The Championship play-off is billed as the richest match in football but wealth is relative. For Brentford and Yeovil Town, the League One play-off has the potential to be just as transformative.Promotion to the second tier will bring with it a huge increase in revenue. Income from TV, sponsorship and Premier League payments jumps from around £900,000 to more than £4m and ticket sales rise.While much of that money will immediately pass through the clubs in wage payments to better players, enough is left over to justify labelling the match the biggest, in financial terms, in the clubs’ history.But for Yeovil in particular it is about glory as well as cash. The Glovers were one of the great non-league giant-killers, famed for their Cup exploits as far back as 1949, but their progress since joining the Football League in 2003 has been impressive.Somerset’s only league club won League Two at the second attempt and reached the League One play-off final two seasons later, losing to Blackpool.
They subsequently struggled to stay in the third tier until Gary Johnson, the manager who took them from non-league to League One, returned last January. Johnson, who has been linked with the vacant post at Millwall, kept them up last season and steered them to fourth this season.Uwe Rösler’s Brentford finished one place ahead, and would have been promoted had Fulham loanee Marcello Trotta not infamously hit the bar in added time in the last game of the season. Brentford, who have failed in the play-offs six times, then recovered from Swindon levelling the play-off semi in the 95th minute to win on penalties. They start today as narrow favourites despite losing home and away to Yeovil during the season.A top-flight team either side of the Second World War, Brentford have spent only one season (1992-93) outside the lower divisions since 1954. The club are due to move to a new ground in 2016 and hope the move will enable them to establish themselves in the Championship should they get there.
The match is Greg Dyke’s final duty as Brentford chairman before he steps down to take over as chairman of the Football Association.Brentford v Yeovil (Wembley) Sunday, 1.30. TV: Sky Sports 2 Bradford v Northampton (Wembley) Saturday 1.30pm. TV: Sky Sports 1PUB NEWS: The Bees from the Beehive are kept busy at Yeovil Crib League presentation nightPosted: 23rd May 2016THE Bees crib team from the Beehive pub in Yeovil scooped the board at this year’s end-of-season presentation night with the Yeovil and District Cribbage League. The team won the Division One title along with the Knockout Cup and they also won the Pairs Cup. Geoff Hartlebury, of The Bees, also won the Singles Cup. There was a good turnout for the presentation night which…Read MorePUB NEWS: Brewers Arms receives CAMRA awardPosted: 22nd February 2016THE Brewers Arms at South Petherton has been named as the Pub of the Year by members of the Somerset branch of the Campaign for Real Ale. Branch members and chairman Phil Edmond went along to the Brewers Arms to congratulate landlord Duncan Webb and the team on their success.
Phil said: “It’s a fantastic pub and really deserves this award. We have some great pubs in…Read MoreCHRISTMAS 2015: Festive get-together at the Manor HotelPosted: 19th November 2015IF you have not booked your festive get-together with friends, family or colleagues yet – there is still time to take advantage of an amazing offer at the Manor Hotel in Hendford, Yeovil. The Manor Hotel will give your table of six or more a FREE bottle of Prosecco to help you celebrate. Prices are £17.99 per person for a two-course meal or £20.99 for a three-course…Read MoreCHRISTMAS 2015: Enjoy Christmas Day at the Manor HotelPosted: 19th November 2015HAVE you got your Christmas Day all planned out yet? There aren’t many “sleeps” now until the big day on December 25 – but there is still time to book a perfect Christmas Day meal at the Manor Hotel in Hendford, Yeovil. You can book your Christmas meal of five courses for £59.99 by phoning 01935-423116.Read MorePUB NEWS: Royal Standard pulls out all the stops for charityPosted: 12th November 2015PUB-GOERS at the Royal Standard in Yeovil helped to raise a whopping £1,160.14 for a charity which helps those with a rare disorder.
The money was raised earlier this year with a fun day, barbecue, quiz, stalls and a pool match and the proceeds have now been presented to the Williams Syndrome Foundation. Williams Syndrome is rare and like Down’s Syndrome is caused by an…Read MorePUB NEWS: Skittles competition at Brewers ArmsPosted: 1st November 2015FUNDS for the MacMillan Cancer Support Unit at Yeovil District Hospital will be boosted later today (Sunday, November 1, 2015) with a skittles competition at the award-winning Brewers Arms in South Petherton. The skittles fun starts at 2pm and there will also be a prize draw, plus free chilli and tortillas to be enjoyed. A Brewers Arms spokesman said: “Please come along…Read MorePUB NEWS: Sunday Carvery at The Castle InnPosted: 1st November 2015LOOKING for somewhere to eat on Sundays? If so – get yourself along to The Castle Inn at West Coker where you will receive a friendly welcome and be able to enjoy some great food. The Sunday Carvery is available from 12noon to 4.30pm.
To satisfy your Sunday lunch craving, choose from tender slices of beef, pork or both, while pan fried chicken is also available on…Read MorePUB NEWS: Bonkers for conkers at Brewers ArmsPosted: 11th October 2015THEY will be going bonkers for conkers at South Petherton this afternoon (Sunday, October 11, 2015) with the Brewers Arms’ 22nd annual Conker Tournament. It will be a fun afternoon from 3.30pm with competitors hoping to be crowned this year’s Conker Champion and with it receive the prestigious garland of conkers. As well as the conker tournament there will be some other…Read MorePUB NEWS: Landlord apologises to customers - but vows to get things rightPosted: 10th September 2015A PUB landlord in Ilminster has promised customers that things will get better soon having endured a difficult start to life behind the bar at The Stonemasons. Keith and Jo Foose took over as managers of the Marstons-owned pub restaurant at the end of July, but they have been faced by a barrage of problems.