Gloverscast #508 – “Doing our bit for the Hyphenated community”
2026-06-29
Another week, two new signings, one outgoing captain, a new league football, a new role for the Exec Chairman, a returning title winner for the U19s and some Academy shenanigans…
Plenty for Ben, Dave and Ollie Marsh to ponder this week.
Glovers Loick In Salford Defender
2026-06-26
Yeovil Town have signed off another busy week of transfer activity with the addition of defender Loick Ayina on a season-long loan from Salford City.
The 23-year-old becomes the Glovers’ 12th signing of the summer – and the first loan arrival with the previous 11 joining on permanent deals – and is the sixth new boy with defensive qualities. Reports suggest Ayina is a right-sided centre back whose career with experience of playing in a back three.
The other arrivals were Joe Gubbins (left-sided centre back), Jack Kingdon (centre back), Archie Davies (right back), Jordan Norville-Williams (left back) and Hayden Muller, who has played in defence and midfield at Sutton United. Given the exits of Kyle Ferguson, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Alex Whittle and the more recent departure of former captain Jake Wannell, our defence will have a new look next season.
Having joined Salford last summer after his Huddersfield contract expired, the young defender made just three appearances off the bench in League Two – including getting substituted on and off again in an opening day debut which lasted just 27 minutes.
Born in the Republic of Congo, Ayina was raised in Paris, France and came through the youth set-ups at a number of clubs before being brought to England by Huddersfield Town in 2019, signing professionally with them in 2020. The then 18-year-old had his first taste of professional football came in National League North in October 2021, picking up two Man of the Match awards in his four appearances, before returning to Huddersfield where he made his first-team debut in an FA Cup tie at Preston North End in January 2023.
Shortly after he began the first of two loan spells in the Scottish Premiership at Dundee United, making 13 appearances, before being sent up to Ross County in January 2024, starting 11 times. His loan spells north of the border gave Ayina experiences of big match atmospheres, twice starting against Rangers at Ibrox and an appearance at Celtic Park, picking up more than 2,000 minutes (roughly 25 matches) of experience.
Having signed for Salford last summer, he struggled for first-team minutes and played less than half-an-hour in League Two as his new employers recruited heavily in defence on their way to the division’s play-off final. Much of his game time last season came in the development teams at Moor Lane (if you were wondering where that odd social media tease came from!) and the departure of Karl Robinson as manager builds an unsettled picture.
One assumes he’s arrived at Huish Park on a ‘go and get games’ mission, and reports suggest he will bring speed, athleticism and right-sided central defensive cover.
Welcome to Somerset, Loick!
O’Brien named New Under-19s Manager
2026-06-26
Former Yeovil Town defender Roy O’Brien has been named the Under-19s manager for the upcoming season.
Part of the Glovers’ side who won the FA Trophy in 2002, the National League title a year later and the League Two success in 2005, O’Brien is well known and well thought of at Huish Park and steps into the role ahead of the 2025/26 season.
The Under-19s finished third in Group E of the National League Under 19s Alliance League last season, two places but 16 points behind league winners Dorchester Town.
The appointment follows the announcement of an “elite football and education pathway” between the club and Yeovil College. In simple terms that is an academy for 16-18 year olds which means that players will study a Level 3 BTEC in Sport Coaching & Development (the equivalent of A Levels) at Yeovil College and train several times a week with coaches from the college and the club at Huish Park. Those players will also represent the clubs Under-19s in the Alliance Under-19s league and potentially the FA Youth Cup.
Announcing the partnership, Bhavna Vohra, director and co-owner, said: “Giving young people a real route into careers through sport has been a passion of ours from the start, and in Yeovil College we have found a partner who shares that vision completely. Their team has been outstanding to work with, and together, as two of the town’s cornerstone organisations, we are building a genuinely professional environment where the next generation can thrive. What we are creating goes well beyond playing football. It is about preparing young people for real careers right across the sport, whether they want to step onto the pitch, coach, analyse or manage. This is something we care deeply about, and we believe Yeovil’s young people deserve nothing less.”
The appointment of O’Brien as Under-19s manager makes sense in light of the partnership. The 51-year-old was appointed the college’s Head of Performance Football in late 2024 and this week’s statement said he would be joined by Lewis Winter, a former Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust coach who now works for the college.
Quite what this means for the position of Jamie Phillip, who coached the Under-19s last season, is less clear. He is still listed as the only member of ‘Senior Management’ in his Chief Executive Officer role on the website of Community Sports Trust, which appeared surprised by the announcement of the new partnership with the College on Tuesday. The Trust posted on its social media channels: “We are disappointed to find out from social media about a new partnership between the football club and the college..” before going on to discuss its own Elite Performance Programme.
Cue a post on the YTFC Academy social media pointing to the application form for the course it is offering with the college which read: “This course is the club’s own and only club endorsed pathway giving participants the chance to represent Yeovil Town FC U19s.” Go figure as to what that all means – except that the academy set up now appears to be a club-college initiative.
Roy was a Gloverspast Episode guest in August, 2023 You can CLICK HERE and listen to the episode.
Haigh joins Glovers’ summer spending spree
2026-06-24
Dagenham & Redbridge attacking midfielder Joe Haigh has become the eleventh signing of Yeovil Town’s summer after being announced on a two-year contract.
The 23-year-old was named the Daggers’ Player of the Season after an impressive campaign in National League South last season, scoring eight goals and providing seven assists, and attracted attention from other National League Premier Division clubs this summer.
He turned down a new deal at the Essex club after his one-year deal expired this month, but the Glovers are likely to have to pay compensation due to the player being under 24 years old.
A product of the Chelsea academy, Haigh represented England at both Under-15s and Under-16s level before joining Aldershot Town and then moving to Step 4 side South Park in the Isthmian League South Central Division.
He impressed there and joined Farnborough in March 2024 and scored ten goals in the 2024/25 season before moving to Dagenham where his form continued last season.
Stuart Robins joins National League board
2026-06-23
Yeovil Town’s Executive Chairman, Stuart Robins has joined the National League Board of Directors.
Robins will serve a three-year term on the board which consists of representatives from all three National League divisions.
The move was confirmed at the League’s AGM at Celtic Manor.
In a statement the league said;
“Board members serve a standard three-year term, though their places are confirmed on a seasonal basis: because promotion and relegation move clubs between divisions each year, a member’s term can sometimes be cut short.
The National League Board is elected to serve its member clubs and, above all, the supporters who are at the heart of the game. Club representation on the Board is drawn from across the competition, with two members connected to the National League North, two to the National League South and six to the National League – a structure designed to ensure fair representation and diversity of voice across all three divisions.
The full list of club representatives on the National League Board for the season ahead is as follows:
National League
Tim Murphy (Solihull Moors)
Tom Lawrence (Southend United)
Mike Coulson (Gateshead)
Martin Copus (Sutton United)
Mark Hammond (Hornchurch)
Stuart Robins (Yeovil Town)
National League North
David Johnston (Darlington)
Joanie Roberts (Hereford)
National League South
Simon Gardener (Farnborough)
Ben Hudson (Hampton & Richmond Borough)”
Yeovil Town have been represented on the National League Board before, but we can’t tell you about the most recent occasion without mentioning the name of He Who Shall Not Be Mentioned.
Good luck to Stuart and here’s to a successful National League.
Glovers decline National League Cup Place
2026-06-23
Yeovil Town have confirmed that they will not be taking part in the National League Cup competition for the 2026/27 season.
The Glovers have not taken part in any of the National League Cup campaigns as yet, with Leeds United U21s and Boreham Wood winning the first two editions.
Yeovil have said that ‘ambitious objectives’ in the League, FA Cup and FA Trophy competitions means that priorities remain elsewhere.
Wannell departs Glovers – destination Torquay?
2026-06-22
Yeovil Town captain Jake Wannell is leaving Yeovil Town and is expected to be heading for National League South side Torquay United.
In a statement on Monday afternoon, the Glovers confirmed the defender had “departed the club by mutual agreement, allowing him to pursue opportunities elsewhere.”
It has been widely rumoured that he will link up with fellow former team-mates Matt Worthington, Jordan Young and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton at Plainmoor.
In a message posted on his social media on Monday evening, the 32-year-old said: “To have played over 130 games for Yeovil Town is something I am immensely proud of. To captain this football club was an honour I never took for granted and is something that will stay with me forever.
“Winning the league together is a memory I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. The celebrations, the togetherness, and the connection between the players, staff and supporters made it truly special. Those moments are why we play the game.”
Wannell thanked former boss Mark Cooper, who brought him to the club from Taunton Town in June 2023 and the club’s staff before concluding with a thank you to supporters.
He added: “Most importantly, thank you to the fans. Your support and loyalty never went unnoticed. Whether things were going brilliantly or during the more difficult periods, you continued to back us and turn up in incredible numbers, home and away. For that, I’ll always be grateful.
“Leaving is never easy when a club becomes such a big part of your life. Yeovil Town will always hold a special place in my heart, and I’ll look back on my time here with immense pride, gratitude and affection.”
It is unclear whether the defender, who had one year left on his contract at Huish Park, would command a fee although there has been no comment from Torquay to confirm his arrival in Devon.
Wannell played 40 games in the National League for the Glovers last season, passing the 100 appearance mark in the process and was part of the iconic back line that secured the National League South title in 2023/24.
He played over 10,000 minutes in green and white and leaves the club a champion and one of the recent success stories of the non-League era.
Thanks for everything, Jake, the Somerset Cannavaro.
Gloverscast #507 – “We’ve got Brock Lesnar in goal”
2026-06-22
Just to be clear, we haven’t actually signed Brock Lesnar, but that would be cool!
We’ve got Ben, Dave and Foxy to chat about two new faces at YTFC and some other shenanigans too.
Apologies if Ben’s Audio isn’t as crisp as usual on this episode.
Merthyr Friendly Tickets on Sale
2026-06-21
Tickets are now on sale for Yeovil Town’s friendly against Merthyr Town.
The game takes place on Tuesday 14th July and is carded for a 7:30pm kick off.
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS
The Glovers will face off against Sam Pearson and Jacob Maddox who have both joined the Welsh-based National League North outfit.
Adult entry is £10, concessions are £8 and Junior Admission is just £4
