Six new signings! Ben and Dave talk about all six of the YTFC newbies, and call in a little help from a Yeovil Town legend in the process – hear what Kevin Gall has to say about our new striker!
We take a whole bunch of your GCQs and get way too excited about the upcoming season.
Despite having brought eight players in already, Yeovil Town have said their transfer business ahead of the new National League season is “nowhere near finished.”
In the past fortnight, the Glovers have announced the additions of goalkeeper Jos Barker, defenders Joe Gubbins , Hayden Muller and Archie Davies, midfielder Zain Westbrooke, and forwards Stephen Walker, Johl Powell and Mason Obeng.
But, Chief Operations Officer Nicholas Brayne has posted on social media that there is still more to come with further announcements expected next week.
Posting on Facebook, he said: “We are nowhere near finished yet! Hold on to your hats for next week. Lovely to see the reaction from the most important part of this wonderful club – our amazing fan base.”
The club’s social media followed up with a video showing all the latest arrivals on Saturday with a post which ended: “Stay tuned next week, Glovers….”
As is always the case, the transfer rumour mill has been spinning with former Glovers’ player Tom Knowles the latest to be linked with a return to Huish Park.
The 27-year-old is available having left Forest Green Rovers following “a legacy administrative error” which meant the Gloucestershire outfit were unable to trigger an extension on his contract following a season which saw him score ten goals in 45 National League appearances last season.
Announcing his departure last month, Forest Green said: “Unfortunately, Tom has decided to look at other opportunities and has played his last game in the FGR colours.”
The reports linking him with a return to Yeovil are doing the rounds on social media – and the Stroud Times – so add whatever size pinch of salt you feel necessary, and all eyes will be on Huish Park next week to see who the other new faces are.
One other player who could be interesting boss Billy Rowley is young striker Will Merry, who impressed during his six-game loan spell from Southampton at the end of last season.
The 20-year-old was one of five youngsters released by Championship side Southampton earlier this week, making him available to sign for other clubs ahead of next season.
Yeovil Town’s recruitment drive continues with the signing of former Sutton United defender Hayden Muller on a two-year deal.
Muller, 24, leaves Sutton after making 30 appearances last term where he scored twice – one of which came against the Glovers at Huish Park.
Equally comfortable in defence or in the midfield, Muller has experience at both Millwall as a youth player and a spell in Ireland with Dundalk where he made an appearance in the UEFA Conference League in 2023.
He has played against the Glovers a couple of times and now becomes one of us!
Welcome to Somerset, Hayden!
Yeovil Town have announced the signing of former Southend United defender Joe Gubbins on a two year deal.
Gubbins, whose last game for the Shrimpers saw him lift the FA Trophy at Wembley, has been a mainstay at Roots Hall for a couple of seasons, playing 35 times in the league during the 2025/26 campaign.
The left-sided defender has been linked with the Glovers since the weekend when it was confirmed he was not staying at Southend and departing Essex to “explore another opportunity elsewhere.”
Speaking to the Glovers’ social media on Thursday, the 24-year-old said: “It is a move which has been in the works for a little while and I am delighted and excited to get started. Yeovil is a huge club which deserves to be in the Football League and when I spoke to (manager Billy Rowley) our ambitions aligned, so I am really excited for what is to come.
“I know what this league brings, I know the fanbase here is big and I have become experienced to that (at Southend) and I think I have the attributes to cope with the league. We all know it is a tough league, so hopefully I can come in and help us get up the league.”
Describing his own playing style, he added: “I will give 100% every week, I am a ball-playing centre back who loves to defend, I will give my all for the club when I pull the shirt on. I like to get on the ball first and foremost, I like to help the team play. I would class myself as a calm, composed head at the back, get my head on the ball and hopefully we can keep a lot of clean sheets this year.”
A left sided defender by trade, but comfortable in any central position across the back line, Gubbins has Championship experience with QPR and a full season in League Two under his belt with Accrington a few year ago.
He scored the second penalty in the Wembley final shootout against Wealdstone as well as being brought off the bench in the play-offs the season before to slot home a spot kick against Forest Green.
He’s played twice against the Glovers, including 72 minutes of Southend’s 2-1 win over Yeovil back in March.
Welcome to Huish Park, Joe!
Yeovil Town have announced the signing of Jos Barker, formerly of Walton and Hersham, on a deal lasting two years.
The 22-year old goalkeeper kept more than 20 clean sheets for the Swans as they won Southern League Premier Division South title to book a place in the National League South for the first time next season.
He becomes the third former Walton player to join former manager Billy Rowley at Huish Park following additions of midfielders Mason Obeng and Johl Powell in recent days and takes the new arrivals at the club up to six with defender Archie Davies, midfielder Zain Westbrooke and striker Stephen Walker.
Speaking to the club’s social media, Barker said: “This is a much bigger club to the ones I am used to, it is a much better league and a league I want to test myself at, I think it is a level I can play it. Overall the size of the club was a massive draw for me.
“Already having relationships with Mason (Obeng) and Johl (Powell) is a massive bonus, and knowing Bill and the way he wants to play and what he wants to see from me is also a massive help. I am excited to play with those boys again and I am excited to work under Bill again.
“I am 22, so a young goalkeeper. I have never played full-time football or been in any academy set ups, I have come through non-League football, so the idea of full-time football really appealed to me.
“I think I will get so much better with (full-time coaching) and with Matt (Gould, the Glovers’ goalkeeping coach) helping me through that, I feel like I can compete at this level and hopefully by the end of the season everyone will see that as well and by the end of the season hopefully we can look back at a positive season.
“You always want to be at a club which is competitive and Yeovil want play-offs and I think I can help contribute towards that. Throughout the two years, promotion is going to be the end goal and that is one of the big things Bill spoke to me about. That is my main goal for the two years here.”
He joined from Knaphill and quickly established himself as the number 1 between the sticks at Walton, and was named Supporters’ player of the season for the 2024/25 campaign.
He has represented England at University Level from his time at Chichester University and in December 2024 even found time to score a goal for Walton to secure a last gasp comeback.
A goal scoring, goalkeeper at Huish Park? Sounds familiar!
Here is the 40 yard screamer in question 👍 pic.twitter.com/JuE2ml8iKk
— Jos Barker (@JosBarker1) December 14, 2024
Former Carlisle United full-back Archie Davies has become the latest new arrival in a busy week for new signings at Yeovil Town.
The right-sided player, who has experience of pushing up the pitch as a wing-back, was released from the Cumbrians at the end of last season having played 26 times for them in all competitions.
He is the third new arrival this week following midfielder Johl Powell and striker Stephen Walker and the fifth overall with midfielders Zain Westbrooke and Mason Obeng having arrived at the end of May.
The 27-year-old’s stats show him as an attack-minded full-back with an ability to create a chance and provide an assist and is the first proper right-back the Glovers have had since the departure of Michee Efete. The likes of Josh Sims, Ryan Jones, James Daly and even Harvey Greenslade all had a go there last season.
Originally from East Sussex, Davies began his career in the academies at Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion and turned out for the Seagulls’ Under-21s side before being released and joining League Two side Craelwy Town where he made almost 40 appearances before being released at the end of the 2021-22 campaign.
His next step was Aldershot Town and made 29 appearances in the 2022-23 campaign, but did not feature for the Shots in the following campaign and joined League of Ireland side Dundalk in January 2023 and was named in the league’s Team of the Year in 2023.
He returned to England when he joined Carlisle in the summer of 2024, having just completed a season with Dundalk and made 22 appearances in League Two before relegation to the National League was confirmed.
Fun fact: Davies has played against Yeovil twice with both games played on October 25th. He turned out for Aldershot Town in a 2-0 defeat for the Glovers in 2022 and started for Carlisle in the 1-1 draw on the same date in 2025. Okay, not that fun, but anyway.
Yeovil Town have announced the signing of former Scarborough Athletic striker Stephen Walker on a two-year contract.
The frontman scored 19 league goals for the Seadogs as they made it to the National League North play-offs last season, and has been prolific for them over the past couple of seasons.
Former Glovers’ striker Kevin Gall, who is part of Walker’s agents, Sports Management International (SMI), told the Gloverscast: “Ste is one of the most naturally talented strikers I have seen in a long time and someone who is capable of scoring all types of goals and works really hard for the team. I remember from my time at Yeovil how important the willingness to work hard for the team is for the fans and I think they will like what they see.
“He’s shown what he is capable of with Scarborough and with full-time football, good coaching and a professional environment, I think he will flourish.”
Walker becomes Yeovil’s fourth signing of the summer following the additions of midfielders Zain Westbrooke and Mason Obeng which was followed yesterday by playmaker Johl Powell yesterday.
But, even after two signings this week, the transfer announcements are not expected to be over just yet with goalkeeper Jos Barker, who announced his departure from Walton & Hersham on Tuesday, expected to become the latest player to follow manager Billy Rowley to Somerset, and ex-Southend United defender Joe Gubbins also heavily linked.
Walker’s departure from Scarborough was announced by the Seadogs on Monday when they confirmed him as one of three players from last season who had departed at the end of their contract.
The 25-year-old’s services attracted interest from a number of other National League Premier Division sides as well as clubs in Scotland.
He can call upon Championship appearances for Middlesbrough, EFL experience with MK Dons, Crewe and Tranmere including a number of goals.
Scarborough actually paid an undisclosed fee for the former England youth international after more success with Whitby Town.
Walker has been capped by England at Under 17s, 18s and 19s age groups and played along side the likes of Marc Guehi, Morgan Gibbs-White, Bukayo Saka and others in the Young Lions set up.
In 2018, he scored a hat-trick for England’s Under 19s in a comprehensive win over Macedonia.
New signing midfielder Johl Powell has said he is ready to make the step up having jumped two tiers to become Yeovil Town’s third signing of the summer.
The 25-year-old playmaker signed a two-year deal at Huish Park following his departure from Walton & Hersham at the weekend having scored 21 goals in 39 league appearances on the way to the Southern League Premier Division South title.
He links up with fellow new boy Mason Obeng, who he played alongside at Walton and joined the Glovers just over a week ago, and manager Billy Rowley, who he played under for much of his two-and-a-half years at Walton.
Speaking to the club’s social media on Monday, Powell said: “It is such a massive football club and even driving in to the stadium you get a sense of that, it is just amazing. The size of the club and having worked with Billy (Rowley), having worked with him before at my previous club, I have got a good relationship with him and played the best football of my career so far under him.
“I am a box-to-box midfielder, I like to arrive late and score goals, create chances and I think my numbers have proven that over the last few years. That is what I am looking forward to coming here and do. Obviously it is a step up for me, but it’s a challenge I am really looking forward to. Hopefully I can hit the ground running and start scoring goals in front of this crowd at Huish Park.”
The playmaker, who is comfortable in midfield or attack, was named the Swans’ Supporters’ Player of the Year in May following a season which saw them win promotion to National League South and reach the fifth round of the FA Trophy. He scored 21 goals in 39 league appearances last season, having got in to the double figures the previous two campaigns.
He added: “The system Billy likes to play suits me down to a tee, he knows how to get the best out of me. The numbers of goals I have got these last few season is down to myself but down to him as well. So hopefully I can get more goals, more assists and help the team do well in the season.
“In the short term I just want to get myself in the team as quickly as I can and then longer term get the club up the league, push towards the play-offs and get it back in to the Football League where it belongs.”
Powell has youth team experience with both Millwall and Charlton Athletic making an appearance in the EFL Trophy for the Addicks in the 2020/21 season, and was a National League South champion with Maidstone United in 2021/22. He has also played for Tonbridge Angels and Dover Athletic.
Following the arrival of Obeng and midfielder Zain Westbrooke at the end of May, it appears the transfer business is far from done with the club suggesting a number of signings are still to come including defender Joe Gubbins, who has been heavily linked with a move to Somerset after his departure from Southend United was announced yesterday.
On Monday night, the club’s social media posted to suggest there are more new arrivals inbound……
Yeovil Town are expected to announce further new signings this afternoon with Southend United defender Joe Gubbins and Walton & Hersham midfielder Johl Powell among those expected.
On Sunday afternoon, the Glovers posted a video on their social media showing four green-and-white scarves, often used in videos to unveil new arrivals, with a message saying: “Ready for a busy week? Starting tomorrow at 5pm.”
Gubbins’ departure from Southend was confirmed in a statement by the Essex club on Sunday night saying the 24-year-old defender had departed to “explore another opportunity elsewhere.”
Earlier in the day, football journalist Peter O’Rourke, a regular poster on transfers across the divisions, had tweeted that Gubbins was on his way to Huish Park.
Powell announced his own exit from Walton, where he played under Yeovil boss Billy Rowley on his Instagram account. Not a guarantee of him being bound for Somerset, but the timing would line up with the expected incomings.
Scarborough Athletic striker Stephen Walker, who scored 19 times for the National League North side last season, is another name on the rumour mill.
Watch this space at 5pm today…..
Got your diaries open? Here are some key dates for the 2026/27 Enterprise National League season….
Fixture release day Friday 10 July 2026
Opening day Saturday 8 August 2026
Final day Saturday 24 April 2026
Promotion finals weekend Saturday 8 May/Sunday 9 May 2027
Christmas fixtures Saturday 26 December/Monday 28 December 2026
New Year’s fixture Saturday 2 January 2027
Clubs can still move the 28th December date back to a 7.45pm kick-off or move their 2nd January fixture to New Year’s Day.
