobody has spent a longer continuous spell in it.

They also hold the dubious record of having the lowest average position of all the continuous members of the Football League in the past 90 years. Crucially, though, because of their continued election victories, they are continuous.

However, had they slipped down into the Non Leagues, what would have happened to the Spotland outfit? With so many clubs surrounding them in Lancashire, how long would they have taken to return, if ever?

Fortunately, such questions are no longer restricted to the hypothetical. Common sense prevailed back in '87. The closed shop opened its doors - improved immeasurably for it - and has never looked back since.

It was 1987, truly a special year.

Saints and Sinners

After Southampton's decision to fire boss Alan Pardew, Nobes looks at some of the other unwarranted managerial sackings that defied belief.

Pardew was given just three games at the start of the season at Saints

It's the kind of shocking sacking that, quite frankly, we shouldn't find so surprising.

Given the strength of their squad, Southampton's decision to sack Alan Pardew may not cost them promotion. It has certainly lost them much respect and raised questions about those running the club though.

The dismissal of the former West Ham boss just three games into the new season, and particularly after Saturday's 4-0 win at Bristol Rovers, seems incredibly harsh.

Whatever the reasons - results motivated or otherwise - it's hard to justify sacking a proven manager at that level.

Then again, it's not the first sacking, and certainly won't be the last, to bemuse onlookers. Here's my rundown of some of the worst Football League sackings of recent times.


10. Colin Lee - Walsall

You couldn't help but feel for Colin Lee when he was given the boot from the Saddlers in 2004.

After Plymouth expressed an interest in taking Lee to Home Park, Walsall gave him permission to talk to the Pilgrims.

However, after deciding to remain in the West Midlands, he was sacked by chairman Jeff Bonser for a lack of loyalty and creating 'uncertainty' around the club.

It was to prove costly for Walsall though. Up until then they had been winning their battle against relegation from the Championship.

After Lee's departure they lost three of their remaining four games and dropped into League One. They've never been back to the second tier since.


9. Eric Black - Coventry City

So angry were Coventry fans at the sacking of Eric Black in 2004 that they staged a 'Black Day' protest for replacement Peter Reid's first home game in charge.

The Scot had only been in charge of the Sky Blues for four months and had led them into the top half playing an attractive brand of football.

Despite picking up 29 points in his 18 games though, chairman Mike McGinnity said the team had been too 'inconsistent' and fired Black.

Replacement Reid failed to do anywhere near as well, and was sacked less than a year later after poor results and even worse football.


8. Peter Jackson - Huddersfield Town

Jackson had two spells in charge of the Terriers - whom he had played for during his career, too. It was his first departure which caused most angst, though.

He had taken over in 1997 with the Yorkshire outfit fighting relegation from the Championship.

After keeping them up he then took them to 10th the following campaign.

However, the popular manager was then sacked and replaced by 'big-name' Steve Bruce - who was sacked after a poor start to the 2000/1 season.

It ended with Town being relegated to the third, and later fourth, tier. Only on Jackson's return in 2003 did he immediately take Town back into League One and they only missed out on a return to the Championship in the play offs in 2006.


7. Gary Peters - Shrewsbury Town

The former Preston boss had turned around Salop's fortunes since joining them in 2004.

He kept Shrewsbury in the Football League and then set about building a team capable of challenging at the right end.

That culminated in the 2007 play off final where, despite taking the lead, they lost out to Bristol Rovers at Wembley.

Despite so much progress, a sticky spell in the following campaign - his first at the club - saw him promptly dismissed.

Successor Paul Simpson was granted huge funds to gain promotion but could only match Peters with a play off final defeat to Gillingham in 2009. Had Peters had similar money to spend, Town probably would have been promoted by now.


6. Gareth Southgate - Middlesbrough

Southgate had been at the helm as Boro crashed out of the Premier League after 11 seasons in the big time.

However, he had been given the opportunity to get them back at the first attempt - and seemed to be making a good fist of it.

A 2-0 win against Derby saw Boro lying 4th after 13 games - just a single point off top spot.

However, Southgate was then sacked and in came former Southampton manager Gordon Strachan.

The Teessiders' form dropped off remarkably and they ended the season in 11th - a full 40 points behind Champions Newcastle United.


5. Danny Wilson - Hartlepool United

After relegation to the basement division in 2006, Pools turned to the experienced Danny Wilson to help get them back up into League One.

He did so - and at the first time of asking.

United finished 2nd - missing out on the title by a single point - and then he helped re-establish them back in the third tier with a respectable finish of 15th.

A solid start to the next season saw Pools in the top half but, after successive draws saw them drop to 13th in December, he was sacked.

They finished that season in 19th - a single point above the drop zone, and last term only survived on goal difference. Slipping out of the top half suddenly doesn't seem so bad now.


4. Ian Atkins - Oxford United

When Oxford beat Cheltenham 1-0, they sat 4th in the League Two standings - a point off the automatic promotion places.

They had only been beaten once at home all season and, with nine games of the season remaining, looked a sure bet for at least a place in the play offs.

Despite that good form, manager Ian Atkins had not been offered a new deal.

With his current one due to expire in the summer, he signed a pre-contract agreement to take over at Bristol Rovers for the next season.

Chairman Firoz Kassam decided to fire Atkins and appointed Graham Rix in his stead.

However, Rix's attempt to get a direct team to play passing football failed spectacularly as one win in their last nine saw Oxford miss out on the top seven altogether.


3. Russell Slade - Yeovil Town

Most pundits predicted a struggle for Yeovil when Russell Slade was appointed in 2006.

However, the season ended with the Glovers at Wembley - where they only lost out to Blackpool in the play off final.

Slade had taken a club punching above their weight to stay in League One to within 90 minutes of the Championship.

On meagre resources, it was a fantastic achievement.

It saw him linked to other jobs, but Town rebuffed any approaches. Yeovil ended up 18th the next year and the following campaign was another battle against the drop - but four straight wins in the New Year saw them comfortably in mid table.

However, he was then jettisoned from Huish Park due to a 'breakdown' in his relationship with the board. Town won just three of their remaining 17 games and stayed up by just a couple of points.



2. Ronnie Moore - Tranmere Rovers

Moore had been a great striker for Rovers, and returned to the club as manager in 2006.

In his first two seasons in charge he guided the Wirral outfit to 9th and 11th in League One.

The next term saw Rovers once again mount a push for the top six and they finished 7th, only narrowly missing on the play offs out by a couple of points.

However, the board decided to axe Moore - blaming him for falling attendances - and appointed former Liverpool and England winger John Barnes as his replacement.

It was a disastrous decision. Barnes endured a torrid beginning to the 2009/10 campaign and Tranmere only escaped the drop on the final day of the season under his successor, Les Parry.


1. Alan Irvine - Preston North End

Alan Irvine had joined Preston with the club struggling at the foot of the Championship in 2007.

An improved second half of the season saw him guide North End to 15th and safety, though.

The next season they were fighting it out for a place in the play offs and four wins at the end of the season helped them edge out Cardiff for a place in the top six.

There they lost to Sheffield United, but a fine start to the 2009/10 once again had them in contention. Then a poor run - his first at the club - earned him a shock dismissal at the end of 2009.

Replacement Darren Ferguson oversaw a terrible run of results that saw them slide down the table - only narrowly securing another season of Championship football. They have continued to struggle at the start of the new season.

Big Match Review: Yeovil 3 Carlisle 1

League One

Yeovil Town 3-1 Carlisle United

Saturday October 17, Huish Park (Att: 4,333)

Yeovil recorded an important victory over fellow League One strugglers Carlisle as two goals from Ryan Mason helped heap the pressure on under-fire Cumbrians boss Greg Abbott.

The Glovers began the stronger of the two sides and took a deserved lead after just 13 minutes. Craig Alcock's through-ball split the United backline to unleash Mason, who showed the required composure to fire past Lenny Pidgely in the Carlisle goal.

And the home side doubled their advantage just before the break through the same player. This time Andy Welsh's first time reverse pass beating the Cumbrians' offside trap leaving the on-running Mason all the time in the world to notch up a second.

However, the visitors were handed a route back into the match early in the second half when Terrell Forbes's clumsy challenge on Scott Dobie in the box saw Carlisle awarded a penalty.

And, although Town keeper Alex McCarthy guessed the right way, he was powerless to stop former Leeds man Ian Harte reducing the arrears with over half an hour remaining.

Yeovil weren't to be denied though, and more slack defending from Abbott's men allowed the Somerset club a third three minutes from time. Kieran Murtagh with far too much time and space to convert a cross from the left from close range.

A third home win of the season for Terry Skiverton's side who move up to 14th, but Carlisle and their manager remain under pressure, entrenched in the bottom four.

Big Match Preview

League One

Yeovil Town vs. Carlisle United

Saturday October 17, 15:00, Huish Park

Two of League One's strugglers meet this weekend as under-fire Greg Abbott takes his Carlisle side on the long trip south to face Yeovil Town.

Results in midweek saw the Cumbrians slip into the division's bottom four for the first time this season and, after only just avoiding the drop last season, Abbott is under pressure to turn things around.

Carlisle are without a win since the beginning of September, and have recorded just two league victories all term - against fellow strugglers Stockport and Tranmere.

Most of their problems have stemmed from poor form at the usually formidable Brunton Park, with four defeats already. However, United are unbeaten in five of their six away trips in League One this term, so will be confident when hitting the road.

Abbott has been strengthening his squad this week, with the free transfer of former Portsmouth and Stoke striker Vincent Pericard, who is likely to feature up-front with six-goal man Scott Dobie.

Other leading lights in the Cumbrian side include former Preston winger Joe Anyinsah, midfield man Graham Kavanagh, and the ex-Leeds defender Ian Harte, whose speciality from set-plays has already seen him register three goals this term.

If Abbott is under pressure though, his opposite number at Yeovil, Terry Skiverton, enjoys the support of the Glovers faithful. The league's only official player-manager, the Yeovil veteran has so far been reluctant to get on the pitch himself.

Skiverton and Abbott are under varying degrees of pressure

Currently lying just a point above the drop-zone, the Somerset club are unbeaten in their last four matches, including drawing their last three. Indeed, draws have been the common feature of their season so far, with only two wins - against Tranmere and Brentford.

Striker Gavin Tomlin, with three goals to date, is the Glovers most potent threat going forwards, and other notable names include former Bristol City midfielder Scott Murray and midfielder Jean-Paul Kalala, currently in his second spell with the club.

Yeovil's form at Huish Park has been typically strong, suffering just one defeat - to high-flying Swindon Town, and will once again be crucial in their bid to avoid the drop.

It might be too a little early to describe this clash as a relegation six-pointer, but neither side can really afford to lose to a side likely to be around them come the business end of the season.

And with the two sides having recorded 11 draws between them this season, another stalemate looks on the cards this weekend.

Nobes' Prediction: Yeovil Town 1 Carlisle United 1