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Before last season I said I wanted to club to get the recruitment done early. For too long we’ve been the club that waits it out for the players who don’t get picked up. For too long we’ve felt like the last resort for players.

We’ve smashed that perception to pieces so far with a flurry of daily announcements and a selection of signings that have whet the appetite for the new season – and we’re not even back at pre season yet.

As expected – and possibly spoiled by his former club – Billy Rowley has crashed Walton and Hersham’s league winning party to bring in three players that he feels can make the step up in Mason Obeng, Jos Barker and Johl Powell. That’s provided us with depth in midfield and in goal, although I will continue to pine for the return of Jed Ward. It’s also added three players by who know the manager, know the systems that can contribute pretty quickly.

We’ve also bolstered the ranks with players who “know the level” (and above) too. Zain Westbrooke, Archie Davies, Hayden Muller and Joe Gubbins have all arrived with pedigree and in their prime years. They’ve also been drawn into the club by the project too, so whatever we’re telling these players that makes us a destination is fine with me. We’ve also bolstered the front line with Ste Walker from Scarborough. A versatile forward, who Yeovil legend Kevin Gall talked about on this week’s Gloverscast. Walker knows where the back of the net is, and from what Gally has told us, can do a bit of everything.

The promise of more to come from the club’s Chief Operating Officer, Nicholas Brayne, has seen Jordan Norville-Williams and Jack Kingdon arrive and the rumour mill keeps on going. Chatter of Tom Knowles (#DFILWF) returning to Huish Park – following the administrative error that saw him depart Forest Green Rovers – seemed fanciful and was ruled out by our HR guy on Twitter. It would be an unbelievable coup but, Knowles is comfortably a League Two player and I have no doubts clubs will throw money at him to bring him in. There’s a host of Twitter transfer rumour aggregators who are stirring the pot as always.

We’re now up to 18 squad members with plenty of depth in defence. I think we’re still light in the middle of the pitch and up top and will continue to campaign for Jed Ward’s return between the sticks. But, huge credit to all involved because we feel more prepared than we have in years and our clearly investing for a competitive season.

Finally, a shout out to the club for making sure these recruits have all been unveiled at Huish Park with scarves and accompanying content. One of the many (in my opinion) downsides of taking training away from Yeovil was that anyone who signed during last season’s lacklustre recruitment drive was given a scarf and photographed in front of generic gym entrance. These signings already feel more like ours.

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With the end of another mad Yeovil Town season upon us and with at least one more year of National League Premier Division football secure, we I are looking to the future and speculating on what our squad may look like next season. There was a marked improvement in our play since the arrival of Billy Rowley, but this transfer window is huge especially with only eight players still under contract. Glovers’ fan WILL JONES has taken a look at some of the players who Billy Rowley could look at as summer transfer targets.

I’m sure we’d all agree the biggest improvement needed next season will be a bigger squad, therefore I’m making 3 suggestions for each position (except 1 for reasons I’ll outline), I’m not expecting all of them to be signed, far from it, but in certain positions 2 out of 3 being signed in a few places would be sensible to ensure that we’ve got quality and sufficient cover, even if it means having less star men style players, a ‘medium squad of solidity’ if you will.
When picking players I’ve favoured finding players who have previous links with either Billy Rowley or Head of Recruitment Jamie Hedges, as well players who are likely to be based in the local area, but there are a few wild cards thrown in here and there. 

Goalkeepers

Of course the ideal answer would be bring back Jed Ward, likely on loan, permanently if we’re going crazy. However I’m assuming his heroics for us will lead to him being poached by an EFL team, or a higher level National League side with deeper pockets, so we’ll be in the market for a replacement.
Max Harris – Weston-Super-Mare’s first choice goalie for the last few seasons, and this season he managed 18 clean sheets, massively contributing to Weston’s play off push. Good with his feet, even if the current Weston tactics don’t always encourage it, one of the best shot-stoppers at step 6, and at a good age to play for several more years at 26. Doesn’t appear to have any links with our current recruitment team, however if we’re analysing players in the local area and prefer to have a permanent goalie over another loan, then we seriously should be looking at Harris.
Mason Terry

Mason Terry – If we do elect to loan in a goalie and Ward is elsewhere then I would push for Terry on loan from West Ham as an option. Despite being in a relegated team with Braintree, he managed to keep 9 clean sheets and has had several fans naming him as one of their best players this season. Add to that the fact that in previous seasons he’s won multiple player of the season awards, he’s clearly got some real quality about him. I think with a more solid back line ahead of him than he had at The Iron he’d be a safe pair of hands with a decent amount of men’s football experience despite still being a youngster.

Jordi van Stappershoef – Maidenhead’s number 1, like Harris, kept 18 clean sheets this season in a very effective defensive unit and, unlike Harris, previously played at Aldershot under Jamie Hedges as scout. The Dutchman is an absolute giant at 6’6” and despite that he’s known for being a front foot goalie who steps well out of his goal, so he clearly has confidence in his own technical ability, my only concern would be how he never seems to have nailed down a first team position in a team for more than a season or so, but at 30 years old, he’s well in his prime goalkeeper years and may be a more mature head behind a younger team.

Centre Back

Centre back is one of the few places we’re reasonably well stocked at currently, with 3 players signed for at least 1 more year. However, for depth alone if we’re continuing to play 3 at the back then I believe 2 signings would be needed, especially another left footer who can cover for Wannell if he’s out of the squad. With that in mind this is the one position I’ve made 4 suggestions, rather than 3, 2 right footers and 2 left footers, you can also consider Declan Skura my unofficial 5th pick, but he’s been mentioned everywhere else, so I wanted to be different.
Rollin Menayese – A more experienced suggestion at 28 years old, the current Macclesfield defender has history playing in the Southwest, having previously played for Weston-super-Mare, Bristol Rovers and Swindon and was also at Aldershot when our current head of recruitment was there. With almost 100 League Two appearances under his belt and his very physical style, Rollin could be the sort of signing needed to bring some grit and nous to a team that likely will otherwise consist of younger players.
Dynel Simeu

Dynel Simeu – Released by Oldham after signing a short term contract, this ex-Chelsea and Southampton youth lad just screams of someone who needs to drop into the national league and find a home. From his youth days he’s used to playing on the right of a back 3 and the thing that stands out about him from highlights is his athleticism, particularly his high jumping, which makes him appear bigger than his 6’1” frame, combine that with his strength, lots of highlights show other players bouncing off him when jostling for the ball, and he could add steel to our back line. He has played a lot in the north since leaving The Saints but in interviews he said Southampton was his home and he may wish to live a bit nearer to home, I think he could be a solid squad player.

Cain Harries – Current Forest Green and ex-Woking and Aldershot player, Harries seems to have fallen out of favour, despite previously being almost ever-present and I think he could be a cheeky loan pickup with an eye for a contract at the end of the season if it suits both parties. Harries is the epitome of a modern ball-playing centre back, very comfortable stepping up into midfield and helping to dictate play from deep and at 29 he could be another experienced head to slot into the back line and bring a calm head in pressure situations.
Shadrach Ogie – Another ex-Aldershot player, albeit prior to when Jamie Hedges was there, who just got released by Gillingham. This is one of my shots in the dark in terms of prediction, but having been a bit on the fringes of the Gillingham team for a couple of seasons, he may be one who wishes to drop down to try and get more regular minutes. The two things that stand out about him are his aggressiveness, he always seems willing to step out and tackle players, and he often comes away with the ball, as well as his explosive speed, when allowed to run up the wing or support the midfield he tracks up and back lightning fast. He also has the added benefit of being versatile, having also played left back in a back 4 and left of a back 3, so could help out squad depth and cover for a couple of positions.

Right Wing back

A position really up for grabs with Josh Sims being let go and only really James Daly being able to play in this position, albeit one that no one would describe as his best position. Therefore this is an area of the pitch someone could stamp their authority on and help in implementing Billy Rowley’s tactical style.
Zico Asare – Currently at Harrogate, but would have been at Fulham at the same time as players like Jonathan Page, so may well have an existing relationship with Billy Rowley and possibly with James Daly, as they would’ve been teammates, so this one definitely could be a possibility. Despite only being in his mid-20s, he’s played over 100 games at National League and League Two level, so would be a more established player than some other suggestions in this article. Looking at Harrogate fan posts and highlights, the big thing that stands out about him is his pace and ability to recover ground and if we are going to play very high wing backs then I feel that this type of physical attribute could be massive.
Mitch Clark – This one’s a bit of a stab in the dark, as he’s mostly been based up north, but I think with his agency on twitter advertising him as being willing to step down, we could pick up an experienced and versatile player. Clark has played in both wing back positions and one thing that separates him from other options is his versatility to play on both flanks and both score and cross with both feet as he marauds down the wings, also seems to love a crunching slide tackle. With over 200 appearances at League One and Two level, including a promotion from League Two with Port Vale, he could be a great experienced head to bring into the dressing room.
Jacob Pinnington – Another Braintree player than we could look at snapping up following their relegation, described on multiple Braintree fan forums as their one bright spark, and often deployed as a high pushing wing back in a 3/5 at the back formation, much like Yeovil have played. JP is comfortable on the ball and a strong attacking threat, especially when whipping in crosses deep from the byline, his season unfortunately ended early due to injury, but he could be a serious young talent for Yeovil to snap up with an eye to potentially selling on later should his upward trajectory continue.

Left wing back

This position I feel is Ryan Jones’ and we would be recruiting for a backup/rotation option, so one where giving a younger player or a player stepping up a level a chance is our best option.
Elijah Morrison – He’s struggled to get consistent game time at Forest Green this season, but is massively rated by Bristol City fans, even if not by the manager, as 6 other players were played in the left back position this season without him being recalled. Has all the attributes you’d want from a wing back, runs his backside off, and doesn’t shy from a tackle or header. He may want to step up a level, but my hope is the lack of game time at FGR means other clubs won’t be sniffing around as much and we can snap up a talented local young player who improves our squad depth.
Jordan Norville-Williams

Jordan Norville-Williams – A player without direct links to our current recruitment team, but has played against Billy Rowley in the Surrey cup multiple times, so I’m sure he’s at least aware of him. His bombing runs up the wing played an integral part in Dorking’s impressive NLS season, he also can operate in both wing back and as the left of a back 3, so could provide solid cover for two positions in one, at 26 he’s at a great age to take up to the next level and see if he can shine.

Jordan Ragguette – Maidenhead had the best defensive unit in the National League South this season and JR is one that I think we should take a look at. He’s previously played for Salisbury, so he has links to the local area and if Ryan Jones is first choice next season, I think bringing in Raguette as a backup allows him to rotate and adjust into full time professional football and hopefully continue his decent record of goals and assists that he’s had so far.

Central Midfielder

This position has been a mess this year, despite seemingly recruiting only central midfielders for a short time, Page, Tobin, etc. we still had to massively rotate this position all the time, when arguably it’s one of the places where you benefit from stability, which hopefully 1 or 2 of these players can offer. I also wouldn’t be surprised if we see the likes of Page and Tobin as trialists in pre-season to be offered a chance to prove their fitness and potentially earn a contract, but I would like to offer some suggestions who I think represent a more immediate upgrade.
Lloyd Humphries

Lloyd Humphries – ex-Weston-Super-Mare midfielder who’s just been released by Eastleigh, Lloyd always impressed me when playing for the seagulls and was a player I thought he should’ve been looking at when he left for the Spitfires. A midfielder who mops up everything and never makes it look difficult, him mucking in and doing the dirty work would be the perfect compliment to players like McGavin. He’s never played further afield than Cardiff, so likely wants to stay in the area, at 28 he’s a good age and was almost ever-present for several seasons in Weston and his first season at Eastleigh, could be our Mr Reliable in the middle of the park.

Tyrese Francois – Released by Wigan, but was in the Fulham youth ranks for 10 years, so likely one that would’ve crossed Billy’s path at some point. He was highly rated enough to make a few appearances for Fulham and then after his release to be immediately snapped up by The Latics, however he only got around 20 games over 2 seasons, so at 25 he’s likely to want to drop down and play more regular football. As a player he’s small but very technical, equally comfortable sitting deep and shielding the defence before pinging passes further forward, but also willing to push up into a more box-to-box role where he can take a dish out quick passes, could be a lovely replacement for Mafico should he decide to go up a league into the EFL.
Korey Smith – A familiar face to those who’ve been around a while, but he’s changed a lot since he was a fresh faced Norwich loanee several years ago. Since leaving Norwich KS has captained Bristol City to a League One title and promotion in the same league with Derby a few years after that, to top that off he’s been a captain almost everywhere he’s been for the last 10 years and It’s this level of experience and leadership that I would want to bring to Yeovil. At 35 he’s hardly one for the future, but I think his style of play would compliment McGavin perfectly in our midfield, there is a question over his fitness, playing less than 30 games in each of his last two seasons, but I think bringing him in alongside a younger player he can rotate with, mentor and possibly offering him a coaching role as well and you’re looking at adding the sort of leadership and experience that we have been missing in recent seasons.

Attacking midfield

Another position where we arguably have our starters nailed down in Daly and McCormick, so potentially hard to recruit for. With this in mind I’ve again focused on younger players or up and comers who could be used off the bench or in rotation, but still offer enough to impact the team, Will Merry is also an unofficial number 4 for this list, but I felt it was boring to just suggest someone we’ve just had on loan.
Noah Coppin – He’s a name that’s been mentioned before and after another productive season in Salisbury, he’s made over 30 goal contributions in the last 2 seasons combined, I think he’s proven he’s ready to attempt to take the next step up. NC plays his best football in the pocket behind a striker and loves to drift inside and wide to pick up passes and link play, the exact sort of thing which could compliment a big lad up front and a wing back overlapping on the outside and his ability to burst forward at speed could mean he’s the lad to get on the end of crosses or pick up scraps to score.
Leo Pecover – He’s only just turned 18, but I’ve really rated this lad on loan at Weston-super-Mare from Bristol City, despite being so young he’s physically well developed and doesn’t get bullied by non-league defenders, which is often an issue when talented technical youth players step up to men’s football. His vision, passing range and ability to turn a player marking him tightly has won points for Weston this season on more than one occasion, so a loan where he can join a solid squad and impact games at the next level up seems like a sensible next step for him.
Lewys Twamley. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.


Lewys Twamley – I’m usually of the attitude to leave the memories alone when it comes to signing ex-players, but LT might’ve been the least Mark Cooper player we signed around that time, couple that with being played out of position and he predictably struggled. Having returned to Merthyr he’s managed 30 goal contributions, one every 135 minutes this season and I think giving him the option to tuck in behind a striker in a team encouraged to press and attack would play to his ability with his feet and passing vision, plus who doesn’t love a good redemption story?

Striker

Possibly the most important position to get right this season, what with Yeovil being one of the lower scoring teams in the whole division this season. Rowley’s tactics are good at making scoring opportunities, but ultimately we need someone capable of putting the ball in the net, which could be the difference between another bottom half finish and a play-off push. According to rumours we have already bid for Shaquille Gwengwe, which means he won’t feature here, although I do think he would be a solid addition should we pick him up.
Fletcher Holman – This is dependent on the lad wanting more game time than he’s had this season, having made mostly 30-45 minutes appearances from the bench, this could especially be the case if Swindon do reinforce their front line. Even with limited playing time, he still managed to bag 5 goals and 5 assists in just over 1,000 minutes of game time, almost 1 contribution every 100 minutes, which is an exciting stat for a fringe player. Profile-wise Holman is a classic quick number 9, always playing on the shoulder and looking to break beyond the last defender by taking the ball on the turn, but I also think his passing isn’t talked about enough, he’s frequently been willing to drift wide and whip in crosses that cause havoc in the opposition box and I think that could pay off massively for our number 10s, box-crashing midfielders and high wing backs.
Jonny Stuttle

Jonny Stuttle – Highly rated for his exploits in the Bournemouth youth team, scored 10 goals in 19 games in a loan spell for Farnborough in the NLS and had a short spell at Aldershot when Jamie Hedges was there. Unfortunately his rise was seriously derailed after he joined Walsall on loan this season and went down with an ACL injury which ended his season early. However, I would hope that Yeovil can capitalise on this and be the club where he gets his mojo back. Watching his highlights he consistently runs at and presses opposition defenders, has good footwork and is a confident finisher, the exact sort of striker who would massively benefit from the passing ability of McCormick and McGavin.

Kieran Wilson – Exeter have all but admitted that they have no cash to offer contracts, therefore this could present an opportunity to pick up a promising young striker for little to no cost, and that’s why I’d look at Wilson. He stands at almost 6’6”, so physically he’s massively imposing, but despite this the thing that stands out for me is his control of the ball and willingness to beat defenders, good touch for a big man is a cliche, but this lad definitely has that. He doesn’t appear to have any links to our current team, but with him having gone on loan to both Torquay and Truro this season, he could be tempted to take a step up into the National League full time whilst still staying reasonably local.
Will we see any of these players holding up the scarf? Unlikely, but it’s fun to speculate and I genuinely think that some of these players should be on our radar. Ultimately though I will say In Billy We Trust and I would ask for some Calmness from the fanbase and time being allowed for recruitment to be done properly. I believe we could be at a turning point in our fortunes for the first time in years, we as fans need to play our part and, as always, Achieve by Unity.

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Well, that’s that. The 2025/26 season is done and dusted and how fitting that it ended with a bit of a bonkers scoreline as the Glovers conceded four first half goals (and scored one) in a 4-1 defeat against Solihull Moors. Here are Ian’s five conclusions from Huish Park…

It was a ridiculous start to the match. Ryan Jones forced the Moors keeper into a great save in the first minute, giving us a taster of some good green and white intent, but a minute later Solihull took the lead from a sumptuous strike that even Jed Ward couldn’t get to. Traffic meant some people were still arriving with Yeovil already 1-0 down and it only got worse. Every time the visitors got a shot at goal (except once) they found the back of the net. Oh to have some of that clinical finishing…

Terrell Works | Pic by Gary Brown

We had our moments. We weren’t without opportunities despite the scoreline. Terrell Works showed perseverance to claw one back and was bright in the final third. Will Merry constantly showed intent, driving forward and getting shots away. For me, if the opportunity to sign Merry is there in the summer I would try and take it. Harvey Greenslade got into good positions but the finish was lacking again. Once again, for all our possession we fluffed our lines in the final third.

Jed Ward comes off for Matt Gould | Pic by Gary Brown

Jed Ward deserved his ovation. Ward has been ever present this season playing every minute of every match (bar the last six minutes of this one) and he has been exceptional. Some of the saves he made this season were unbelievable and the standing ovation he received at Huish Park yesterday was well earned. We’ve loaned in some brilliant goalkeepers over the years and he’s certainly one to add to the ‘we had him at Yeovil’ when we see him in the television in a few years.

We were so patched up. When the team news came in with only two recognised defenders I was wondering (praying) if we were going for a makeshift back four. Alas, it was a three with Brett McGavin in the middle. That’s where we were as a squad, that our only ball playing midfielder who has been key to getting us play had to do a job in defence.

Prahbu Srinivasan | Pic by Gary Brown

Thank god it’s over. In all honesty did we ever expect a lot this season? We started it with a manager that the majority of supporters weren’t behind who oversaw a pretty poor pre season which really didn’t set us up for success. After a month long recruitment process that took less than 10 days to unravel with Danny Webb’s departure, the wind was well and truly taken from our sails. It was less of a punch to the gut and more of a punch to the balls. Billy Rowley has done well with what he’s had to get us to safety in really difficult circumstances. The slate is clean and work starts now. Let’s see about the competitive c eh?

Billy Rowley | Pic by Gary Brown

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York City go in to the final day top of the pile after a 3-0 win over a patched up Yeovil Town side who finish their away day schedule with a bit of a damp squib in North Yorkshire, here are Ben’s Five Conclusions.

We showed relatively good discipline in defence.

York have an abundance of quality in every department and move the ball with such ease and pace in the opposition half the result itself was probably no great shock. But, with so many players missing and literally nothing to play for, I was pleased with how the back three (or five) and those in front of them kept their shape and discipline in the first half to nullify the waves of attack – for the most part – not pretty, but it really was the only way we could go about it.

Brett McGavin and Dan Ellison | Pic by Gary Brown

Tired legs, tired minds.

We’re knackered. Properly knackered, and I know we’ve been saying it for weeks (months?) but I think this was the first time I’d seen tired minds too. We didn’t play to the whistle for the first goal (more on that in a moment), and assumed the play would stop for the second ball on the field, countless times we lost a battle and you could see it take that little bit longer to fight back into position. We made two or three excellent blocks in the area by players who had made the error to create the chance for York. Effort remained high, execution wasn’t always there.

The ref wasn’t very good.

In a game with such an imbalance, you need an official who keeps things level. Mr Drysdale played the occasion more than once.

The two ball situation was odd because both were in the same area of play, should Yeovil have played to the whistle? Yes. Should there have been a whistle? Probably. Would there have been a whistle if the teams attacking were reversed? Almost certainly.

Josh Stones got a yellow card for an early challenge that fit an ‘orange card’ on another occasion that’s given as a red. There’s definitely contact on Will Merry in the penalty area, he makes a lot of it, but it’s a penalty. Ollie Banks got three or four final warnings before finally getting booked for being a constant menace off the ball, there was a definite handball in the build up to the second goal. Sour grapes, yeah sure, but the least you want is a level playing field. It’s hard not to feel harshly treated.

Page showed what we might have been missing.

What a pleasant little cameo from Jonathon Page. Some neat little touches in midfield, a real little terrier attitude in the battle, against some giants he more than put himself about and you have to wonder if he might have been something of an asset all along had he been fit.

Merry showed why he’s an option beyond this season

Will Merry didn’t really get into the game first half, playing right in front of the dugouts, he had a tough time getting on the ball, but in the second period he really upped it getting at the York defence on a number of occasions. The more I see of him the more I think he’s exactly the sort of player who we should be looking at to supplement our attack next season, glides with the ball, attack minded and has a physical element to his game too.

Will Merry on the attack

I could write about Jed Ward being ridiculous for the level, but you knew that. I could write about 200+ fans in the away end who drew praise from the home side’s press pack at the end of the game, but you knew that. I could talk about our injury problems mounting up again with McCoy-Splatt’s shoulder popping out, but you knew that.

I’m exhausted (you knew that too), the lads are exhausted, the gaffer is exhausted, let’s get this post-season friendly against Solihull out the way and get next season rolling… after a little nap though, yeah?

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Yeovil Town played out a 0-0 draw against play-off hopefuls FC Halifax Town on Saturday. Green and White Radio’s Tom Bailey was there, here’s what he took from the game…

It wasn’t one for the neutrals: That was a tough watch, if we’re being totally honest. Neither side threatened much in the first half, and while the game kicked into second gear in the second half, it never really felt like either side were truly going to take the game by the scruff of the neck. However…

A good result: While not the most entertaining game, from a result perspective this was a solid showing and a good result for us! Halifax have shown throughout the season that they’re a good footballing side, capable of taking complete control of games. We saw glimpses of that play today, but a steady Yeovil defence did a good job of keeping the likes of Adam Hmami and Will Harris at bay in challenging conditions.

James Daly vs Halifax
Pic C/O Gary Brown

Finn Cousin-Dawson: Now Finn is a player who will always prompt discussion among Yeovil fans (myself included). He’s good in defence, then he isn’t, then he’s rubbish in midfield and then he isn’t, then he gets hot-headed and sent off and then… you get the idea.

Called straight back into the starting XI today, originally as a midfielder before Kyle Ferguson’s injury in the warm-up forced him into the back three, Finn did a good job of helping lead the backline at such short notice. Big thumbs up from me, Finn.

Finn Cousin-Dawson
Pic C/O Gary Brown

Clean sheet: The defence has taken on many different forms this season, with yet another new partnership taking shape today with FC-D, Mukena and Ellison starting and finishing the game. Along with the usual heroics from Jed Ward, they very much earned their crust today.

Will Harris has a great scoring record in the league, but he barely had a sniff today, and other threats from deep really didn’t cause much concern for the backline either. They may well be asking more questions for Billy Rowley to answer about their futures at Huish Park, with just the two games to go.

On to York: One more away day, and I’d argue it’s one of my favourites – the opposition have stacks upon stacks of talent, and with the *ahem* history between these two sides in recent years, it’s sure to be an intriguing game. Let’s take the positivity from this game, alongside the return of the likes of Dakarai Mafico and try and cause a stir on the big stage next weekend.

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Survival in the National League Premier Division is now a mathematical certainty for Yeovil Town, but it was Groundhog Day again as the injury-ravaged Glovers went down to defeat at Eastleigh on Easter Monday. Dave was watching in on the stream and here are his conclusions – expect Jed Ward to be brilliant, us to have lots of injuries and there to be a need for investment this summer.

582 heroes: The first conclusion of this match has to be that away end. 582 Yeovil Town supporters made the 150-mile round trip on a bank holiday for a fixture which meant very little to us at the end of a season to forget – on top of the season to forget before that. And they did not stop singing and supporting their team for the entire 90 minutes. Yes, we supporters have our moans and groans, but if anyone ever thought to question the commitment we have to this club, the response is right there. The Man/Woman/Child of the Match without question.

582 heroes. Picture courtesy of Luca Manley.

What I wouldn’t give for Aaron Blair up front: Before the match, Yeovil boss Billy Rowley was singing the praises of Aaron Blair and the Eastleigh striker showed exactly why with his performance. Even if you put aside two very different goals – the first a poacher’s finish and the second a lovely chip over Jed Ward – Blair and his strike partner Harvey Saunders did not give the Glovers’ defence a moment’s peace all match. Full of energy, a complete pest to play against, makes lovely runs in behind and he knows where the goal is.

The Jed Ward Show – again!: How many times have we written this?! I’d say give Steve Evans at Bristol Rovers a blank cheque, but given his previous with financial misdeeds, that may not be wise. In all seriousness though, has one player ever stood so far head and shoulders above everyone else in the Player of the Season vote? In the first 30 seconds he air kicked at a ball and almost let Blair in, but he more than made up for it with another string of outstanding saves. Some goalkeeper.

Goalkeepers may be ten a penny in the summer, but are they as good as this one? | Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Dead on our feet or simply not interested: It’s been said in conclusions for weeks, but we have players who are literally running on empty. James Daly and Brett McGavin both played through injury and illness, Joy Mukena was so injured he came on and then came off again and these are the players that started against Eastleigh. The “small squad of quality” which was the brainchild of former boss Mark Cooper is really coming back to bite now. There were players out there putting their bodies on the line on Monday, but there were some who simply looked disinterested. With safety now mathematically assured, I think I would rather give the Under-19s who at least looked like they care a taste of first-team action than some of these others.

Let’s do our part as supporters: Saturday’s visitors to Huish Park, FC Halifax Town, still have a (very) outside chance of the play-offs and then it’s the small matter of a trip to title-chasing York City the following weekend. It is going to be a tough ride for the next couple of weeks and whoever turns out in green-and-white between now and the end of the season is going to need every boost they can get. The unbelievable support which was at Eastleigh and that which has been at Huish Park in recent week is the perfect example of what we can do to help. We’re across the mathematical safety line now, we just need to close this season out. The Community can remain Calm and supportive and then it’s over to the owners to show their commitment to Competitiveness in the summer.

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It was another three points for the Glovers and another unconvincing performance, but who cares? Ian was at Huish Park for the 1-0 win against Truro City and here are his Five Conclusions…

We looked exhausted in the first half. It was the main point Billy Rowley made in his post-match interview, but from kick off we looked dead on our feet. Terrell Works, normally buzzing around pressing, wasn’t. Delano McCoy-Splatt and Brett McGavin weren’t able to control the midfield – I thought the first half passed them by in truth – and we ended up lumping it to the Truro defence for them to rebuild over and over. The wingers were on the ball sparingly and Truro could have gone in 2-0 up at half time was it not for poor finishing and Jed Ward in the middle of our goal.

Terrell Works puts the pressure on | Photo by Gary Brown

We improved in the second half. I’m not so sure if the players got a rocket at half time or not, but you didn’t need a body language expert to understand how the manager was feeling in the first half. Rowley praised Darren Simpson for the positional tweaks which improved the Glovers and I think it was evident early on in the higher press and the early chances. Until…

We started dropping like flies. Our threadbare, (small squad of quality™) patched up team started to fall victim to their gruelling schedule. Since Morecambe, Yeovil have travelled more than 1300 miles in round trips. Away trips to Wealdstone, Gateshead, Southend in seven days will have killed any sort of meaningful preparation. Aaron Jarvis and Jake Wannell both exited through injury, Joy Mukena was on one leg and we found out pre-match the Josh Sims is out for the season too. Fitness has been an issue all season and the importance of getting it right in pre-season is even more evident given our current situation.

Will Merry still had some fuel in the tank. The youngster was full of running throughout the match and was Yeovil’s brightest spark. When a bit of space opened up in front of him in stoppage time he only had one thing on his mind and as he glided past the Truro defence and put the ball past Aidan Stone the roof came off Huish Park. It was, once again, pure relief as we found a way to grab all three points.

Will Merry slots home | Photo by Gary Brown

We need this season to finish. In my five conclusions following Sutton I said “each game will be it’s own cup final with varying levels of severity as we muddle through until May.” I think that’s generally how it’s gone. We’ve not seen much of a playing style come through for various reasons but with us now (all but mathematically) safe and sat in 13th we can relax. As I said on Friday’s podcast, I think we can go into the summer with calm off the pitch, but there is pressure on the Jamie ‘the HR guy’ Hedges, and the brain trust behind the recruitment plan to get it right to make us competitive. I hope we’ve spent all this time working on a strategy so as soon the final whistle goes after Solihull we know exactly what we’re going after in summer and we get our business done early.

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Gloverscast Ben was in the commentary box at the Gateshead International stadium. Here are his five key takeaways from the game.

Knackered. This has been a long ol’ season, even by Yeovil Town standards. I thought that yesterday started to show just how much energy our recent schedule had taken out of us. We definitely missed the energy and running of Daly and Sims from the off and, without question, have a few players feeling the effects of their recent exertions. There wasn’t a lack of effort, I think the legs just didn’t work like they had done prior.

Discipline and officials. Now, if you can’t control the fatigue in the body, you can control the mind. I actually thought Finn Cousin-Dawson played rather well in the middle of the park, we had a lot of defending to do at times and he certainly offers us that protection. But in a game that got feisty, and got away from the ref, he really didn’t need to make that challenge in the 93rd minute, 2-0 down away from home, with a busy schedule ahead of us.

Now, let’s caveat that by saying the ref helped absolutely no-one all game. He could (should) have sent one, maybe two, Gateshead players off for different altercations and bizarrely didn’t send off Jake Wannell for giving away the penalty. (My theory is, he probably regretted booking him for the offence of being elbowed in the head by a Gateshead player). He had no control over the game and everyone got unnecessarily frustrated. Gateshead played that situation better than us.

Finn Cousin-Dawson. Picture courtesy of Frank Reid.

The curious case of Millar Matthews-Lewis. I can’t figure this one out, he gets his start after a couple of cameos and unused sub appearances and it was a strange 20 minutes from him. He tried to hold the ball up, but a couple of times he looked to be on a different wavelength/planet to those around him and nothing really stuck. We assumed he was nursing an injury when taken off, but we were told it was tactical after the game.

Jarvis came on to get his shirt ripped off on every occasion and did offer far more. But we’re going to need our entire squad for the next six games, is he destined to be filed alongside Jahmari Clarke and Reo Griffiths as strikers that happened, but we dont quite know why..? Maybe.

More the Merry-er. Yes. I tell you who isn’t looking knackered, Will Merry. I know it’s the smallest of sample sizes, but this lad has something. Simple, direct, he almost floats with the ball at his feet. He has an eye for a run too and is happy to drift off a defender and find a position. Let’s get this lad on the pitch a lot over the next six games and see what he’s about. In the name of planning for next season, these might be the sort of raw youngsters that come in to the group.

How to motivate a side on the beach? As we edge closer to the end of the season, the maths will start getting worked out and we’ll soon discover our spot somewhere in the lower-middle pack. But, over 100 people went to Gateshead yesterday, plenty will be at Southend and so on and so forth. They deserve that effort to be matched, if not bettered.

It’ll be interesting to see how we show up for this run in with the ever-decreasing jeopardy this season holds. Those fans still need something to cheer and something to get behind and remember, there’s season tickets and new kits and sponsor board to sell for next season.

 

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A resurgent Yeovil Town ran out as 2-0 winners at Wealdstone on a bitter Wednesday night; Tom Bailey was there for Green and White Radio, here’s what he made of it…

What a great team performance! There were concerns post-Woking that the team looked unmotivated, that there was a lack of fight, togetherness and desire… well that did a complete 180! Every single player looked like they would run through a wall for each other, FCD and McGavin put their bodies on the line in a powerful midfield display, variations of Sims, Jones, Daly and Works all pressing as duos, and an organised backline showed that these guys can be a team, as they outworked and outsmarted a rotated Wealdstone side.

Before I call out my man of the match, I want to give an honourable mention to Ryan Jones for pulling off a roulette inside his own half under pressure from multiple Wealdstone players, nerves of steel on that man in a fantastic individual display.

James. Daly (again). Can I just use last Saturday’s thoughts for this bit? Once again, an electric performance while in the central striker role – have we had our missing striker at the club the whole time?? His turn of pace is elite for the level, causing defences headaches all game, and his linkup with both wings was exceptional. Take a bow son, take a bow!

He’s done it again. James Daly celebrates his sixth goal of the season.

The pressure has been eased tremendously now. There were concerns among fans headed into this trio of games (Morecambe, Wealdstone, Gateshead) that they could define our season. Two wins from the first two of those games have made that gap to the bottom four look like a chasm in comparison to a week or so ago.

The fans, the staff and the players should all give themselves a pat on the back for stepping up when it’s mattered most, as we look increasingly like a National League side for next season!

The red. Yes I’m afraid I’m going to mention it, we can’t have all five points be positive can we?! Troy Perrett has come in for criticism at times this season, with a bright start to life in green and white dying off pretty quickly. In absence of Dakarai Mafico, he’s started the last two games and while there were sparks of brilliance, it’s not quite come together for him yet.

However, having slept on it (important here on Gloverscast) – that’s really poor for me. I came in for stick when I said Jarvis shouldn’t have been dismissed against Rochdale (I WAS VERY WRONG), and this incident felt weirdly similar to me. In the moment, I didn’t quite understand how it was even a booking, never mind a red, but upon seeing the replay, he’s earned every bit of that red. Hopefully this is a learning experience that he can take forward in his career, marking a low point of an uninspiring loan spell.

Troy Perrett
Pic c/o Gary Brown

Let’s end the season with a flourish! I was keen to just stay up, even if it was close, I just wanted to stay up. Maybe I’m giddy from seeing us sit in the dizzying heights of 15th, but I feel weirdly relaxed about the rest of the season now. Let’s enjoy ourselves, keep up the impressive performances and end the season with a high. Wins against the likes of Gateshead, Truro, Eastleigh and Solihull would see us very comfortably into mid-table, let’s manifest a few more wins!

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Yeovil Town’s topsy-turvy season continued on Saturday, as they defeated Morecambe at Huish Park in what had been billed as a six-pointer. Tom Bailey was there for Green and White Radio, here’s what he thought.

Well that was great fun… What an entertaining game of football! Entertainment value has often been criticised at Huish Park this season, with Cooper-ball and Copper-lite-ball under Richard Dryden leading to some turgid performances. If this is what we should expect under Billy Rowley next season, then sign me up! It was a game of high quality, but it didn’t disappoint in the entertainment department!

James. Daly. Boy am I glad we have James Daly in this team. A slow start to the season, followed by injury saw Daly’s stock fall as Christmas approached. But after finding fitness, and a regular run of games allowing him to build momentum, he’s come into his own, particularly following the absence of Luke McCormick.

His pressing and relentless energy makes him a joy to watch, and his goal was well taken today, taking his league tally to five for the season. Even his 99th minute press of the Morecambe ‘keeper was the perfect example of why we need to play to Daly’s strengths next season.

James Daly reflecting the mood inside Huish Park.

The players showed a bit of something today. I mentioned above that while entertaining, the quality of the game wasn’t necessarily great. Both teams were desperate to win this game, which was a stark contrast to the drab midweek defeat at Woking for the Glovers. Everyone put in a hell of a shift to earn those three points today, and even if they aren’t staying beyond the end of the season, that is a performance that Yeovil fans should be proud of.

Delano McCoy-Splatt, welcome to Yeovil! When McCoy-Splatt’s signing was announced midweek, there were mixed responses, with some relief that we had more midfield depth, but some concern over his age and lack of game time. Thankfully, he made a brilliant start to life in green and white, coming on as a substitution on the right hand side. His linkup play with Josh Sims and Finn Cousin-Dawson was excellent, and his vision for the pass to Terrell Works for Daly’s goal was awesome. More of that please and thank you!

Onto Wealdstone. Let’s take the positive feeling following a hard-earned victory and carry that momentum into the midweek game at Wealdstone. A lot of people earmarked these three fixtures (plus Gateshead next Saturday) as our three biggest games of the season, and with three points on the board already, let’s carry on this good work into Wednesday’s game.