YEMI Odubade says Weymouth’s title victory was “for the fans” after he struck the first goal in a 3-0 win over Farnborough that claimed the Evo-Stik Southern Premier South trophy.
A huge crowd of 2,676 turned out at the Bob Lucas Stadium to watch the Terras crowned champions and Odubade says the fans helped them over the line.
Odubade said: “I have been promoted with Stevenage twice, Eastleigh, but this is just as good if not better.
“I have played against Weymouth so many times – such a good fan base, great following and we did it for the fans.
“Obviously I have not been at Weymouth in the past years, but I have known what has gone on and how bad it has been for the fans.
“So the fact that we have showed that we are such a good side, we all want to do well for each other, and the club and the fans came out in their numbers and helped us over the line so credit to them.”
Odubade, 34, says his goal, which was later added to with strikes from Brandon Goodship and Ben Thomson, says the goal is “up there” in terms of important goals he has scored in his career.
When asked how it felt, Odubade replied: “Lovely. Obviously I am 34 now and I have scored some very important goals in my career and this one is 100 per cent up there, probably topping it just to get the ball rolling, because after my goal we just steamrollered them so it is lovely.
“I would have liked for it to be done a couple of weeks ago but you know that is football, I had no doubt with the boys we have got at Weymouth.
“The high quality we have got, we just kept our heads and we rode out the first half which was hard because Farnborough are a big side, good at set pieces and we rode that out.”
Odubade feels that the Terras’ team deserve the glory and says knowing that Taunton were 1-0 up at Basingstoke Town, which meant with the Terras drawing at the break that Taunton were champions as it stood, added extra spice to the contest.
Odubade said: “Do you know what helps? At half-time people were saying Taunton were 1-0 up so you know it had a bit more spice, a bit more pressure.
“But you know the lads here, what pressure? You know, what pressure?
“We did score but even if I did not score then I did feel that we were going to score at some point, we just steamrollered them.
“I think we deserve it over the course of the year.
“Obviously since when I came in at Christmas we have clawed Taunton back, got (ahead) and then Taunton, credit to them they made a real good go of it. But we just kept our heads, carried on, showed great character.
“I think we deserve the promotion.”
Odubade also spoke about the switch of ends just prior to the start of the match, which saw the Terras playing into the wind during the first half.
When asked about the change in tension following the Weymouth goals, Odubade replied: “You know what? That is how it was going to be, that is how it was going to be. The weather played a massive, massive part.
“I said to Jake (McCarthy) look, go against the wind in the first half, ride it out, it is going to be hard but ride it out and then we will be with the wind in the second half and it helped us with the momentum.
“I don’t know if Jake chose it or they said switch round but it worked. If Jake did win it that is what we did say before the start of the game.
“I’m telling you it is like an extra player, it is like an extra player, helping it in, helping it in they are always on the backfoot.
“You saw in the first half how hard it was for Tom (McHale, Weymouth goalkeeper) to kick the ball.
“Their goalkeeper would have had to deal with the same thing.”
