Football: Footballers who like playing football, rather than footballers who like being footballers

THERE are growing similarities between Yeovil Town’s team of today to the one which manager Gary Johnson created during his first spell as boss at Huish Park.

Johnson once said that he liked ‘footballers who like playing football, rather than footballers who like being footballers’ and it could be argued that the team he is assembling now certainly fits that bill.

It is ten years ago this season that Yeovil achieved their then ultimate goal by winning the Nationwide Conference and with it a place in the Football League.

A decade on and Johnson, now back in South Somerset where he enjoyed such success first time around, is trying to recreate that same buzz and excitement which enveloped Huish Park in the great days of 2002-03.

Yesterday’s 3-0 win over Brentford put them within touching distance of the npower League play-off zone in a performance which had its fair of share of moments where you could see Yeovil pulling their shirt sleeves up, digging in and fighting for each other.

And, more importantly, they looked as if the were enjoying themselves; they were enjoying playing football and that must surely make life hell of a lot easier for Johnson and his management team working with a set of players who are so keen and enthusiastic.

Ten years ago Johnson used to talk about the likes of Michael McIndoe, Darren Way and Lee Johnson as being his ‘on-field generals’ – those that would back up the work of skipper Terry Skiverton.

And again you can see that type of player emerging within the New Yeovil set-up such as the likes of Ed Upson, James Hayter and Byron Webster supporting captain Jamie McAllister.

PHOTOS: Yeovil Town skipper Jamie McAllister, top, centre-half Byron Webster, centre, and striker James Hayter, bottom.

Following yesterday’s victory, Gary Johnson said that ‘we are on the verge of something special.’

There is growing optimism that Johnson could well be right.

But a word of caution. Ten years ago and Johnson said that the best signing he made during the Conference-winning season was a new pitch.

Fans may recall that the opening games of the 2002-03 season were played at Dorchester Town while the HuishPark playing surface was given a full make-over.

There has not been any such ‘signing’ this time around and the pitch began to badly cut up during yesterday’s game which made playing attractive football very difficult.

But the team Johnson has put together will like playing football on any surface – they like playing football full-stop.

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Yeovil Town FC.