Newport County have announced the departure of ‘Super’ Joe Day on their end of season released and retained list.
The shotstopper who spent the majority of the season on loan at Huish Park quickly became a fan favourite following his arrival in September.
The Gloveman was a pivotal part of the defensive unit that helped the Glovers to promotion from National League South at the first time of asking.
Yeovil Town will host Exeter City as part of their pre season preparations ahead of the 2024/25 seasons.
The Grecians finished in mid table last season in League One.
They make the short trip up from Devon on Friday 19th July with the game kicking off at 19:30.
Ticket prices have already been confirmed and are as follows.
Tickets will be available soon.
The full line up of the National League for the 2024/25 season has been completed after Braintree overcame Worthing in Extra Time of the Southern Division Play-Off Final on Monday.
We’ll head as far north as Gateshead, we’ll have to settle for “derby’ games against Forest Green and Eastleigh, as well as heading to Tamworth, Boston and other teams that haven’t been on our radar for a while.
It all kicks off on Saturday 10th August, 2024.
Here’s a handy map.
Three of Yeovil’s National League South Champions have been named in the Vanarama Team of the South for the divison.
(I know, it could have been eleven)
Jake Wannell, Matt Worthington and Jordan Young have all been nominated alongside some others who apparently did good things… who knew!?
Congratulations to our trio of Team of the Season Champs!
It’s that time of year, around the middle of May, where the transfer talk is at its highest point, most of the released and retained lists have been published by football clubs across the country and talks are beginning to happen over what players are ending up where for the new season. In this piece I will be doing my own version of a Yeovil Town recruitment document on some players that I think Mark Cooper and his team should be looking at for the 2024/25 National League season. The club have made it very clear that they are hoping to be up there next season, around the playoff spots, so I have based my player suggestions off of this.
So, how will this document work? First of all, I will go show you each position that I believe we need a player in for next season. once I’ve done this, I will move onto going through each position, explaining what sort of attributes I am looking for as well as giving 3-5 player options for each position, explaining why I think that specific player would be a great fit for Mark Cooper’s system.
Enjoy the read, be sure to comment any opinions you have, I am always willing to listen and improve my work.
At the time of writing, we currently have 13 players under contract at the club, with two players – Rhys Murphy and Sam Pearson – in talks to sign new contracts. You may notice that I haven’t included Jordan Maguire-Drew on this squad list as I don’t think he will be here come the start of the new season.
To have a strong enough squad to not be hindered too much, by injuries, I believe you need at least two players per position, with a couple versatile options who can play in more than one position.
Let’s start this recruitment document off, working in position order, starting with the goalkeeper, finishing with the strikers.
The goalkeeping position is always an interesting debate for Yeovil Town fans in the summer. Last season we started off with 22 year old goalkeeper Will Buse, who played six games for us, keeping one clean sheet. He struggled at the start of the season, making a couple of mistakes costing us some big early points. Mark Cooper decided to be ruthless, bringing in a wealth of experience on loan from Newport County, in terms of 33 year old goalkeeper Joe Day, who played 45 games in Green and White, keeping 17 clean sheets.
Will Buse is the current goalkeeper at the club, he has had a brilliant second half of the season for Bath City, playing 20 games, keeping 10 clean sheets. I think he will stay around this season, but I do think we will look to get another keeper in to challenge Will Buse and contest for the number 1 spot.
In this position, I am looking for a goalkeeper who is a quality shot stopper, someone who commands their box really well but also has quality on the ball being able to play out from the back. We need a player who is either willing to be backup to Will Buse or be our starting goalkeeper.
Let’s get the obvious, fan favourite out of the way, Joe Day has come in to the team this season and added some real stability to our defensive unit. This is probably my preferred option as well, he is coming into his mid-30s now so Will Buse can learn a lot from Day, who may play a second part role coming towards the end of the season if Buse keeps developing. He’s likely to leave Newport on a free so it just makes sense. His shot stopping is brilliant, he dominated his box because of his size and stature, he is also good enough on the ball which we have seen this season. I can only think of one or two mistakes he’s made all year. Someone who has made almost 300 appearances in the Football League is definitely good enough to be a part of a playoff chasing National League side, as shown this season.
This one is another boring name, a name that will be on the shortlist of every single National League club. Despite conceding 85 goals in the league for relegated, Dorking Wanderers, without Male it could’ve been so much more. He isn’t the tallest goalkeeper in the world so may not have the dominance in his penalty area like Joe Day but the 23 year old has plenty of qualities. In the 23/24 season, Male made 4.1 saves per game, stopping 70% of shots he faced. It isn’t just his shot stopping that is impressive, his quality on the ball would be perfect for a Mark Cooper team, making almost 28 accurate passes per game with a passing accuracy of 84% it’s hard to look past Harrison Male. Dorking announced that he will be leaving the club, he was an obvious but brilliant shout!
My first less obvious suggestion of the goalkeeper position comes in the way of Chippenham Town goalkeeper, Will Henry. The 25 year old won player of the season for the Bluebirds, appearing in all 46 National League South games, conceding 62 goals but keeping 11 clean sheets. In a Chippenham side with a very low budget, he has done a brilliant job and helped them to a mid table finish. I think he’d be brilliant at Yeovil, he’s still young so has time to develop, he could be a long term option and he is local. He doesn’t have the experience of playing at the National League level, or higher, but he has played over 100 games in his career so their is plenty of experience in the men’s game, most of those have come in the past 3 years for Chippenham. This just seems like a realistic option to me as he may want a way into full time football.
My fourth and final suggestion for the goalkeeper position is Bristol City goalkeeper, Harvey Wiles-Richards. The 21 year-old has had a solid 10 games for W*ymouth since joining from the Robins’, in that time he has conceded 9 goals, keeping 3 clean sheets. He may look for a step up next season, into the National League, Yeovil would make sense as it is local and there is a good group of young players looking to develop their game. However, as we already have a young goalkeeper in Will Buse, I don’t think this would be the best of ideas and we would not be able to promise the game time Wiles-Richards needs to develop. I think a more experienced head is needed to partner Buse for next season.
The right back position was a vital part of our team last season, Michael Smith ended up coming third in the Gloverscast’s, fan voted, player of the year, he played 32 games last season, scoring once, getting 4 assists. At 35, I can’t hide on the fact that playing over 2300 league minutes is impressive, especially when you watch Smith play, he is up and down all the time. Towards the end of the season he started picking up small injuries that kept him out for a couple games, this really affected our team having to change right back every game. Mark Cooper then decided we needed to bring in another full back, We signed Yeovil-born right back, Brooklyn Genesini, on loan from Swindon. In his short spell at the club he played 6 games, assisting once. He gave us some vital depth at the back, helping out massively in the run-in. Michael Smith is the only right back at the club as we enter the off-season so in my opinion, we need another right back to add some depth to our squad so we don’t make the same mistake as last season and regret not bringing in backup if Smith gets injured.
In the right back position we are looking for someone as a backup to Michael Smith but will get lots of game time because of Smith’s age. We need a player who has plenty of energy to get up and down, someone who defends brilliantly in 1-on-1 situations and has quality when coming forward.
In similar style as my first goalkeeper option, I am suggesting that Mark Cooper goes for a player that we signed on loan this season. The 22 year-old right back has been released by Swindon after struggling to get game time for them in League Two this season. He is a Yeovil-born player who still lives locally, which fits into the transfer strategy that Cooper used last season, by mainly signing “local players.” In his short spell at the backend of the National League South winning season, Genesini showed his quality defensively and offensively. He could have some sell on value as he is still only young. This would add some real strength in depth to our squad for next season. He definitely looked like he could make the step up to the National League.
The first of two players released by Eastleigh that make my suggestions for the right back options is exciting, 21 year-old full back, Oscar Rutherford. Another young option to add depth to the right back position, he has a wealth of experience in the National League after playing over 2100 minutes of football for the Spitfires this season. Despite being so young, he has already played 74 games at the level, this could be vital for The Glovers to have a successful first season back in Step 1. He is an exciting, attacking right back who enjoys getting high up the pitch, using energy to get up and down. He is okay defensively but has room to improve, this could be another signing that we make profit on in the future if Rutherford delivers good performances. He is also versatile, being able to play left back and right wingback in a 5!
My third choice for a right back is probably the first player, in the whole document, to break the “local” barrier. Admittedly, Kidderminster isn’t exactly miles away but I wouldn’t count it as local, even then, he was born in Cheltenham. Kidderminster were relegated from the National League last season so certain players may be willing to stay in the National League, especially 22-year-old attacking fullback, Samson Robinson. Just over 1500 minutes of football this season for the ex Man City youth player is probably enough experience to become backup for Michael Smith. Robinson is a well-rounded fullback who looks to play high and wide when his team are in possession, having good creative abilities in the final third. He is also a solid defender who reads the game really well and has good recovery pace to get back into position. Another one who would add real quality depth to the right side of our back line, he also has the ability to play as a wing back in a 5.
The first rogue shout of my recruitment document comes in the way of former Chesterfield right back, Jeff King. The 28 year-old is in his prime age now and is probably one of the best right sided fullbacks in the division. He didn’t get as much game time last season for Chesterfield, only playing 1500 minutes in 19 games, getting 2 assists. When he has played though he has shown his quality, getting forward really well, with his progressive style and threat when carrying the ball. He is a good defender as well, someone who reads the game brilliantly. This option would leave us with two of the best right backs at Step 1, adding to our group of “winners” from last season, with another player who has won a title could add some vital experience. Bringing players in who have won the National League is massive when trying to have a successful season. He is another player who has the ability to play in a 4 or a 5, he has also come inside as a more inverted fullback at times for The Spireites this season, similar to what Mark Cooper asks of our fullbacks.
My final suggestion for the right back position is the second player to be released by Eastleigh this summer. At 23 years-old, Camp has played almost 100 games in men’s football, having loans to clubs in non-league such as Dorchester and W*ymouth, as well as Eastleigh where he was at most recently. He signed for Eastleigh on a free last summer but didn’t play a single game for The Spitfires last season. Despite this, Camp would be a useful signing, given his versatility and quality that I know he has. With the experience and quality of Smith, Camp could become a really useful backup next season, giving us the cover at right back and centre half, covering for two positions. His attacking qualities are lacking but defensively he is impressive, decent in the air and defends his bid really well. It’s my fifth choice for this position for obvious reasons but another local player and someone who has shown is quality before. I wouldn’t be against this transfer.
The centre half position is probably the strongest part of our team from last season, Morgan Williams and Jake Wannell both playing 50 games in all competitions. They were both absolutely vital to our title winning season, defensively and offensively. Between the two of them, they made 15 goal contributions last season, both were so dangerous from set pieces, scoring some massive goals against the likes of Truro, Worthing and Bath. Defensively they were absolutely immense, brilliant reading of the game, getting in the way of shots and intercepting the ball to stop an attack. They were both incredibly dominant in the air and showed real composure when in possession to bring the ball forward and build from the back. However, at times through the season, we never really had a backup just in case one of them had an injury or suspension. Luckily, neither of them picked up any injuries at a time where we didn’t have any other defenders who could fill in. Josh Staunton played 12 games for us last season before being released, Jamie Sendles-White played 5, before picking up a nasty injury which saw him out for the rest of the season and Duncan Idehen played 4 games for us when he came on loan from Bristol City before the busy Christmas period. Jake Wannell and Morgan Williams are the only two central defenders left at the club so a backup or two is definitely needed coming into the new season.
In this position I was looking for someone who could play as a cover option for Williams and Wannell, allowing us to rotate and rest players if necessary. For the centre half position we need a player who is comfortable on the ball to build from the back and be a part of our unit in possession. We also need someone who is quality defensively, dominant in the air and strong into tackles.
The 19 year-old German, left sided central defender is my preferred solution to backup Jake Wannell next season. Araoye has played 15 games for Somerset side, Weston Super-Mare, this season, in which he has played over 1300 minutes. He showed his quality in that time by helping a Weston side find a mid table spot. Defensively he is brilliant, really quick, powerful recovery pace to chase the forward done if the striker gets beyond the last man. He defended his box brilliantly, putting in some vital blocks and some big last ditch tackles. On the ball, he looks very promising, composed in possession, which allows him to move the ball around very nicely, he has an excellent range of passing and can step into midfield to overload when needed. It’s a progressive loan for the German, one that makes sense considering our links to Bristol City. This is my preferred option at left sided centre back.
The reason I stated clearly that Raphael Araoye was a backup for Jake Wannell was so I could get a fan-favourite, right side central defender in as my other backup. This signing is less about quality and more about getting some experience and leadership through the door. Wilkinson is a brilliant player to have around the dressing room because of his leadership and fight no matter who he plays for. This is a very popular name among Yeovil fans as he played 77 games for The Glovers over a 3 year period before moving to Woking, following Darren Sarll. The 32 year-old defender was born local to Yeovil in Wells so he knows the surrounding area. He has had an okay season for Woking despite being hampered by injuries, he played 23 times for the Cardinals, in the league, playing over 1700 minutes. He is a fantastic defender who reads the game really well. He doesn’t necessarily have the pace or quality on the ball but he would be a brilliant signing because of his leadership and defensive qualities he would be a useful signing to make 10-15 appearances throughout the season. He has plenty of experience at EFL and National League level to help the younger players improve. I could see Morgan Williams benefiting massively, having Wilkinson as a backup.
Despite Oxford City being relegated back to the National League South after just one season in Step 1, I have no doubt in my mind that the 25 year-old, Ex Irish youth international will still be in the National League come the start of the 2024/25 season. He has had a fantastic season for Oxford City, playing over 2600 minutes, across 30 games, scoring one and assisting one. Carroll is at a brilliant age where he has lots of experience in the men’s game but still has time to improve before he enters his prime, this may be the perfect time to pick him up as he could be fairly cheap after Oxford’s relegation. He suits how Mark Cooper wants us to play perfectly, in an underdog side like Oxford, Carroll still controlled the ball, having a passing accuracy of 86% throughout the season. He is brilliant on the ball and dictates games from the defensive position. Defensively, he is really impressive, has quick pace to recover and get back into position, reads the game brilliantly and is good in the air. He would have been tested massively in a poor Oxford side who conceded 94 goals, it would be interesting to see how good he would be playing alongside a solid back line.
My fourth suggestion for a central defender is former Eastleigh defender, George Langston. The 21 year-old had a good season for the Spitfires but was surprisingly released at the end of last season. He played 43 games in the National League, making over 3800 minutes. At such a young age this is impressive, he now has the National League experience to stay there and make a name for himself. Another young player who may have some sell-on value if he puts in some good performances, this could be a really interesting signing for Yeovil. He is a good defender who made over 6 interceptions per 90 last season, which shows he reads the game very well. He is still young so has a lot of room for improvement, I’m sure he would be a brilliant backup centre half in the National League. On the ball he still needs to improve but there are definitely signs that he has some quality. This is one i would like to see us go for as it adds some real quality in depth to our back line.
My final suggestion for a central defender is another ex Yeovil player. Idehen played 4 games for the Glovers this season before moving to Bath City on loan where he started to get some consistent game time. The 21 year-old is a left sided defender – which is rare to find itself – who has struggled to find a successful loan spell for Bristol City. Next season is a vital season for Idehen who needs to get a good load of experience under his belt. I doubt Bristol City would loan him back to us because of the lack of game time he got when he game down to south Somerset last season, however, it is local and Cooper could use a player who already knows the surroundings down at Huish Park. He is a strong, quick defender who defends his box excellently, getting his body in the way wherever possible. On the ball he looks a bit shaky but at 21 he has time to improve.
We were fairly comfortable at left back last season and weren’t really threatened with needing one. Alex Whittle was signed on a free transfer from York and was probably our most consistent performer throughout the season. He played 40 games last season, scoring once and getting 2 assists. However, towards the end of the season he picked up a big injury which will leave him out for the whole summer period. Jay Foulston was the other left back brought in last season, on loan from Taunton. He played 20 games for us, mainly from the bench. He had an option to buy at the end of his contract but as of yet, there is no news of this being activated. Therefore, we currently only have one left back at the club in Alex Whittle.
In this position we are looking for a left back who is brilliant at defending, has lots of energy to get up and down as well as having quality when they come forward. They need to have the ability to challenge Whittle for the first choice spot, giving us some real quality in depth down that left hand side.
At 24, it’s time that Jake Vokins left Southampton to find some quality first team football and get his career back on track. He has spent the final part of last season on loan at Eastleigh in the National League, where he played 6 games, starting all 6. Vokins is a player who would add real depth to our left back position, allowing us to rest Whittle if needed and it won’t affect our performances. He is quite short, at 5”4 which could lead to some issues when defending crosses to the back post, however, what he lacks in height, he gains in athleticism. He is quick, agile and dangerous when running with that ball. He likes to get as high up the pitch as possible and deliver with quality. It works geographically and allows him to settle down into a first team environment, at 24 he is at a good age where he can still develop into a brilliant left back. He can also play as a left wing back in a 5, which could become useful throughout the season.
Jay Foulston is a player, familiar to Yeovil fans because of the 20 games he played for The Glovers at the end of last season, helping them towards the National League South title. I am not sure what the situation is with Foulston and his contract, when he signed for us on loan the club stated that we had an option to buy him at the end of the season, in the retained list was released, it was unclear if we were going to active that clause and buy Foulston permanently. I personally hope we do buy him, he would be a quality rotation option alongside Whittle, he’s only 23 so can develop and become our starting left back in the future as Whittle is getting older. He is a defender who improved massively as he got more comfortable with the professional environment, he looks dangerous going forward and takes a really good set piece. I could see Foulston being very useful if we decide to resign him next season. I feel it may be a missed opportunity for us if we don’t go on to sign him permanently.
A bit of a rogue shout this one but Ryan Haynes was released from Northampton at the end of last season after playing just 5 games in the 2023/24 season. To have a successful season in the National League, you need a mix of experience and youth, Ryan Haynes is a player who has made over 200 appearances in the Football League, giving him the levels of experience required. He is 28, so probably wouldn’t expect to play week-in-week-out so he could rotate with Whittle. Haynes isn’t a brilliant footballer but would add a large level of experience to the back line and is someone who will be great in the dressing room. He still has a few years left in football so a move down to the National League could relight his career.
Ben Brookes has had a superb season for Chelmsford, who are spending another season in the National League South after losing in the playoffs to Braintree. This means that they will lose a lot of players in the summer to teams in higher divisions. Ben Brookes is another one of these. I feel that a lot of National League clubs will be in for the versatile full back this Summer, so the 23 year-old is one i’d love to see Yeovil go in for. He is a player who can play either side of fullback and uses both feet very well. He needs to work on himself defensively but going forward is very dangerous. He used his unpredictability to take the ball on either foot and deliver with quality. He is still young, so can develop and improve defensively. I think he would be a fantastic signing for us next seoson and add some real depth to our back line. Brookes would learn a lot off of Alex Whittle. Ben Brookes is bottom of my left back suggestions because of location, him being in Essex makes it slightly unrealistic for a move down to the South West.
We didn’t really have a defensive midfielder last season, this left us very open in midfield at times and we looked under serious threat when teams hit us on the counter attack. Charlie Cooper and Josh Owers were the closest players we had to a number 6 last season but both Cooper and Owers are more like central midfielders. Cooper played 37 games for Yeovil last season, getting himself 7 assists. Josh Owers, who was released at the end of the season, played 20 games, scoring once. Cooper may still play as a defensive midfielder next season but I don’t think he is good enough to be a starting “number 6” in the National League and should be further forward.
For this reason, I feel that we need to sign a proper defensive midfielder who is there to sit in front of the back line and stop opposition counter attacks. We need a player who is big and strong, someone who can put in a tackle and read the game really well to make interceptions. We need a midfielder who is good on the ball so they can dictate play and create chances in deep areas.
I’ve gone for another ex-Yeovil player for my first suggestion for a defensive midfielder. Rohan Ince has had a poor season for Woking, he struggled to get up the standards he reached in the 2022/23 season under Darren Sarll. I believe the 31-year-old could reach them heights again with proper reset in his career. The ex-Chelsea academy player has had plenty of experience at this level, playing over 100 games for Woking since 2021. He is the perfect type of build for the defensive midfield position, 6’3, strong and powerful allowing him to hold the midfield. He is a really powerful runner, someone who can carry the ball a long way if the space opened up for him. This is a signing that would add real experience and quality to our midfield, allowing the likes of Worthington and Sonny Blu to be more open and creative in the final third. Ince will also be a threat from set pieces because of his height and power. He would be an excellent short term option in the number 6 position.
My second suggestion for the defensive midfield position is a local one. The 26 year-old Welshman is one of the most underrated players in the National League South, he played all 46 games in the league this season, adding over 4000 minutes to his name, scoring twice. He is an absolute joy to watch on the ball, the way he manages to dictate play. He is a good defensive player as well, reads the game brilliantly and holds the midfield with ease. This signing makes perfect sense in a Mark Cooper side, Humphries would dominate games with his quality on the ball and his lovely passing range. At 26, he is coming into his prime and at the perfect age to move into full time football. I feel that if he has another season at Weston some more clubs would start realising how good he is, so getting in early could be great idea. He is very disciplined and doesn’t rush forward unnecessarily, he holds his position very well.
My third option for the defensive midfield position is Belgium-born midfielder, Omar Mussa. Mussa never really kicked on for Dagenham since his move from W*ymouth in the summer of 2022, hence why he has been released this summer. A move back down to the South West, but staying in full time football, may be an attractive proposal for the 23 year-old. He only played 14 times for the Daggers this season but there is definitely quality in there. At such a young age, he still has plenty of time to grow and improve. His stature and build is similar of that to Rohan Ince, although not quite as tall, he is still a very strong and powerful runner with and without the ball. He reads the game brilliantly. He’s more of a progressive defensive midfielder, someone who isn’t afraid to get forward and involved in the attack, this shouldn’t be a problem because his recovery pace is excellent. A signing I’d love to see us make!
It seems that most of the defensive midfielders in the National League South have gone about their business quietly this season. Ochieng is another one, he has had an excellent season for the Clarets since moving back to Essex after a disappointing season at Aldershot in 2022/23. The 25 year-old is at the perfect age where he can still develop but has enough experience to be comfortable in any environment. This may be a slightly unrealistic signing as he may not want to move down to the South West, however, a route into full time football would be an attraction for Ochieng, that’s why I feel he’s a player Cooper should be looking at. I watched him closely when Chelmsford played Chippenham at HardenHuish a few weeks ago and he was my MOTM. Brilliant tackler of the ball, recovery pace was excellent and he dictated the game from deep.
My last suggestion for the defensive midfield position is 22 year-old Banbury midfielder, Emmanuel Maja. Banbury have been relegated from the National League North so certain players, like Maja, will be looking for moves up the pyramid. He is probably going to go back into the North, where he can keep building his career, however, he has been a real standout player this season and is deserving of a move into professional football. He is not a proper defensive midfielder but he can play there. Similar to Mussa, he has the ability to drive forward into space and get involved with the attacking play but has the recovery pace to get back into position again. He played 32 games for Banbury this season, scoring 4 goals from midfield. A signing that definitely won’t happen but I really like Maja so I thought he deserved an honourable mention because he has a lot of quality.
We haven’t really had a genuine attacking midfielder throughout this season, Frank Nouble has taken up the number 10 role in a way. He has been given a free roam role to get on the ball in deeper areas to create when coming forward. He played the most minutes of any player this season and reached 50 games for the season, scoring 14, assisting 5. He will probably take up the same role next season as well but at the age of 33, he might not be playing as much football, so another option may be needed to rotate around with Nouble. I must add, if Jordan Maguire-Drew is to stay at Yeovil this season, he probably takes him this position as an attacking midfielder, however, I doubt he will stay. Jordan Young can also play in this number 10 role but his main position is coming in off of the right hand side.
In this position I was looking for a player with a lot of creative qualities and a brilliant end product. As well as having the technical ability to play the game at different sorts of pace, whether that is on the counter attack or when in controlled possession. Some that has some flair to excite the crowd but is ruthless with their decision making in the final third. Possibly the most important player in our attacking play.
As soon as Forest Green released their retained list for the end of the 2023/24 season, and Reece Brown had been released, I knew that Yeovil would get linked to it straight away. Mark Cooper has spoken about him on many occasions saying how much he likes him, I can’t help but put his name down as my number 1 suggestion for an attacking midfielder. Technically, he is top class, last season in League 2, despite only playing 11 games, he completed 85% of his dribbles. It works geographically, he is played under Cooper before, he is at an age, 28, where he has plenty of experience at this level and higher, where he can really push this team up the table. Another important factor is that he has won the National League before, under Cooper, at Forest Green. A bit of work needed on his end product but if he got off to a good start, I could help feel he could be one of the best players in the National League.
It is going to be tough to pull anyone away from Dorking next season, Marc White will be telling their players that they are going to get promoted back up, at the first time of asking but if you offer the correct amount of money, for a player like Charlie Carter, they may budge. Carter has had a brilliant season in the National League for Dorking, playing 38 times, scoring 8 with 2 assists. He is a well rounded midfielder who can play as an 8, or a 10, drifting around the pockets of space. One of the main things I like about Carter is his quality on the ball, his passing is lovely and he has the vision to match his range. At 27, he is coming into his prime and may like the attraction of full time football. This would be a real statement signing and could be the difference between mid table and the play off push.
Alex Babos is a player I’ve been following for a couple of months now and really like the look of. He has a lot to experience in the men’s game, at 25, he has played almost 100 games for Banbury, before joining Hereford in the Summer where he has played 45 times, scoring 10 goals and getting 4 assists. He is a wonderful player to watch, plays in the pockets of space, where he can pick the ball up on the term and seriously hurt a team with his quality in the final third. He has never played in the National League before but after an excellent season in the North he won’t be short of offers this season. Yeovil isn’t miles from Hereford so it could work geographically. The former Derby County youth player would be an excellent pick up for Mark Cooper’s side and even add some sell-on value to himself which could benefit all parties.
There is a reason this is my fourth suggestion for an attacking midfielder, it’s very unrealistic. However, the 32 year-old attacking midfielder was released by Wimbledon this summer. He played 33 games for AFC this season in League 2, scoring 2 goals and getting 2 assists. Despite playing 33 games, he only started a handful. He would be a a short term replacement, only getting a single season out of him. He would come in use his experience to really help us out as the season goes on, players like him, Michael Smith and Frank Nouble could take us through if things get tough in periods next season. He has played in the South West before, when he had a short spell at Bristol Rovers and Cheltenham 10 years ago, but has spent most of him time in the East of England at Colchester, Grimsby and Wimbledon.
Yeovil had a lot of success with most of the wingers that played last season, Jordan Young being the main one, he played 46 games, scoring 15, getting 10 assists as well. Young signed a new contract in January keeping him here until 2026. Dylan Morgan and Sam Pearson were the other two success stories with wingers last season, both played 16 games for the club after signing half way through the season. Dylan Morgan is one to be really excited about ahead of next season, he scored 4 goals, getting 2 assists in his short spell at the end of last season. Sam Pearson has been offered a new contract ahead of the 2024/25 season, he scored 4 goals, getting 4 assists in a similar period of time to Morgan. Having those 3 here next season could be absolutely key to our success. Other wingers we had last season include Jordan Stevens and Will Dawes, they have both been released after playing 23 and 24 games retrospectively. Courtney Senior came on loan from Barnet, showed sparks in his 4 game spell but didn’t do anything to shout about. Our three contracted wingers for next season are Young, Morgan and Pearson if he signs the contract.
In this position I am looking for someone with quality and unpredictability, allowing them to stretch the oppositions defence and create chances from out wide. They need to come in to be another option for our wingers, adding some real quality in depth to our team.
Yeboah is one of the most exciting Bristol City youngsters right now, he has already had first team experience in the Championship for the Robins’ this season before being loaned out to Bath City where he played 10 games. In those 2 games he showed his qualities, scoring 2 goals and producing some brilliant chances. The Italian 17 year-old is so powerful and exciting when he’s at full speed, he can go either way with his tricky feet. For such a young player to have experience in a first team environment already, it really shows how good Bristol City rate him. They may want to loan him out for a whole season next year, either in the National League or League Two. If Yeovil can use their Bristol City links can to get Yeboah through the door they will have one of the best players in the National League.
For my second suggestion at the winger position I have gone for someone who can through our youth academy before being poached by Exeter City. Pedro Borges was poached by City when he was 16, he’s since had loans at Dorchester, Tiverton and Plymouth Parkway but has struggled to find a consistent run. He has played a few games for Exeter this season where he made a massive impact from the bench, even getting an assist in League One. Next season could be his chance to kick start his career, a loan back at Huish Park for a season could do him the world of good, not only will he be playing regular football but learning from some brilliant players. Exeter may be persuaded to loan him here after the success of the Sonny Cox loan last season. I could see this one happening. Borges is an exciting, tricky winger that would get the crowd off their feet. That’s what you want in a wide man.
My third choice for a winger comes from Step 3 of non league. Noah Coppin has had a fantastic season for Salisbury in their playoff season. He has had unsuccessful spells at Chippenham and Taunton before but he has finally settled down and had a brilliant season. The jump up from Step 3 to Step 1 may be a big one, that’s why I’ve made it my third choice suggestion and not any higher. We have had some massive success stories from players who have moved from Step 3 to Step 1 before, I’m hoping this would be another one of them, like Josh Stokes moving from Sudbury to Aldershot last season. He is local to Yeovil so knows the South West very well. The 22 year old mainly plays off of the left but can play more central as he has an eye for goal. Will be interesting to follow Coppin over the next few seasons to see where he ends up.
This one came about as a bit of a shock to me, Tanga has had a brilliant season on loan in the National League South at Welling and Maidstone where he played all 46 games, plus a playoff game, scoring 4 times. At just 19, he has been released by Leyton Orient, leaving himself a free agent for the summer. He had two really successful loan spells in the South where he showed his quality on the ball. He’s a tricky winger, who is unpredictable on the ball and dangerous when running at the opposition defence. He needs to work on his final product but at just 19 he has plenty of time to develop. This one could be worth the gamble by Mark Cooper, he has experience in the men’s game already and seems like an absolute bargain on a free. Will be some sell-on value in there if performances are good as well. I would love to see Tanga down at Huish Park, obviously location could be a problem.
My final suggestion for the winger position comes in the way of versatile, 31 year-old, Enzio Boldewijn. The Ex-Eastleigh winger had an okay season for the Spitfires, scoring 6 goals and getting 5 assists, before being released it what was a big clear out on the south coast. He can play on either wing or as a right wing back in a 5, which could be really helpful for Yeovil next season in a Mark Cooper team who has played in a back five sometimes. He is an exciting player, with plenty of experience at this level and it leagues above. He is someone who has moved around a lot in his career, including a move from the Netherlands to Crawley. This is a signing I could see happening if we wanted a more experienced player on the wing to go with the younger talent we already have.
As ever, the striker situation is an interesting one at Yeovil. Most of our strikers that were at the club last season have been released or gone back to their parent clubs. This being Jake Hyde, Alex Fisher, Ollie Thomas and Jahmari Clarke. The only striker we have kept at the club, other than Frank Nouble, who I’ve counted as a number 10, is Rhys Murphy – if he agrees a new contract. Murphy scored 15 goals and got 4 assists in 29 games this season. We probably need two more strikers, one in their prime, and one a bit younger to complement what we already have with Murphy.
In this position we need two players who are a decent size, so they don’t get bullied off the ball, they also need to have decent pace and power and someone who can link up well with the midfield, second striker or wingers. They also need to be confident in front of goal.
Not sure much explaining needs to be done for my first suggestion at the striker position. Jarvis has struggled this season with injuries and a poor Torquay side in general. However, 9 goals in 19 appearances in the National League South does show his quality. Last season he was one of the best strikers in the National League but he decided to stay at Torquay. He has recently moved house to Taunton so he is local to Yeovil. The 26 year-old is a physical striker who plays well with runners off of him. He is a natural finisher who is most effective when he is shooting with instinct. I could really see this one being done.
The second to last suggestion from step 3 on this list comes in the way of 24 year-old forward, Ricardo Rees. He has had an unbelievable season for the Welsh side, scoring 35 goals in the league alone. He is a complete striker who scores all types of goals. He would work very well upfront with Aaron Jarvis and Rhys Murphy because of his on the ball qualities. He is brilliant on the half turn because his linkup play with his teammates is brilliant, he has quick feet to get away from his man and his finishing is as natural as they come. Rees is deserving of the jump from step 3 to 1, into professional football because of this brilliant season. I think he would still score 15-20 goals in the National League because of his finishing qualities. It’s worth a gamble, with a chance of selling him on for more money. It seems like a low-level risk worth taking for me.
Another step 3 suggestion comes in the way of 24 year-old striker, Marcus Wyllie. He has had a brilliant season for Enfield, scoring 30 goals and getting 15 assists in all competitions. His quality in and around the penalty area is brilliant, he is a naturally gifted finisher and someone who links up play brilliantly. No matter the level, to have 45 goal contributions in a single season is quite something! He would be a real fun, interesting player for us to sign, at a good age, where he already has lots of experience in the men’s game and is ready to make the step up. Would be another low-risk gamble worth taking, it could lead to profit being made in the future as well.
My final transfer suggestion, for the whole recruitment document is former Swansea, Plymouth and Forest Green striker, Jordan Garrick. The 25 year-old Jamaican needs to rebuild his career in English football, a drop down to the 5th tier could help this massively. He played just 8 games for Rovers this season, scoring 2 goals in that time. He is a quick, technical forward who can also play on both wings, he likes to get the ball to feet and take his man on. This could give us a different style of player to what we currently have and he could link up really well with Aaron Jarvis. Someone who will thrive with confidence so if we get him scoring in pre season, come the start of the National League season, he could be one of the best players in the league. He needs to find the level he was when playing for Plymouth again. He is local and lives in the South West so this makes sense geographically as well.
So here it is then, my final squad that I think we should go into the first game of the season with. I am interested to hear your thoughts on who I have picked.
thankyou for reading! Any feedback is always taken on board.
On this episode of the Glovers Past from the Gloverscast, we chat to Chris Giles, a promotion winning, FA Trophy lifting Centre Forward (and Defender!) who has gone on to lead an adventurous life… prepare for some exhausting stories of fitness!!!
A huge thanks to Chris for coming on, and to you for listening!
Pictures below C/O the Ciderspace Archive and the Photos from the Legends Game in 2022 C/O Mike Kunz
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Barnet have announced their released and retained list at the end of the 2023/24 season and Glovers Loanee Jordan Maguire-Drew has been listed as “returned to parent club”.
When Maguire-Drew signed on loan for the Bee’s it was noted that they had an option of a permanent ‘Free Transfer’ at the end of this current campaign, the wording of their retained list suggests this has not been taken up.
JM-D is under contract at Huish Park until at least the end of the 2024/25 season and, at time of writing, we guess is expected back for the first day of pre-season.
Former Glovers loanee, Courtney Senior has been released from the Hive whilst they continue to discuss contract options for Dale Gorman.
We’re one step closer to finding out the rest of Yeovil’s opponents in next season’s National League. Below is a list of remaining participants, those struck through have been eliminated from contention – if you want to see how the quarter finals played out, click here.
| Final Position | National League | National League North | National League South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (Champions) | Chesterfield | Tamworth | Yeovil Town |
| 2nd | Barnet | Scunthorpe United | Chelmsford City |
| 3rd | Bromley | Brackley Town | Worthing |
| 4th | Altrincham | Chorley | Maidstone United |
| 5th | Solihull Moors | Braintree Town | |
| 6th | Boston United | ||
| 7th |
We learned the fate of the second relegated side from League Two on Saturday; Forest Green Rovers were confirmed as relegated on 16th April, and have since been confirmed as finishing in 24th. The second relegation spot was contested between Colchester United and Sutton United, and it was Sutton who were relegated, despite a 4-4 thriller vs MK Dons. Let’s see how the rest of the playoff sides have fared, and who is off to Wembley!
Heading into the semi finals, the fixtures were as follows:
National League
Barnet vs Solihull Moors
Bromley vs Altrincham
National League North
Scunthorpe United vs Boston United
Brackley Town vs Chorley
National League South
Chelmsford City vs Braintree Town
Worthing vs Maidstone United
The first set of games were played on Saturday, with two 3pm kickoffs for the Tier 2 sides. There have been no goals in open play for any of the National League North teams, and it stayed that way as Scunthorpe United and Boston United went to extra time, and then penalties in front of a crowd of over 8,000! It was Boston’s for the taking, but they missed their 5th penalty, forcing sudden death. A scuffed penalty from Liam McAlinden meant Boston United went through to the final, and condemning Scunthorpe to another season of regional football.
The National League South game provided much more entertainment, as a local derby took place between Chelmsford City and Braintree Town. The odds were stacked against the visitors, having not beaten Chelmsford since 2010, but looked to have ended the duck after taking a two goal lead thanks to Leon Davies and Freddie Sears, with half an hour to play. Chelmsford fought back though, with two very late goals in the 90th minute from Jermaine Francis, and 92nd minute from George Alexander to force extra time! It would be Braintree who would have the last laugh, as a Jayden Davis winner meant Chelmsford would be sticking around in the National League South for another season.
The first National League semi final was a much more one-sided affair, as Barnet were swept aside by Solihull Moors in a 4-0 drubbing at The Hive. James Clarke got proceedings underway in the 6th minute with a leaping header, before Jack Stevens made it 2-0 before the half-hour mark with a tidy finish into the bottom corner. Things didn’t get any better for the hosts after half-time, with former Glover Tahvon Campbell burying a third, before Joe Sbarra sealed the Moors’ second trip to Wembley for the season. Another year of playoff hurt for the Bees, who will hope to come back stronger next season.
Sunday saw plenty of goal action, including the first goal outside of a penalty shootout in the National League North! 3rd placed Brackley Town toppled Chorley to reach their second playoff final in as many years, thanks to a Riccardo Calder strike in the 76th minute. As the higher seeded side, Brackley will host Boston on Saturday 4th May, with the winner becoming the newest addition to the National League for next season!
The National League South tie was similarly tense, in another 3rd vs 4th tie, this time between Worthing and Maidstone United. The hosts took the lead in the 24th minute through an Ollie Pearce penalty (shock), before Matt Bentley stuffed home a scruffy equaliser for the visitors five minutes before the break. Both sides continued to go at each other, before an 89th minute winner from, you guessed it, Ollie Pearce handed Worthing a 2-1 win and a spot in the playoff final; they will host Braintree on Monday 6th May, where again, the winner will join Yeovil in the National League next season.
Following Solihull’s win over Barnet, we now know that there will be a brand new team in the EFL next season – and it’s Bromley that have stepped up to face Solihull Moors in the final, following their 3-1 win at home to Altrincham. The visitors actually took the lead just after the half hour mark, as Regan Linney knocked a wayward shot in, wrong-footing former Glover Grant Smith. Bromley came back in a second half blitz, with three goals in nine minutes shared between Myles Weston (2) and Jude Arthurs booking the Ravens’ spot at Wembley.
Barnet 0-4 Solihull Moors
Bromley 3-1 Altrincham
Scunthorpe United 0-0 Boston United (Boston win 5-4 on pens)
Brackley Town 1-0 Chorley
Chelmsford City 2-3 Braintree Town
Worthing 2-1 Maidstone United
In what might be the final full Loan Watch round up of the season, there was play off heartbreak, a trophy and a couple goals for good measure.
Firstly, Jordan Maguire-Drew didn’t feature for Barnet as they were humbled in the National League Play Offs.
Bees’ manager said he was expecting a large overhaul of his squad for next season, at the time of writing it’s not known if they intend to take up their option on JMD.
Will Buse has been thanked for his time at Bath City after they conceded an incredibly late goal in their play off quarter final to Braintee.
Buse actually came close to scoring a late winner in the game from his own penalty area!
The former Bristol City man returns to Huish Park where he remains under contract for the 2024/25 season.
120+’ Will Buse almost scores from his own box.
Corner kick incoming with 4 minutes added.
— Bath City FC (@BathCity_FC) April 23, 2024
Onto Dorchester where Ollie Haste played an hour in their final game of the season, but post match was rewarded with the Supporters’ Player of the Season award.
🏆 | 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗡@OliverHaste7 was voted as your winner of the 23/24 Supporters Player of the Season award
Congratulations Hastey! 👏
🔗 https://t.co/HLMmQWMc0X#WeAreDorch⚫️⚪ pic.twitter.com/dtcwgeo2nf
— Dorchester Town FC (@DorchTownFC) April 28, 2024
Haste leaves the Glovers at the end of his contract with two National League appearances to his name and is – to the best of our knowledge – the youngest person to Captain the Men’s team in a first team fixture after skippering the side in the Somerset Men’s Premier Cup last season.
Benjani’s time at Yeovil also draws to a close, he’s been at Melksham for most of this season and spent the final day of their season on the bench. Benjani played in the final day game of thr 22/23 season away at Boreham Wood as well making plenty of friendly and SMPC appearances.
Shepton Mallet didn’t have a game this past weekend, but Charlie Bateson has one more engagement with them, the Les Phillips Cup final later in May.
Down at Gillingham, they’ve been going at three games a week for a while now and ad such there’s been plenty of game time for some of our Under 18s.
On Thursday just gone, Josh Haskett, Harry Lock and Harrison Foster started with Jack Bareham coming on from the bench. A good first half with Harry Lock assisting a Josh Haskett goal to make it 1-1 at half time. Bitton had the run of the second half to win 4-1.
Whilst on Saturday, Josh Haskett, Harry Lock, Harrison Foster and Jack Bareham all starting. It was a tough fixture for the end of the season and with injuries mounting for the Gills they went out 6-0 down.
hosh Haskett ended the season as joint top scorer for the Gills. All the Yeovil lads worked really hard for the team and are grateful to Gillingham for having them 👍
(Huge thanks to Ian Haskett for helping with Loan Watch throughout the season)
Finally at Welton Rovers, it’s been a tough campaign, but it ended on a real high with Jacob Shore scoring a last minute equaliser in a 4-4 draw, a game which saw Max Dyer given Rovers Man of the Match after a goal and assist of his own.
90+7’ GOALLLLLL!
WHAT ON EARTH. Think that was Jacob Shore who scored that. Absolute chaos at West Clewes.
4-4#GreenArmy 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/9xuT4yvItF
— Welton Rovers 🇳🇬 (@WeltonRoversFC) April 23, 2024
Mason Alden was also involved and like the other lads have really appreciated Welton’s hospitality this season.
On the final day they lost to Saltash, but again plenty more game time for the young Glovers, and after the drama of a 4-4 draw with two YTFC-related scorers… we won’t worry too much about that one.
(Another huge Thank You to Daniel Shore for his help and information this season)
Finally, from Gloverscast Ben a huge Thank You to those who have read Loan Watch this season, I hope it’s been interesting to see how the first team lads – and maybe more so, the youngsters in the Under 18s – are getting on.
It’s time for the fourth annual Glovies! Before that, Dave, Ben and Ian chat about the released and retained list.
If you have an idea for the website, want to contribute or just want to send us a message, feel free to email ian@gloverscast.co.uk.