...So the saying goes. The problem for manager Terry Skiverton, and for the Board of Yeovil Town is that dawn may yet be some time off. Think things can't get worse after last night's desperately disappointing 4-2 loss at Hartlepool? Believe me, they can. Anyone who was at Huish Park to see the Glovers lose 1-3 to Merthyr Tydfil back in 1994 knows exactly how bad it can get.
Thus far in Skivo's managerial career the Huish Park crowd has, by and large, been pretty supportive of him and the things he's been trying to do. Judging by the postings on the green room II over the last week or so that support is eroding fast. I spoke about a tipping point being reached after the 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth three weeks ago and said then that I thought Skivo deserved the chance to at least stay in charge until January. I've changed my mind now. On Saturday we have a home game against Carlisle United. If ever a game has been a must-win game then this one is surely it. Anything less than three points will be unacceptable.
I'm finding this a hard blog to write. It's not nice to be contemplating the demise of Mr Yeovil, the man who has done so much on the pitch to get us where we are today. But the hard truth is that Skivo as a manager has been found out this season. His team - and it is his team, he's the one who has signed the players and who asked us at the start of the season to judge him on how they performed - has been found wanting in the basics of both attack and defence. It makes me angry and upset to see a good man floundering, but I'm not so much angry with Skivo. I'm angry with the men who have put him in this unenviable position, I'm angry with the Board.
It's the Board who should be looking at themselves today. Yes, by and large they've kept the club solvent, the small matter of a million pound loss in the last financial year nothwithstanding; but it's they who have allowed the club to stagnate over the last few years, who have failed to build on the legacy left by Gary Johnson and Jon Goddard-Watts. It's the Board who have allowed mediocre non-entities to keep positions of influence in the club and who do nothing but alienate fans and take revenue streams and potential revenue streams away from the club. It's the Board who hounded out the previous manager Russell Slade on wholly spurious grounds and then cynically appointed the one man guaranteed to unite the fanbase behind them, even though we all knew Skivo was the cheap option to end all cheap options and that it would probably all end in tears. And now, most cynical of all, it's the Board who have split the land assets of the Huish Park site away from the football operation and have the temerity and chutzpah to tell us that there's no other way to attract new investment into the club. New investment? Don't make me laugh. I could tell you stories, doubtless many of you reading this could tell me stories too about people, fans, potential investors with money, ready and willing to invest in the club in the past but who have always been turned away. And why were they turned away? Because they wanted a say in how their money was spent and our glorious leaders weren't prepared to dilute their power and their shareholdings in the club. Self-interest rules.
Skivo's time is probably up. But this current Board's time should also be up. There's a lot of rumours flying around the town at the moment. I myself have heard from several different sources that offers have been made or are in the process of being made to buy the club from it's current owners. I only hope the rumours are true. John Fry and Norman Hayward have shown themselves to be unwilling and unable to either attract investment to the club or to invest themselves. On top of that they have allowed a culture of failure to thrive at Huish Park. If they have any true feeling for the club then they should dissolve the holding company they have created, give the football club back the land assets they have taken from it, and last but not least, sell up. Go, and go now. Leave with your legacy more-or-less intact. It's time for real change.
Showing posts with label Norman Hayward. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Norman Hayward. Show all posts
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Monday, 1 November 2010
The Time Has Come
The Time Has Come - blog post by Cruncher
My first ever blog also had this title, looking ahead on Scratch's Pride of Somerset to what was Skivo's first full season at the helm. Now I feel it's time to dust the header down and use it again, because when all is combined I am uncertain about our destiny. Uncertainty can't run forever - the time has come, for, er... something.
To be honest about where we are, my view is that we are no longer just a poorer club in League One but a weaker one - and there is a difference.
Gates are running considerably higher than last year after seven home League games, at an average near 4,800 compared to around the 4,200 mark at the same stage last year. Don't let that fool you though, there have been more of the higher-attended games in this year's opening batch and even those have seen a significant drop on the same fixtures last year, in fact all corresponding fixtures are down bar the Leyton Orient match (the bald guy, he always could draw 'em in). The most telling fact is that the home section of the home crowd is still dwindling. The time had already come in previous years, on this topic.
As for the Board, my perception is this: Mr. Hayward capitalised the club to suit Mr. Fry's purpose of keeping out all and sundry. While this might be admirable to keep out the rogues and the inept, it also unfortunately keeps out the bright sparks with their fresh thinking who would roll up their sleeves to increase gate revenue as well as establish permanent money-making schemes. As I see it, Holdingsgate (as Taff usefully christened it) is in lieu of making progress in a proper and safe way. And I would hold to that even if separation of the club's land turned out to be some fantastic venture in the long run, because I don't agree with putting off (for example) local or supporter investment - with accompanied ideas, enthusiasm and endeavour - in favour of a punt with the club's plot.
In any case, the land separation route does not appear to be a plan that was made with specific investors already in mind - or else where is the next step of getting in the finance? As time drags on without even a hint of development specifics, it seems more and more likely that the separation is in case a chance comes our way, rather than separating assets to suit money already lined-up. Perhaps it might be viewed as reasonable for the club to do it that way, but if the club sets aside its prime assets for a hope that doesn't materialise, the club's land remains unprotected to potential risk in the future.
I still green-tintedly believe that Terry Skiverton can eventually get us up to dizzy heights, or at least achieve 20th place or better year after year. At the same time, the-never-gets-sorted has its accumulative effect, nagging away. If the time doesn't at least appear on the horizon fairly soon, we won't have the strength to hold on to what we've got.
With immense admiration and respect for a lot of the good past work, for the Board and for the future, the time may well have come. If someone of the right stuff comes knocking on their door, I hope the Board would see it that way too. Equally, anyone knocking on the door needs to have a clear vision to revive gates and create revenue streams.
Mr. Fry can proudly take acclaim for a marvellous chunk of our history, which took us from rising above the brink of oblivion to the brink of entering the Championship. If anything, it is that 2006-07 push to near-promotion which clearly endorses the message that all good things come to an end, as our Chairman had cast off the prudent cloak he had long donned. That was a gamble then, and Holdingsgate is a gamble now. What happened subsequently with Slade's pay-off (presumably followed by another following an unwise club statement) also gives the clear message that error can follow error once a wrong turning has been made.
A quick word about the manager and the Chief Executive: as far as I can see, Terry Skiverton is too constrained by compromises, especially for a rookie. My instinct is that his time has not come, and I back him to continue. Martyn Starnes may or may not be excellent, it is hard to tell while he his not given the free-reign that normally goes with the role. Would their allegiance to the present rulers be enough for their downfall if a new owner arrived? - Maybe, maybe not. It could just as likely be the making of 'em.
Cruncher
My first ever blog also had this title, looking ahead on Scratch's Pride of Somerset to what was Skivo's first full season at the helm. Now I feel it's time to dust the header down and use it again, because when all is combined I am uncertain about our destiny. Uncertainty can't run forever - the time has come, for, er... something.
To be honest about where we are, my view is that we are no longer just a poorer club in League One but a weaker one - and there is a difference.
Gates are running considerably higher than last year after seven home League games, at an average near 4,800 compared to around the 4,200 mark at the same stage last year. Don't let that fool you though, there have been more of the higher-attended games in this year's opening batch and even those have seen a significant drop on the same fixtures last year, in fact all corresponding fixtures are down bar the Leyton Orient match (the bald guy, he always could draw 'em in). The most telling fact is that the home section of the home crowd is still dwindling. The time had already come in previous years, on this topic.
As for the Board, my perception is this: Mr. Hayward capitalised the club to suit Mr. Fry's purpose of keeping out all and sundry. While this might be admirable to keep out the rogues and the inept, it also unfortunately keeps out the bright sparks with their fresh thinking who would roll up their sleeves to increase gate revenue as well as establish permanent money-making schemes. As I see it, Holdingsgate (as Taff usefully christened it) is in lieu of making progress in a proper and safe way. And I would hold to that even if separation of the club's land turned out to be some fantastic venture in the long run, because I don't agree with putting off (for example) local or supporter investment - with accompanied ideas, enthusiasm and endeavour - in favour of a punt with the club's plot.
In any case, the land separation route does not appear to be a plan that was made with specific investors already in mind - or else where is the next step of getting in the finance? As time drags on without even a hint of development specifics, it seems more and more likely that the separation is in case a chance comes our way, rather than separating assets to suit money already lined-up. Perhaps it might be viewed as reasonable for the club to do it that way, but if the club sets aside its prime assets for a hope that doesn't materialise, the club's land remains unprotected to potential risk in the future.
I still green-tintedly believe that Terry Skiverton can eventually get us up to dizzy heights, or at least achieve 20th place or better year after year. At the same time, the-never-gets-sorted has its accumulative effect, nagging away. If the time doesn't at least appear on the horizon fairly soon, we won't have the strength to hold on to what we've got.
With immense admiration and respect for a lot of the good past work, for the Board and for the future, the time may well have come. If someone of the right stuff comes knocking on their door, I hope the Board would see it that way too. Equally, anyone knocking on the door needs to have a clear vision to revive gates and create revenue streams.
Mr. Fry can proudly take acclaim for a marvellous chunk of our history, which took us from rising above the brink of oblivion to the brink of entering the Championship. If anything, it is that 2006-07 push to near-promotion which clearly endorses the message that all good things come to an end, as our Chairman had cast off the prudent cloak he had long donned. That was a gamble then, and Holdingsgate is a gamble now. What happened subsequently with Slade's pay-off (presumably followed by another following an unwise club statement) also gives the clear message that error can follow error once a wrong turning has been made.
A quick word about the manager and the Chief Executive: as far as I can see, Terry Skiverton is too constrained by compromises, especially for a rookie. My instinct is that his time has not come, and I back him to continue. Martyn Starnes may or may not be excellent, it is hard to tell while he his not given the free-reign that normally goes with the role. Would their allegiance to the present rulers be enough for their downfall if a new owner arrived? - Maybe, maybe not. It could just as likely be the making of 'em.
Cruncher
Monday, 27 September 2010
It's just like deja-vu all over again
I'm not going to say much about Saturday's 1-3 loss to Exeter City, mainly because I wasn't there but also because from the various reports I've read it sounds very similar to the last time we played the Grecians at home, which also resulted in a 1-3 loss. At any rate the result leaves the Glovers one place above the relegation zone with the worst goal difference in the division. We now play Southampton at home tomorrow night, followed by away games at fellow strugglers Walsall and a resurgent Rochdale. It's not hard to imagine that by the time we get back to Huish Park to entertain Sheffield Wednesday on October 16th that not only will we be by then firmly in the relegation zone but quite possibly bottom of the league. What's going wrong?
The abysmal goal difference figure provides the answer in my view. Quite simply we haven't replaced Steven Caulker and Terrell Forbes with players of the same quality. It would perhaps help if Adam Virgo was allowed to play regularly with Paul Huntington and not be shifted to wherever the latest injury crisis has occurred, but even then they both have the turning circle and acceleration from a standing start of a rusty oil tanker, so we're still vulnerable to pacey attacks. We weren't helped on Saturday by Craig Alcock's absence and in hindsight I'm sure Skivo will be regretting his decision to move Virgo to right back and bring in Stefan Stam to partner Huntington, but a manager lives and dies by such decisions and right now Skivo's judgement and tactical nous is being scrutinised as much as it ever has been by a fanbase - those of us that are left - getting increasingly impatient with poor results and worse performances.
Of course it's far too early in the season for real panic to set in and I would argue very strongly that Skivo deserves a lot more time and patience yet for his achievements in keeping us in the League One last season and the year before. But I do wonder if he'll get that time. As I said above we have a tough run of four games coming up now and on current form one can't see us picking up many points if any. All it will take is a few 'sack the Board' chants at the Sheffield Wednesday game for those at the top to start worrying about their own skins, and if there's one thing we do know about John Fry and Norman Hayward is that they can act with ruthless efficiency when criticism is directed at them. If I was Skivo I would be looking over both shoulders and praying for some results and clean sheets over the next fortnight. That Sheffield Wednesday game just might become pivotal otherwise.
As for tomorrow night's game the bookies unsurprisingly make the Saints evens favourites to win the match, with the draw at 5/2 and a home win at 13/5. I'd love to put my fiver on the home win but being realistic the draw looks much better value. Well, if we're being honest a Southampton win is the most likely outcome, but I I'm not going to start betting against us just yet. My fiver's going on the draw. Running total: -£7.25p. I hear a certain well-known local dentist has put £20 on the Glovers winning tomorrow night, let's hope his faith is rewarded. And if he loses then we will all know why a filling is so soddin' expensive these days.
It was sad to see the news that Len Harris has passed away, aged 73. I'm old enough myself to have just caught him in action at the end of his YTFC career, as part of the Southern League winning side in 1971 until he retired from the game a year later. He clocked up an incredible 691 appearances for the Glovers, a record that will surely now never be broken. Like so many others I remember him from my time at Yeovil School and used to see him pretty much every day walking to the College as it was then after the grammar school closed. He always used to smile and nod, and always had time for a chat. A nice man and he will be missed. Dellboy's appreciation of Len, written in 2003, is a must read.
Just read: Sepulchre by Kate Mosse. Not quite an horror story and not quite a romance and not quite an historical tale and not quite a murder thriller either; rather a mix of all four. Slow going at times but Mosse is such a good writer that it kept my interest for all it's 500-odd pages. Must try Labyrinth next....
The abysmal goal difference figure provides the answer in my view. Quite simply we haven't replaced Steven Caulker and Terrell Forbes with players of the same quality. It would perhaps help if Adam Virgo was allowed to play regularly with Paul Huntington and not be shifted to wherever the latest injury crisis has occurred, but even then they both have the turning circle and acceleration from a standing start of a rusty oil tanker, so we're still vulnerable to pacey attacks. We weren't helped on Saturday by Craig Alcock's absence and in hindsight I'm sure Skivo will be regretting his decision to move Virgo to right back and bring in Stefan Stam to partner Huntington, but a manager lives and dies by such decisions and right now Skivo's judgement and tactical nous is being scrutinised as much as it ever has been by a fanbase - those of us that are left - getting increasingly impatient with poor results and worse performances.
Of course it's far too early in the season for real panic to set in and I would argue very strongly that Skivo deserves a lot more time and patience yet for his achievements in keeping us in the League One last season and the year before. But I do wonder if he'll get that time. As I said above we have a tough run of four games coming up now and on current form one can't see us picking up many points if any. All it will take is a few 'sack the Board' chants at the Sheffield Wednesday game for those at the top to start worrying about their own skins, and if there's one thing we do know about John Fry and Norman Hayward is that they can act with ruthless efficiency when criticism is directed at them. If I was Skivo I would be looking over both shoulders and praying for some results and clean sheets over the next fortnight. That Sheffield Wednesday game just might become pivotal otherwise.
As for tomorrow night's game the bookies unsurprisingly make the Saints evens favourites to win the match, with the draw at 5/2 and a home win at 13/5. I'd love to put my fiver on the home win but being realistic the draw looks much better value. Well, if we're being honest a Southampton win is the most likely outcome, but I I'm not going to start betting against us just yet. My fiver's going on the draw. Running total: -£7.25p. I hear a certain well-known local dentist has put £20 on the Glovers winning tomorrow night, let's hope his faith is rewarded. And if he loses then we will all know why a filling is so soddin' expensive these days.
It was sad to see the news that Len Harris has passed away, aged 73. I'm old enough myself to have just caught him in action at the end of his YTFC career, as part of the Southern League winning side in 1971 until he retired from the game a year later. He clocked up an incredible 691 appearances for the Glovers, a record that will surely now never be broken. Like so many others I remember him from my time at Yeovil School and used to see him pretty much every day walking to the College as it was then after the grammar school closed. He always used to smile and nod, and always had time for a chat. A nice man and he will be missed. Dellboy's appreciation of Len, written in 2003, is a must read.
Just read: Sepulchre by Kate Mosse. Not quite an horror story and not quite a romance and not quite an historical tale and not quite a murder thriller either; rather a mix of all four. Slow going at times but Mosse is such a good writer that it kept my interest for all it's 500-odd pages. Must try Labyrinth next....
Friday, 29 May 2009
Perceptions and season ticket sales
That was a relief! Barcelona did the business in the Champions League Final to stuff Man Utd 2-0 and give those who believe the Premiership is the be-all and end-all of the beautiful game some pause for thought. And they did it the best way, by completely outplaying Ferguson's men over the 90 minutes with intelligent, passing football. The only way the result could have been any sweeter was if Barca had scored the four goals their domination deserved, but I'll take the 2-0 quite happily. There was a time - before the arrival of the Premiership - when I would wish each and every English or British team good luck in European competition and hope they would win, but not any more, particularly the so-called Big 4. The disproportionate amount of money they take out of the domestic game is nothing short of scandalous and in fact the sooner the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal fuck off into a fully-fledged European Superleague the better off the rest of us will be.
Grrrrrr. Anyway, back on planet Earth and Chris Weale is the latest of our former loanees to find himself a new club, flying Uncle Gary's nest at last to sign for Leicester City. Good luck to him there. I think he was probably the most important of the loan signings we made over the last couple of months of the season. He dominated his penalty area and gave the defence a huge boost of confidence after Josh Wagenaar's less than commanding displays and without him I think we could well have gone down, even with the injection of goals the Spurs lads gave us. He deserves the chance to establish himself as the no.1 at a genuinely big club and now he's got it. Good luck Wealey! And good luck to us too, we're going to need it if Josh really is our main keeper next season.
No news on anyone else. None of the out-of-contract three have signed up as yet, with Terrel Forbes in particular moaning in the Western Gazette that he's yet to receive anything in writing from the club. At the same time and in the same paper Andy Welsh says that he's agreed terms with club but - as with Forbes - he's yet to receive anything in writing. Business as usual then! I did have hopes when Martyn Starnes took over from John Fry as chief executive that decision-making would be streamlined. I always vaguely assumed that the club's general procrastination in business matters was due to Mr Fry having too much on his plate as chairman and chief executive leading to delay and obfuscation (what a lovely word! Obfuscation, mmmmm), but what we are finding is another level of bureaucracy added instead with Starnes doing all the negotiating and then reporting back to Fry. Who in turn reports to Hayward. All this takes time and in the meantime the real world moves on and we lose players we thought were ours, because other clubs aren't paralysed by inertia and are capable of making quick decisions. The more things change, the more they remain the bleedin' same.
On the positive side, season tickets sales are well up, having just gone over the 2,000 barrier compared to just over 1,000 at this time last season. I'm frankly astonished at this. Fair play to the club on this issue, they've obviously got the pricing right and not even the board's biggest critic can argue that the replacement of Russell Slade with Skivo wasn't popular with the majority of supporters; even if the majority of supporters may be missing the fact that Skivo's results, if extrapolated throughout the season would have seen us relegated. Perceptions are what count, and the perception is that Skivo's team plays attractive, attacking football, whereas it was the opposite under Slade's tenure.
It's not a perception I particularly share. The only difference I've seen under Skivo is that the team are attempting to play at a faster tempo these days, the football otherwise is similar. Before the arrival of the Spurs boys and (for one game as it turned out) David Noble we were losing and occasionally drawing - 2 points from 19 I believe - and had slipped into the relegation zone. The loanees literally made all the difference, and of course Skivo deserves big credit for recognizing where we were weak and filling in those gaps. Nevertheless, without those players the football being served up was just as dull and uncreative as anything served up by Slade's teams - the difference was that at least Slade's team won now and then.
Still and all, hopefully my worries are unfounded and we'll start the season all guns blazing. Judging by the season ticket sales most fans apparently believe we will!
Currently reading: Quantico by Greg Bear. I've really enjoyed Bear's previous books, such as ,The Forge of God, Anvil of the Stars, Eternity, Eon, Queen of Angels, Darwin's Radio and Darwin's Children; so I was looking forward to this one. Quantico is science-fiction still, but sf set in the very near future rather than the far future. It's basically a spy thriller with a technological twist. It's a book that I nearly put aside on several occasions but eventually did finish, more out of a sense of duty than because I really enjoyed it. Can't really recommend it, it's not up to any of the above-named titles' standards.
Grrrrrr. Anyway, back on planet Earth and Chris Weale is the latest of our former loanees to find himself a new club, flying Uncle Gary's nest at last to sign for Leicester City. Good luck to him there. I think he was probably the most important of the loan signings we made over the last couple of months of the season. He dominated his penalty area and gave the defence a huge boost of confidence after Josh Wagenaar's less than commanding displays and without him I think we could well have gone down, even with the injection of goals the Spurs lads gave us. He deserves the chance to establish himself as the no.1 at a genuinely big club and now he's got it. Good luck Wealey! And good luck to us too, we're going to need it if Josh really is our main keeper next season.
No news on anyone else. None of the out-of-contract three have signed up as yet, with Terrel Forbes in particular moaning in the Western Gazette that he's yet to receive anything in writing from the club. At the same time and in the same paper Andy Welsh says that he's agreed terms with club but - as with Forbes - he's yet to receive anything in writing. Business as usual then! I did have hopes when Martyn Starnes took over from John Fry as chief executive that decision-making would be streamlined. I always vaguely assumed that the club's general procrastination in business matters was due to Mr Fry having too much on his plate as chairman and chief executive leading to delay and obfuscation (what a lovely word! Obfuscation, mmmmm), but what we are finding is another level of bureaucracy added instead with Starnes doing all the negotiating and then reporting back to Fry. Who in turn reports to Hayward. All this takes time and in the meantime the real world moves on and we lose players we thought were ours, because other clubs aren't paralysed by inertia and are capable of making quick decisions. The more things change, the more they remain the bleedin' same.
On the positive side, season tickets sales are well up, having just gone over the 2,000 barrier compared to just over 1,000 at this time last season. I'm frankly astonished at this. Fair play to the club on this issue, they've obviously got the pricing right and not even the board's biggest critic can argue that the replacement of Russell Slade with Skivo wasn't popular with the majority of supporters; even if the majority of supporters may be missing the fact that Skivo's results, if extrapolated throughout the season would have seen us relegated. Perceptions are what count, and the perception is that Skivo's team plays attractive, attacking football, whereas it was the opposite under Slade's tenure.
It's not a perception I particularly share. The only difference I've seen under Skivo is that the team are attempting to play at a faster tempo these days, the football otherwise is similar. Before the arrival of the Spurs boys and (for one game as it turned out) David Noble we were losing and occasionally drawing - 2 points from 19 I believe - and had slipped into the relegation zone. The loanees literally made all the difference, and of course Skivo deserves big credit for recognizing where we were weak and filling in those gaps. Nevertheless, without those players the football being served up was just as dull and uncreative as anything served up by Slade's teams - the difference was that at least Slade's team won now and then.
Still and all, hopefully my worries are unfounded and we'll start the season all guns blazing. Judging by the season ticket sales most fans apparently believe we will!
Currently reading: Quantico by Greg Bear. I've really enjoyed Bear's previous books, such as ,The Forge of God, Anvil of the Stars, Eternity, Eon, Queen of Angels, Darwin's Radio and Darwin's Children; so I was looking forward to this one. Quantico is science-fiction still, but sf set in the very near future rather than the far future. It's basically a spy thriller with a technological twist. It's a book that I nearly put aside on several occasions but eventually did finish, more out of a sense of duty than because I really enjoyed it. Can't really recommend it, it's not up to any of the above-named titles' standards.
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