GLOVERS FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Worthing 2, Yeovil Town 5 - March 31, 1986

WELCOME to the Glovers Flashback Friday feature where we look at back a Yeovil Town game on this day in history from down the years.

In this game we go back 31 years to a Vauxhall-Opel Premier League match and a 5-2 win for Yeovil Town at Worthing down on the South coast.

Yeovil’s goals were scored by Phil James (two), John McGinlay, Alan Pardew and Paul Randall.

People at the game may remember they were rudely interrupted in celebrating a goal by a group of visiting Pompey fans who were there one minute and gone the next after a spot of fisticuffs with the Yeovil supporters.

It was Yeovil’s first season in the Vauxhall-Opel League with Gerry Gow at the managerial helm and they went on a mammoth title race battle with Sutton United.

Although the Glovers amassed a whopping 91 points and won 28 matches they still finished runners-up to Sutton and missed out on promotion back to the Conference.

Despite the disappointment it was certainly an important season for the Glovers as it reignited interest in the club – an amazing crowd of 5,348 turned up at Huish later in the season on April 22, 1986, to see Yeovil beat Sutton 2-0 with goals from Dave Spencer and John McGinlay.

John McGinlay topped the goal scoring chart for Yeovil that season with 26 goals in all competitions, while Phil James chipped in with 21 and Gerry Pearson 12. There were also seven goals apiece for Tom Ritchie, Dave Spencer and Paul Randall, while a certain Alan Pardew added five.

John McGinlay also topped the appearance chart that season as well with 47 games in all competitions, while David Craig and Phil James made 44, Tom Ritchie 41 and Dave Linney 40. Gerry Pearson made 39 appearances with player-manager Gerry Gow making 35.

PHOTO – TOP: Pictured (from left) are goal scorers John McGinlay, Phil James, Paul Randall and Alan Pardew – all on target for Yeovil in their win at Worthing on March 31, 1986. Statistics courtesy of the Ciderspace website at www.ciderspace.co.uk .

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Adult membership to join the Glovers Trust is just £10 per year, while it is just £1 per year for those aged Under-16; and £100 per year for a corporate membership.

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