Rovers Revel; Yeovil Yell.

At last some good news for Yeovil Town.. and another good weekend for Bristol Rovers too.

It’s too late for the Gas to reach the play-offs now, being as they are 13 points behind 6th place. Paul Trollope will still be hoping that the team can push on as far up the table as possible though.

He’ll want to improve on last seasons finishing position of 16th for a start. And there’s nothing wrong with a 2-0 win over a team like Stockport at any stage of the season.

Incidentally, who the hell does Jim Gannon think he is? The Stockport boss refused to shake the hand of Paul Trollope after the game. I know there is some history between the two but really.. pathetic is the word that comes to mind.

I digress. The directors will also be keen to see progression. A good finish to this season will motivate the fans to invest in a season ticket for 09/10.

Another benefit of finishing strongly may be that players who otherwise might have left the club will consider staying for one more season to see if they can get in to the Championship.

Personally I can’t see Ricky Lambert staying if he gets a decent offer from a Championship or good League One club in the summer. However, there does seem to be a good team spirit at the club so maybe this will help persuade Lambert to stay.

Trollope and Lennie Lawrence will look to add a couple more quality players in the summer I’m sure, and after two seasons of consolidation in League One Rovers could be well placed for a push to the play offs next time.

Another issue that has been excercising the Rovers fans recently is a post on the unofficial fans forum concerning Jeff Hughes.

The post is apparently from a Bristol Rovers season ticket holder and is titled “Jeff Hughes”, subtitled “the worst player in Rovers history… discuss”.

The answer, by the way, is obviously a resounding “no”. Rob Quinn anyone? But that’s not the point I want to make.

I want to say this: What sort of a numpty thinks that posting something like that on a public forum is in anyway constructive? How can a season ticket holder, who presumably wants the team to do well and so invested money in the first place, possibly think that posting an opinion like that about a current Rovers player can be anything but destructive and negative.

I realise that the point of a fans forum is to facilitate debate, and I don’t believe that the vast majority of Gasheads feel this way – but this fan in particular needs to get hold of a dictionary and look up the definition for the word “supporter”.

Further on in the thread the opinion that Hughes generally performs better away from home is posted. Well, to quote my friends 6 year old girl, DUH! I wonder why that is?! Perhaps away from home he’s not exposed to constant criticism from his own fans every time he runs down the wing.

Hughes, I think, has struggled to adapt following his move in the summer. So did Ricky Lambert when he first arrived. Lambert is currently the top scorer in the country. Hughes will come good too, given time, patience and support.

In the same thread it is stated that Trollope can’t man manage. Lambert is living proof that that opinion is also rubbish.

Chris Lines is another to come in for harsh criticism. A young man still learning his trade, Lines has impressed me every time I’ve seen him play. He played out of position for most of last season but can be highly effective in the middle of the park in the future.

What he needs is to build up his confidence and belief. As a Gashead himself, all he wants to do is play his best for his club. Surely these Rovers fans that constantly criticise him can see that encouragement and praise is more likely to help him, and the others in the squad, achieve what everyone connected with the club wants.

I do wonder sometimes exactly what it is Rovers fans like this are expecting from a club that survives on gates of 6,500. Trollope and Lawrence have done wonders in their time at the club. The critical Gasheads should show a little more respect in my opinion.

Elsewhere, Terry Skiverton has had to wait a good while for his first win as Yeovil’s boss but what a big victory the team managed to bag against Swindon. A win that was deserved by most accounts and one that will lift a bit of the gloom that has surrounded Huish Park in recent weeks.

All the more admirable given that chairman John Fry elected to further fan the flames of the Russell Slade affair in the week before the game. Fry released a statement revealing that Slade had been dismissed for “gross misconduct”, a charge swiftly denied by Slade himself.

Suddenly a matter that had appeared to be fading away from the limelight was back in the full glare of the public and the media. One has to ask what Fry hoped to gain in releasing statement.

There was no need – the deal with Slade had been done, both parties had moved on and finally all the talk at Huish was beginning to be about the most important thing – football.

A messy court case is now looming, unless Yeovil’s solicitors can do a deal with the LMA’s briefs. Perhaps more disruptively, fans are talking about it on the terraces, in the bars and on the fans forums. So are the media and people like me.

It does the image of Yeovil Town no good. I don’t know if it was Fry himself who decided to go public, or whether he received advice from elsewhere. Either way, it was a mistake in my opinion.

Here’s the thing though: frustrating as it may be, Yeovil’s fans will have to make do with what they’ve got. It’s all very well demanding changes at board level but realistically who is going to take over?

Especially since the worlds economy went pear shaped. Running a football club is a precarious enough business in the good times. For small lower league clubs it really is a nightmare at the moment.

So it’s a good time to make the following points and help to jog a few seemingly short memories amongst the fans.

Answer this question: Who is now the one constant in Yeovil’s transition to become a full-time professional club, in their march in to league football, the fantastic achievement of winning League Two and then the trip to the League One play-off final?

John Fry of course. A sympathetic biographer could construct a decent case for Fry actually deserving hero status in South Somerset.

He had the foresight to bring David Webb to the club – and whatever else you think of Webb, he was certainly instrumental in guiding Yeovil throught the process of turning full time.

Fry was also willing to take what was a gamble at the time in employing Gary Johnson, a manager with great experience but with very little profile when he was appointed.

He was brave enough to realise that Steve Thompson wasn’t the man for the managers job but loyal enough to make sure that Thommo didn’t find himself unemployed (the first time anyway).

He was clever enough to see the potential in Russell Slade and bring him to the club.

Detractors will point to the disgraceful treatment of Colin Addison and Steve Thompson (the second time), and claim that Fry is not accountable enough to the supporters. But every chief-executive / chairman has sticky times as well as good.

Seen from an objective viewpoint it would be fair to say that Fry has made more good decisions than bad when it comes to appointing managers. So perhaps we should give him a bit more credit and, of course, hope that he has managed to do it again with the appointment of Skiverton.

I sure wouldn’t like to be in Fry’s shoes if it does all end badly though.

A Mixed Bag

I managed to escape the nappies and baby sick for the afternoon on Sunday and made my way to Ashton Gate for Bristol City’s match with Cardiff.

An ultimately frustrating afternoon for City fans still had plenty in the way of entertainment. In a story that’s become a little too familiar this season, Bristol City had the lions share of play (especially in the second half), but couldn’t score enough goals and in the end they paid the price.

Nicky Maynard’s goal was one for the scrapbook, a classic strikers goal almost entirely self-made and finished beautifully. He waltzed his way across the the edge of the Cardiff box leaving defenders standing still before powering home a drive from 20 yards. Stuart Taylor, Cardiff’s new keeper brought in on loan from Aston Villa earlier in the week, couldn’t get near it.

Maynard has certainly improved as a player during his time in BS3. His work-rate is much higher and he seems more willing to close defenders down. This can lead to mistakes, and if it does then Maynard certainly has the pace to benefit.

His strike partner yesterday, Stern John, has come in for some criticism from a small but vocal number of City followers. Note I do not use the word “supporters”. As I see it, supporters should encourage their side, not berate and criticise them.

Like most clubs, City have always had those fans that seem to only be able to enjoy their afternoon if they have somebody to complain about. I don’t understand it and I have little patience for these people.

For example, there was a chap who rang in to Radio Bristol’s post match phone in after City had beaten Coventry. He stated that he would rather City won 1-0 than see Lee Johnson score, as he did, to make it 2-0.

Such a ridiculous statement only serves to devalue the man’s argument beyond redemption. You can understand why some managers and players have such little respect for fans like this. How hard is it to be constructive rather than destructive? It would appear to be beyond the comprehension of some – a reflection on society in general perhaps.

Anyway, back to Stern John (or Angry Dave as my mate calls him). I kept a close eye on him during the first half against Cardiff and I thought he was the best player on the pitch for City. This may not be a popular view but hear me out:

He’s always involved when the ball goes forward, winning headers, holding the ball up and bringing others in to play. He rarely wastes possession and uses his vast experience well.

The frustrating thing for me was watching John work so hard to win his personal duels only for him to be let down by his strike partner. Maynard was consistently too far away from John to benefit from his hard work, and when he did manage to threaten he was too often caught off side.

John is not a striker who will score 20 goals a season. He is a player who will provide plenty of assists though. Maynard is a fine prospect but is a long way from being the finished article. He would do well to learn about movement and timing from John and Dele Adebola. On the other hand, perhaps John and Adebola could learn a bit about finishing from Maynard.

At the time I thought John was unlucky to be subbed early in the second half. However, Gary Johnson was proved right yet again. Adebola made a difference with his direct running and general physicality. And had the manager replaced Maynard then we would never have seen that lovely goal. I won’t be surprised if Adebola starts the next match.

On Sunday Cardiff should have gone back across the bridge with nothing, but Adriano Basso made an uncharacteristic mistake in the closing stages and Cardiff’s fox in the box Ross McCormack reacted first to tap home. Basso is a fine keeper and Johnson was right to avoid chastising him after the game. As the boss said, Basso has earned City many more points than he has given away.

Meanwhile Bristol Rovers are striding up the League One Table. What a fantastic win on Saturday – 5-0 away at Walsall and Ricky Lambert didn’t even score. I followed the game on Radio Bristol. It was a great listen, especially when Aaron Lescott scored. I got the feeling that the commentator, my old friend Richard Hoskin, had been waiting for the full back to score – he certainly had all the stats ready!

Of course Lescott eventually scored twice. There was also a brace for Darryl Duffy who is running in to top form just at the right time. Craig Disley scored the other. Rovers are currently 9 points off the play-offs but if they can win their games in hand then they’ll be just 3 points outside the top six.

Suddenly, a season that seemed as though it might fizzle out is well and truly alive again and Gasheads can look forward to some great games to come. Even if they don’t manage it this season then next season should be one to savour – as long as they can keep hold of players like Lambert, Duffy and Kuffour.

Just reward for the efforts of Lennie Lawrence and especially Paul Trollope who’s growing reputation as one of the best young managers in the country is well deserved. Reward too for the honesty and professionalism of a good bunch of players who may not be blessed with outstanding talent but never fail to put in a decent shift.

What a contrast at Yeovil. Yet another defeat, this time a 5-0 trouncing at Russell Slade’s Brighton. A result that Slade must have enjoyed hugely given the furore surrounding his departure from the Glovers. More worrying than the result was the performance, one that Assistant Player Manager Nathan Jones called “embarrassing“.

Perhaps most revealing was Jones’ statement that Russell Slade had “16 or 17 players playing for him”, a clear reference to the fact that there are still some Yeovil players who are very unhappy at the way Slade was treated. It’s all very well to drone on about professional footballers ensuring that they perform adequately for the club that pays them, but footballers are human beings like the rest of us and it’s easy to see why so many of the current squad are struggling to motivate themselves at the moment.

Yeovil are still outside the relegation zone but the alarm bells must be ringing loudly at Huish. And what of the owner, Norman Hayward? Who is this man? More to the point, where is this man? Yeovil fans can rightly ask these questions at the moment as it is common knowledge that it was a breakdown in relations between Hayward and Slade which led to the latter’s dismissal.

Given all that has happened, it is a fair question to ask as to whether Hayward has the best intentions for the football club. At least it would be a fair question if anybody ever got the chance to ask it. Owning a football club comes with many responsibilities, chief among which are ensuring that the fans, the real owners of any club, are kept up to date with what is happening at every level of the club.

An owner who never speaks in public is just not good enough in 2009.

Yeovil are apparently lining up some loan transfers in an attempt to drag themselves away from trouble. I wish Terry Skiverton and his team the very best, and I hope I’m wrong, but at the moment it seems that Yeovil are only moving one way – downwards. If the Huish house isn’t put in order over the summer then next season could be a very long one too.

It’s a great time of year for football fans. So much can still happen even with relatively few games to go. As ever, the Easter period will be hyped up as being decisive, but with all three clubs still having something to play for I have a feeling their individual destinies may not be decided until the very last game. Bring it on!

Back From The Wilderness

Hello again.. thanks for stopping by. I’m sorry about the lack of updates over the last week or two. This was caused by two things. Firstly the birth of our second beautiful baby boy – Jacob Dylan Orr arrived on the 25th February and is doing very well indeed. Secondly, my internet connection broke so I haven’t been able to get online until today.

Some people claim that a period without the internet is liberating. I disagree. I found it to be a huge pain in the arse!

Incidentally, I was amazed by the response to the first few articles that I posted. Thank you so much for having a look – I received some interesting comments as well so thanks for those too. Just under 2000 people have clicked on the site – with the busiest day seeing 755 hits. Keep coming back – I promise to update more regularly from now on.

Lots has happened in the world of west country football since I last blogged. Bristol City have suffered a blip in form but appear to be back on target following the excellent 2-0 win over Coventry on Tuesday night. Even Lee Johnson managed a goal!

The managers son comes in for some extremely unfair criticism at times. In my opinion, a fully fit Lee Johnson is crucial to the team. Earlier this season he was playing through the pain, doing his best but not able to repeat last seasons form. It’s no coincidence that his return to match sharpness has come at the same time as City’s excellent recent run.

Bristol Rovers are threatening to make another late charge towards the play-offs. They are a long way off at the moment but if they keep playing like they did against Hereford, and continue to show the spirit displayed against Leeds then who’s to say they can’t make it?

Ricky Lambert is top scorer in League One following his wonderful hat-trick at Hereford. The big striker is certainly repaying the 200,000 transfer fee that Rovers paid for him back in 2006. I saw a lot of him when he first joined Rovers, and I remember saying in commentaries that he was too big and not mobile enough. His backside would occasionally cause a minor solar eclipse!

Now though Lambert looks very fit, has good energy and mobility and has added these qualities to his undoubted talent. It’s a tribute to Lambert personally and also the persistence and faith shown in him by Paul Trollope especially. Trollope seems to have good man-management skills and has the happy knack of getting the best out of his players.

Some Rovers fans may question his tactical ability – and I have been frustrated by his refusal to make substitutions in the past. In fairness this has often been because the options available to him on the bench haven’t been good enough or were too young.

Not any more. A glance at the bench for the Hereford match shows quality players waiting to come on such as Craig Hinton, Jo Kuffour and Joe Jacobson. This can only motivate the starting 11 who must know that if they don’t put in a decent shift then there is a real chance that they will be hauled off.

I think Trollope and Lennie Lawrence have done a hugely admirable job at Rovers given the financial restraints at the club. They are capable of putting in the sort of run that took them to the League Two play-offs a couple of seasons back. If they make it then we can look forward to some great atmospheres at the Mem and that can never be a bad thing.

Perhaps both Bristol sides will meet in the Championship next season. Although of course, hopefully both will get promoted so we’ll have to wait a bit longer for another one of those magical west country derbies.

Meanwhile Terry Skiverton’s reign at Yeovil Town hasn’t got off to the best of starts. Skivo has yet to see his team win in 5 matches and as a consequence Yeovil find themselves just one place and three points above the relegation zone.

It doesn’t get any easier for Skivo either – Yeovil’s next game is at Brighton, one of the teams below them in the table and now managed by Russell Slade. What was already a big game has now been described by Slade as  a “cup final“.

As if there wasn’t enough pressure!

Skiverton will be anxious to get one over on his former boss, as will some of the players, but defeat at the Withdean really would leave Yeovil deep in the mire. I’m sure Skivo is working as hard as he can to get things right and I for one genuinely hope he does.

Now is not the time to be questioning the wisdom of Skiverton’s appointment as manager – that will come at the end of the season. Now is the time for Yeovil fans to stick together and provide as much vocal support as they can muster. The players and management need all the help they can get if they are to stay in League One.

I am hoping to get along to see City play Cardiff on Sunday so check back next week for an alternative match report.

In the meantime I wish all three clubs the best of luck for what promises to be a huge weekend. We’re getting to the stage of the season which sees nails chewed, lucky underpants worn and constant checking of league tables and other teams fixtures undertaken. Fantastic isn’t it?!

Impromptu Visit To Twerton

I had a few unexpected hours free on Saturday so I decided to fill them by visiting Twerton Park for the game between Bath City and Hampton and Richmond Borough. That was a mistake.

A less interesting game of football would be hard to imagine. Apart from the fact that Steve “The Arthritic Cat” Perrin, the venerable Bath City goalkeeper, had a blinder. He somehow produced a series of fantastic saves despite his advancing years and increasing paunch.

I mean no disrespect to the man. I interviewed him once after he had received a last-minute call to turn out for Bath. He performed admirably that day too, and I tracked him down to the bar after the game where he answered my inane questions between gulps of lager.

He is the sort of character that makes non-league football worth popping along to every so often.

As for Saturday’s match, well I left after an hour so missed the controversial penalty decision that handed H&RB the points. Although to be honest they had totally dominated the action I did see so in the end the right result was reached.

While I was at Twerton, for some reason I was prompted to take this photo:

Twerton Mist

I’d love to be able to say that I used a certain aperture and did something clever with the white-balance, but I didn’t. I took the phone out of my pocket, held it low so I got the angle and pressed the button. What do you think of it?

Gary “Magic” Johnson has City Bouncing Again

Gary Johnson is some sort of football wizard.  There, I’ve said it. I’m not beating around the bush – I think the man is special and here’s why.

His emergence as a football manager of note at Yeovil coincided with my return to football reporting for BBC Radio Bristol after a couple of years away in 2001. A trip to Yeovil before he arrived was always welcome but not always much fun. That soon changed after his appointment.

Suddenly, Yeovil were a force deserving of recognition. They won the FA Trophy in Johnson’s first season in charge and finished third in the Conference. The following season Johnson finally delivered something that the Glovers fans had waited more than a hundred years for. The side won the Conference and promotion to the football league.

Johnson was a revelation. Extremely quotable for the written press boys, he is a generally a pleasure to interview for the radio too. He is an expert motivator and his man-management skills are highly regarded – for those who want to work with him anyway. Those who are no longer required soon get the message and he’s not afraid to remove bad apples from the dressing room, no matter how big the reputation.

He always made a point of saying how he wanted to enjoy watching his teams play football. He reckoned that if he enjoyed it, so would the fans and so more would come through the turnstiles. That created a buzz around the place – Huish felt succesful and was a great place to be. Bristol City fans will also recognise this scenario.

Some managers play the game by numbers, failing to recognise even for one minute that they are in the entertainment business as well as the results business. Generally these managers produce teams that are about as exciting to watch as the Antiques Roadshow. I give you Ian Atkins.

Far fewer managers follow Johnson’s theory and that is a shame. They point to the pressure and the demand for results from fans and directors. Johnson seemed to take the view that he could meet those demands and still play the game how it was meant to be played. And he was right.

Yeovil’s football when Johnson was in charge was almost always a treat to watch. And now he’s brought that well honed formula to Bristol City.

Now, the bit of me that has a soft spot for Yeovil Town isn’t proud of this, but when Bristol City parted company with Brian Tinnion I was desperate for Stephen Landsown to pick up the phone and do the deal to entice Johnson to Ashton Gate. Diehard Yeovil fans will never accept this (and why should they?!), but Bristol City are the bigger club and I felt it was time for Johnson to start playing to bigger audiences.

Also, I was as sure as it is possible to be that he would bring success to the club if given time and money. As a proud Bristolian, I share the view that it has been far too long since Bristol was represented in the top division, and I figured Johnson might well be the man do to it.

His early months at the club were tough. City struggled to move up the League One table with some players evidently not giving Johnson the respect he demanded and deserved.

Eventually Johnson threw what he described as a “hand-grenade” into the dressing room after one particularly inept performance. Players like Marcus Stewart, Steve Phillips and Michael Bridges found themselves out of favour, but Johnson was proved right as his team marched up League One and finished just 6 points outside the play-offs.

The next season saw City promoted, and as on the days that Johnson got Yeovil in to the league and then in to league one, I was fortunate enough to be pitch side reporter. The idea of this role is to talk to pretty much anyone of interest before the game (and, in my experience, some not so interesting people!), to provide a feeling of what is happening on the bench during the match and then try to talk with the players and management on the pitch afterwards.

Those of you who saw the pitch invasion (or were part of it) will realise that the chances of interviewing anybody in those circumstances are practically nil. As I remember it, I managed to grab a few words with Alan Walsh (what a player he was by the way – he had magic in that left foot), then a few words with some fans who thankfully managed to avoid swearing.

By this time I was engulfed by City fans who insisted on a  handshake or a ruffling of the hair – not because I deserved it, but because for a little while I was one of them. I loved it! Eventually I fought my way through to the dressing room where I had been given permission to join the celebrations and record a few interviews.

As I entered what was a marvellously chaotic scene I was immediately soaked with champagne and caught up in a rather strange dance. I remember speaking to Bradley Orr, who had spent time in prison that season, and him telling me what a magical day it was for him and his family.

He explained how he felt that much of what had happened since his release was down to Gary Johnson. He was emotional  and I don’t blame him for one second.

Now City are at it again. So close last season, they find themselves 4th in the Championship and well placed to provide the same sort of end of season drama that City fans have become used to.

Johnson was blunt in the media in the build up to the game with Reading, insisting that his team weren’t getting the respect they deserved. Other teams, fans and the media were ignoring their fine run of form.

Ironically, I think that Johnson himself might have been using a bit of hype in order to get his players motivated for what was a huge match. All the great managers do it, Ferguson, Mourinho, Wenger and Moyes. They love to get their players thinking that the world is against them. It helps to forge team spirit and can provide a crucial extra percentage point of motivation.

Certainly worked on this occasion! What a result for City, 2-0 at a stadium where only one other team had won all season. Another motivating factor for the City players might have been the 4-1 hammering that Reading handed out back in November.

There was yet another goal for Dele Adebola who has responded to the signings of Stern John and Peter Styvar in the best possible way. And for those who still doubt that City are a big club, how about this: 4,192 supporters travelled to the Madjeski, the highest ever amount of away fans to do so for a league game. Don’t forget, Reading spent 2 seasons in the premiership before relegation last term. An extraordinary effort from the City fans, who tested the build quality of the stadium by bouncing around like Italian Ultras.

Incidentally, I was at the win over Southampton and so was treated to the sight of the City fans bouncing around Ashton Gate. Orchestrated excellently by the most vocal fans in the East End, the sight of the Dolman, the Atyeo and even the Williams joining in was almost as entertaining as the football.

Johnson showed his appreciation by walking towards the East End after the game and trying a bit of bouncing himself. Unfortunately he didn’t seem able to get both feet off the ground at the same time, so what we actually saw was a cross between a slow-motion David Pleat and a new-born baby Gazelle taking it’s first steps! I couldn’t help giggling.

City certainly can win promotion to the Premier League. From their current position they should be thinking about a play-off place at least.

So once again, Gary Johnson has mixed a potion that has a very pleasing effect. It’s called success. And long may it continue.

Seven Days At Huish

Breaking News. They love to slap that one on the TV news don’t they? It brings an air of often misplaced urgency to proceedings. It was utilised correctly this time though.

“Serious divisions between the board and the manager behind the scenes at Yeovil” revealed Chris Spittles on HTV.  Despite winning three games on the trot at that point, it seemed that manager Russell Slade had a very tenuous grip on his job. It was clear from the news that Slade’s future was bleak.

The club swiftly denied any upheaval, chief executive Martyn Starnes telling the local media that he wasn’t aware of any problems. Maybe things weren’t so bad after all.

Chris Spittles came in for some criticism from a few fans who were angry that the rumours that had surrounded the club for months had been revealed to be accurate. Some even doubted his exclusive was true. But I know Chris well, and there’s no way he’d broadcast such a story live on tv unless he was absolutely sure of his facts. Those  who doubted him should think again next time.

Last Saturday, Yeovil travelled to Peterborough and most fans, given the far from smooth build up, will have expected the team to receive an uncomfortable beating. That they won 3-1 speaks volumes not only for the team but for their respect for what they must have realised at that point was an outgoing manager. Incidentally, one of the players who performed with such distinction at Peterborough was Terry Skiverton.

Another interesting development on Saturday afternoon was the release of a press statement from Yeovil chairman John Fry. It appeared on the official club website at 3pm, just as the game against Peterborough was kicking off. The timing of the release was intriguing.

Did the board realise that sacking a manager after four straight wins would look very strange? Perhaps they thought that by releasing a statement promising big changes at the club in the near future they might be able to exert a negative influence on the teams morale?

Or was it simply a mistakenly timed response to the growing clamour from the fans for more information from the club? Hopefully it’s the latter. Anybody pursuing the former option must surely be ashamed of their behaviour. No true fan of a football club could ever concoct such a dastardly plan.

Either way, the team won, so it did cause some uproar (especially on the internet) when the news of Slade’s departure was announced. A manager who perhaps never won the support of every fan, his achievements at the club should not be underestimated.

Slade took Yeovil to Wembley for the first time in their history, courtesy of one of the best games of football ever played when Yeovil defeated Slade’s boyhood club Nottingham Forest 5-2 at the City Ground in the play-off semi final.

To keep the team in League One last season was no mean feat given the restrictions Slade was placed under, and the same can be said of his leaving the club in a safe mid-table position at the time of his departure.

Steve Thompson was placed in temporary charge for the game with Bristol Rovers on the Tuesday, and carried out all the duties associated with such a task with great dignity.

Thompson expressed his disappointment at Slade’s “dismissal” as he put it, stating on two or three occasions that he regarded his former gaffer to be “a good man, a good friend and an excellent manager”. Admirably, he put his friendship with Slade first when expressing a different view may well have been more conducive to him taking over as manager permanently.

Perhaps Thompson knew by then that the job wasn’t for him. Either way, it was a dignified performance from a man under great pressure.

Thompson has been with Yeovil for 11 years, a constant through the clubs greatest ever decade. It is a shame that a minority of fans have turned against him, but the vast majority of Glovers supporters appreciate what the man has done during his time in South Somerset. His loyalty and commitment to the club only serve to magnify the lack of respect he has been shown by the board on this occasion.

It is hard to believe that the man eventually appointed as full time player manager, Terry Skiverton, had not been told of the possibility of him being given the job some time before it actually happened. According to my information, there have been serious problems between Slade and the board – more accurately, Slade and the owner Norman Hayward, for as long as three months.

If the board had not prepared Skiverton for taking over during this time, then the question must be asked as to why not? Skiverton is a great player, a superb skipper and I have believed for some time that he would one day manage the club.

However, to throw him in with such short notice would be folly at best. It’s hard to believe that a board who repeatedly express their desire to do the best they can for the club would fail to prepare a young manager with as much advance notice as possible.

Meanwhile, Thompson was asked to take the team for the game with Rovers, a match that was always going to very difficult to win given the weeks events. Much better that Thompson take any flak for the defeat then give the new manager such a difficult start.

An entirely understandable decision from the clubs point of view. Just a shame that Thompson should be the man to get caught in the middle of such politicking.

One thing is for sure, Yeovil’s board need to realise that dirty linen is almost always washed in public eventually in the world of football. It is much better to be as honest as possible with the fans, the ultimate stakeholders in any football club. To leave them guessing is simply not good enough any more.

The club have admitted that they have made mistakes in the way they managed this story. They have recognised the need to keep their fans better informed. So that is one good thing to come from a horrible week.

Most true Yeovil fans must also genuinely hope that another good thing to come is a long and successful time in charge for Terry Skiverton.

He has the experience of working and playing under Dave Webb, Colin Addison and Gary Johnson. He has good contacts in the game which should help him find a player or two, and in Nathan Jones an enthusiastic and dedicated assistant who will help him enormously. He also has a half decent squad at his disposal, albeit a little short on numbers.

Skiverton has been called Mr Yeovil. He has a slightly unusual haircut for a manager, but he is certainly respected both inside and outside of the game. I can’t claim to know him personally, but I have interviewed him on occasion and he comes across as an articulate man with a quick witted intelligence.

I also remember him summarising with a former colleague of mine on BBC Somerset a few years ago. My colleague, who shall remain nameless, was undertaking his first radio commentary before he was really ready to do so.

Skiverton helped him through without patronising or undermining him, an act which earned him great respect from me as I listened with no great displeasure to my colleague struggle his way through the game!

There are parallels to be drawn between Skiverton and another great West Country player, Brian Tinnion. A hero to Bristol City fans for many reasons (not least that magical goal in front of the Kop to defeat the mighty Liverpool in an FA cup replay), Tinnion was a great servant to the club as a player for 11 years and went on to became manager at Ashton Gate.

He was thrilled to get the job, and worked with great devotion to try and bring success. Unfortunately things went against him, and it is a sad memory now to think of Tinnion slumped in the dugout at Swansea after a 7-1 humiliation. The likeable Geordie was gone the next day.

The position of player-manager is one of the toughest in football. It will be interesting to see how long Skiverton continues to play, especially given the amount of injuries he has suffered in recent years. He was practically third choice centre back this season anyway, and that might suit him as he gets used to the management side of his new role. I wish him all the best.

The motto on the Yeovil club crest is “Achieve by Unity”. It’s a phrase that’s never been more apt than right now. And it is a cry that should be listened to by everyone connected with the club, from the board room to the fans. There are many good things about Yeovil Town. It’s also fair to say that there are many things that need improving, on and off the pitch.