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yeovil in europe - the anglo-italian competition 1977

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yeovil town

The Glovers finished the 1975/76 season with a "runners-up double" of the Southern League and the Southern League Cup, as Wimbledon pipped them for both titles.

terry cotton (captain)

Yeovil were undoubtedly the most well-known of the English entrants into this tournament, due to the legendary FA Cup record, and of course that sloping pitch.

Manager during the biggest cup run of all, Alec Stock, also had an Italian connection, spending some time as manager of Roma.

Stan Harland, the 1977 player/manager, had seen Anglo-Italian action in the pro version of the competition, when he played for Swindon and Birmingham.

Club captain was Terry Cotton, now of course assistant chief at the club.

There was concern about whether the club could afford the trip to Italy, and the players agreed in advance that they would cover any losses. At a 1977 cost of £170 each, they could have faced a big bill, but even though the attendances for the home games were much lower than expected, the club made just enough to cover the tour.

stan harland (manager)

Gates for the home games were 1,445 and 1,750. The attendances in the Southern League had similarly dropped; in the same month the 1-1 draw against Dartford had attracted just 1,354. It was clear to some fans where the blame should lie; in a letter to the Western Gazette, Mr R V Edmunds, of Littledam, Shaftesbury, wrote:

"In your paper of last week, Yeovil Town's manager Stan Harland could not make out why the Anglo-Italian match was not well supported. I think I can answer for some of us supporters; we are not prepared to pay to watch the manager cautioned or booked nearly every match, and until he sets an example to the players and supporters, the crowds will not roll back.

"I have been a support for 50 years, and this is the first time I have lost interest in watching Yeovil play. Directors, it us up to you to put thing in order and draw us back."

Ironically, given his record in the league campaign, Harland came out of the Anglo-Italian with great credit. Mr C A White, of Plantagenet Chase, Yeovil, wrote:

"Full marks for the Y team keeping their cool against Bari last Saturday. The needling tactics of the Italians backfired, and it was an Italian player who was eventually sent off for dissent.

"The referee did a marvellous job even though he was a but lenient with the Bari players, and Stan Harland set a fine example by restraining his team and keeping them cool."

The Yeovil side took a holiday in Montesilvano following their tournament exit. The small band of fans who accompanied the team couldn't work out how Yeovil failed to reach the tournament final, in which Lecco beat Bath 3-0. One of them, taxi proprietor Pete Goodland, said "I think we deserved a draw at Teramo, and a win at Parma, but as so often this season the luck wasn't with us. I don't think we could have asked for any more of the players, and I thought Mike Harrison and Bryn Jones were tremendous in both games".

Defender Mike Harrison was awarded Yeovil's "player of the season" award before the bari game at Huish.