Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 23)

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Yeovil Town women have been drawn away at Wells City in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round.

Wells are also the Glovers’ first League game of the new campaign too.

In an even odder, quirk, the FA release suggests that “All ties must be played on Sunday 7 September 2025. Kick-off 2.00pm, unless otherwise mutually agreed”…

Which means that Yeovil Women’s league game against… Wells City will have to be postponed.

Either way, on September 7th, Yeovil will play Wells away with either (or both) league points or a place in the 2nd Qualifying round on the line.

DATES OF ROUNDS
Second Round Qualifying – Sunday 21 September 2025
Third Round Qualifying – Sunday 5 October 2025
First Round Proper – Sunday 26 October 2025
Second Round Proper – Sunday 23 November 2025
Third Round Proper – Sunday 14 December 2025
Fourth Round Proper – Sunday 18 January 2026
Fifth Round Proper – Sunday 22 February 2026
Quarter Final – Sunday 5 April 2026
Semi Final – Sunday 10 May 2026
Final – Sunday 31 May 2026

PRIZE FUND PAYMENTS 
Preliminary Round – Winner £600 Loser £150
First Round Qualifying  – Winner £1,800 Loser £450
Second Round Qualifying – Winner£3,000 Loser £750
Third Round Qualifying – Winner £4,000 Loser £1,000
First Round Proper – Winner £6,000 Loser £1,500
Second Round Proper – Winner £8,000 Loser £2,000
Third Round Proper – Winner £35,000 Loser £9,000
Fourth Round Proper – Winner £54,000 Loser £13,000
Fifth Round Proper – Winner £80,000 Loser £20,000
Quarter Final – Winner £90,000 Loser £22,500
Semi Final – Winner £160,000 Loser £40,000
Final – Winner £430,000 Loser £108,000

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Trialist Luke McCormick runs past a Bristol Rovers player in a pre-season friendly match.

Midfielder Luke McCormick has become Yeovil Town’s second signing of the day as Yeovil Town following the arrival of on-loan striker Ben Wodskou.

The former Bristol Rovers’ man, who was released by The Gas at the end of last season, is not a new face to Glovers fans have been a regular appearance as ‘trialist’ during the pre-season campaign.

An hour after the Wodskou announcement on Monday morning, the Glovers confirmed the 26-year-old has signed a one-year contract to be at Huish Park for the upcoming National League Premier Division season.

In a statement, manager Mark Cooper said: “Luke is a really intelligent footballer who brings a lot of quality in possession. He’s got great energy and a good understanding of the game at this level. We’re delighted to have him on board.”

McCormick played 25 times, scoring three times, for Bristol Rovers in the 2024-25 before being loaned out to National League promotion chasers Forest Green Rovers in January where he made five appearances and just one start before being recalled by Rovers.

He arrived at The Memorial Ground in August 2022 from AFC Wimbledon having had a loan spell with The Gas in the 2020-21 season whilst in the academy at Premier League giants Chelsea. 

McCormick’s signing leaves only fellow former Rovers’ striker Jevani Brown‘s future uncertain. The 30-year-old has been another regular face named ‘Trialist’ on the Yeovil team-sheets during pre-season, but no announcement has been made about him.

The absence of fellow trialist Teo Kurtaran in the final two friendlies of the campaign, against Bath City and Weston-super-Mare, suggest he is no longer in Cooper’s plans.

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Birmingham City striker Ben Wodskou being interviewed by the Blues' social media team.

Young Birmingham City striker Ben Wodskou has been the latest product of the Championship side’s academy to join Yeovil Town on a season-long loan.

The 18-year-old, who was a trialist in the 1-0 pre-season friendly defeat at Weston-super-Mare last Saturday, joins fellow Blues’ Under-21s team-mate, defender Byron Pendleton, at Huish Park for the upcoming campaign.

He came off the bench on the hour mark in north Somerset at the weekend, replacing Josh Sims.

Wodskou spent the second half of last season on loan at Rushall Olympic in National League North, scoring twice in six appearances as the Midlands side were relegated to the Northern League.

In a statement on Monday morning, Yeovil manager Mark Cooper said:“Ben is a young striker with huge potential. He’s already shown he can handle the physicality of men’s football and has the hunger to make an impact. We’re excited to work with him this season.”

Wodskou signed a two-year professional contract at St Andrews in the summer of 2024. He joins a Yeovil forward line which includes Aaron Jarvis and Tavhon Campbell as recognised strikers with Harvey Greenslade another contender for the forward line, albeit often played in a wide position.

Speaking after the defeat at Weston, Cooper said he hoped to bring more “ammunition” in to his attack before the opening game of the National League season against Hartlepool United on Saturday. The Glovers were finished last season as the joint third lowest scorers in the Premier Division with 51 goals in their 46 matches.

The manager said: “We always said we were going to be late in our recruitment, we were not able to start recruiting until the middle of June (following the takeover). We have recruited a few (in Tahvon Campbell, James Daly and Kyle Ferguson) and hopefully next week we will have some more ammunition coming in and some players at the top of the pitch which can really effect the goal.”

In pre-season, Greenslade has two goals to his name, a brace in the 3-2 win at Chippenham Town, whilst Jarvis and Campbell have one goal each. 

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Another season rolls around and once again, here at the Gloverscast, we’ll do our utmost to keep tabs on any Yeovil Town youngsters getting some game time in out and about.

With the National League U19 alliance league not yet underway (fixtures haven’t been released yet!), it has given some of the young lads the chance to get some experience in men’s football and it looks like our relationship with Sherborne Town remains strong.

On Saturday, the Zebras were in FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round action against a strong Westbury side.

The step four side ran out 7-0 winners, but despite the result, plenty of youngsters associated with YTFC got to experience the pleasure of playing in the FA Cup.

Blake Watts started the game, with a bench that included Joe Crisp, Ollie Hughes – who has seen game time with the Yeovil first team this pre season – as well as striker George Geraghty and Jaydon Biss

There’s sure to be more representatives of the Glovers over the next few weeks, we’ll do our best to keep an eye on them as we go.

All the best to Sherborne and the young lads throughout the season.

Cover photo – Joe Crisp ready for action, Photo c/o Martin Pearce & Westbury FC

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said he expects to bring more “ammunition” in to bolster his shot-shy frontline with just seven days to go until the start of the new season.

The Glovers went down 1-0 at National League South side Weston-super-Mare in their final friendly of the pre-season campaign with little offered in front of goal from the visitors.

Cooper pointed to the delay in starting his recruitment whilst new owner Prabhu Srinivasan completed his takeover of the club at the end of May, but said that attacking players were among his top targets.

Speaking to the club’s social media, the manager said: “We always said we were going to be late in our recruitment, we were not able to start recruiting until the middle of June (following the takeover). We have recruited a few (in Tahvon Campbell, James Daly and Kyle Ferguson) and hopefully next week we will have some more ammunition coming in and some players at the top of the pitch which can really effect the goal.”

Birmingham City striker Ben Wodskou being interviewed by the Blues' social media team.
Birmingham City Under-21s striker Ben Wodskou appeared in the second half at Weston.

Yeovil started with forward players Aaron Jarvis, James Daly and Josh Sims supported by trialist Luke McCormick and throughout the match trialists Jevani Brown and Birmingham City youngster Ben Wodskou and frontmen Harvey Greenslade and Campbell were all brought on to find a spark. 

Cooper said: “It is just about ruthlessness. If we can get the players in to the opposition’s six-yard box as many as times as we did in the first half, the last little bit is about ice cold ruthlessness in front of goal. That is the bit (the players) have to that ownership of, they have to go and finish the edges, they are clear cut chances. If I had been stood here 3-0 up at half-time, nobody would have complained and the game is totally different, but it focuses our minds on the week ahead even more on where we have to tune. You can see where we need to tune, it is in front of goal.

“I said to the players after the game, when you find yourself in those positions, you have to be a killer. Whether it is By(ron Pendleton), Simsy (Sims), Luke McCormick (presumably pronounced ‘unnamed trialist’), Jarv (Jarvis), whoever it is, you have to kill. That is what you get paid for and, if we get that bit right, the rest of it is fine.”

Wodskou was a new face to the trialists who have featured in the pre-season campaign with both McCormick and Brown featuring in the majority of friendlies so far. The 18-year-old is a team-mate of full-back Pendleton in the Under-21s set-up at St Andrews and showed some flashes of his physicality during his appearance. Outside of youth football, he had a spell on loan at Northern League side Rushall Olympic last season.

Despite the defeat, Cooper insisted he was pleased with the first hour his side put in against a Weston side which included full-back Michael Smith and midfielders Sam Pearson and Will Dawes, who were all part of Yeovil’s National League South title-winning side of 2023-24.

The manager said: “The first 60 minutes were really good, we should have been two or three goals up at half-time, we missed some brilliant chances. In the first half we got in behind them numerous times, Byron (Pendleton), Simsy, Luke McCormick (Trialist A) should be scoring and we don’t and that is the name of the game, we have to be better in both boxes. Our general play was pretty good, it is just the last little bit.

“We changed the shape to put two up front to try and get some minutes in to people which took away our fluency and (the game) gets a bit stretched then, but, if you take the result out of it, we dominated the game and played some good stuff. The disappointing bit is that we give away a penalty and lose the game, but there were some good bits.“

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A second half penalty saw Yeovil Town go down to defeat in their final pre-season friendly of the campaign in a feisty all-Somerset affair at Weston-super-Mare.

Seagulls’ midfielder Luke Coulson sent new loan goalkeeper Jed Ward the wrong way from the spot in the 67th minute after Jake Wannell fouled former Glovers’ striker Louis Britton inside the box.

In a game marked by a few feisty challenges by both sides, there was the worrying sight of full-back Alex Whittle going off in what appeared to be a precautionary move with a groin injury early in the first half and little else to write home about for the visitors.

Yeovil were largely nullified by the National League South side who took their opportunity from the spot when it came. Not a great way to sign off pre-season.

First half

Early chance for Yeovil saw Finn Cousin-Dawson plant a header straight in to the midriff of Weston keeper Max Harris after three minutes, and the keeper did well to punch clear after Charlie Cooper’s good free-kick in to the box.

The next action was more worrying for the visitors with Alex Whittle going down with an injury after 15 minutes. The left-back received treatment but played on for further five minutes before he was replaced by Brett McGavin. One assumes the substitution was precautionary just seven days before the opening National League fixture and Whittle appeared to be moving okay as he departed for the dressing room, albeit clutching an ice pack. Tight groin, apparently.

On the pitch, Wannell moved to the left side of defence with Cousin-Dawson shifting back in to defence from a deep lying midfield role which was filled by McGavin. On 22 minutes, James Daly had the ball in the net with a beautiful curling shot only denied by an offside flag before a great flick on from Aaron Jarvis  landed to the feet of trialist Luke McCormick who took his shot early but pulled it wide.

Picture courtesy of Rob Manley.

On the trialist front, former Bristol Rovers’ striker Jevani Brown was named on the bench continuing his seemingly endless role as a trialist, but there was a new face in the form of Birmingham Under-21s striker, Ben Wodskou. The St Andrews’ team-mate of signed loanee Byron Pendleton came through the Blues’ academy and had a spell on loan at Northern Premier League side Rushall Athletic last season. The 18-year-old signed his first professional contract, a two-year deal, in the summer of 2024.

New goalkeeper Jed Ward, signed on a season-long loan from Bristol Rovers during the week, was called in to his first action in a Yeovil shirt to collect a header from James Dodd before two former Glovers, Sam Pearson and Louis Britton (remember him?), combined with the former crossing for the latter to head over the bar.

There was another slightly worrying moment when Morgan Williams ran in to a barrier at the side of the pitch, he seems okay to continue. Pearson’s deflected effort, tipped over the bar by Ward, in the 43rd minute was the final action of the half.

Half-time:  Weston-super-Mare 0 Yeovil Town 0

 

Second half

The half-time break saw a change for Yeovil with Kyle Ferguson replacing Charlie Cooper and six minutes after the restart a McGavin corner was headed away by Wood with a number of green-and-white shirts queuing up to turn home the looping ball.

With an hour gone and Yeovil seemingly out of ideas, strikers Tahvon Campbell and trialist Wodskou replaced Josh Sims and Aaron Jarvis before Ward had to be quick off his line to prevent Britton getting on the end of a good ball from Pearson.

On 67 minutes, Weston were awarded a penalty for a foul on Britton on the edge of the area. Luke COULSON stepped up and sent Ward the wrong way. The goal sparked a further Yeovil change with Harvey Greenslade coming on for trialist McCormick. There were four changes for the home side including another former Glover, Will Dawes, replacing Britton.

Trialist Jevani Brown replaced Byron Pendleton after 77 minutes before Tahvon Campbell got involved in an off-the-ball fracas after a shirt pull from Weston’s Emlyn Lewis. The majority of the on-the-field personnel from both sides got involved in the ‘afters’. Still not sure we can call this a ‘derby’, an all-Somerset match at best, but that was definitely not friendly.

Players from Yeovil Town and Weston-super-Mare get involved in a major fracas.
The not so friendly friendly. Picture courtesy of Michael Stone.

There were a few other snaps by both sides between that major melee and the final whistle but, with just seven days remaining until Hartlepool United visit Huish Park for the opening National League fixture, it ended with a poor performance and poor result.

At the final whistle, manager Mark Cooper gathered his players on the pitch for a ‘talking to’ and you have to wonder what was said by all those involved. Whatever it was, it needs to lift the level considerably in the next week.

Full time: Weston-super-Mare 1 Yeovil Town 0

Teams:

Yeovil Town: Jed Ward, Byron Pendleton (for Byron Pendleton, 77), Alex Whittle (for Brett McGavin, 20), Morgan Williams, Jake Wannell, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Charlie Cooper (for Kyle Ferguson, 46), Luke McCormick (Trialist) (for Harvey Greenslade, 69), Josh Sims (for Ben Wodskou, 60), James Daly, Aaron Jarvis (for Tahvon Campbell, 60).

Substitutes (not used): Matt Gould.

Weston-super-Mare: Max Harris, Michael Smith, Dylan Mitchell, Callum Wood, Sam Avery, Luke Coulson, James Dodd, Louis Britton, James Waite, Sam Pearson, Emlyn Lewis.

Substitutes: Jacob Jagger-Cane, Jakob Glover, Jason Pope, Jake Hicks, Josh Salmon, Oliver Jenkins, Daniel Martin.

Scorers: Luke Coulson 67 pen (0-1),

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Yeovil Town have announced the signing of Bristol Rovers goalkeeper Jed Ward on loan until the end of the season.

The Bristol-born stopper spent the first part of last season in the National League on loan at Forest Green Rovers, starting every match until he was recalled by The Gas in January. He made 28 appearances keeping ten clean sheets.

On his return to the Memorial Ground where he was first choice playing 18 times as his parent club was relegated out of League One.

The 22-year-old was in goal for Forest Green’s last gasp win over the Glovers on New Years’ Day, a game which the Glovers dominated and Ward made a number of key saves and interceptions.

He was also involved in the recent Match For Marcus pre-season friendly between Rovers and Yeovil at Huish Park, appearing as a second half substitute after a horror display from summer signing Brad Young. But Ward was considered third choice at The Mem following the arrivals of Luke Southwood and Young in the goalkeeping position.

Ward heads to Huish Park following the departure of Aidan Stone to fellow National League side Truro City earlier on Friday. Stone had his contract cancelled by mutual consent before his arrival in Cornwall was confirmed.

Welcome to Somerset, Jed! 


Ward in action for Forest Green Rovers against Yeovil on New Year’s Day.

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Yeovil Town goalkeeper Aidan Stone warming up ahead of the pre-season friendly with Bristol Rovers.
Aidan Stone. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Yeovil Town goalkeeper Aidan Stone has joined fellow National League Premier Division club Truro City after agreeing to terminate his contract at Huish Park.

The 26-year-old arrived on a permanent deal following his release by Notts County in February having moved his family to the South West to fill the gloves left by Southampton loanee Ollie Wright, who had returned to his parent club.

He played 17 times in the second half of last season and managed three clean sheets. He joins midfielder Harry Kite, who had a brief spell on a short-term contract at Huish Park at the end of last season, at the Truro City Stadium.

The statement read: “Yeovil Town Football Club can confirm that goalkeeper Aidan Stone has left the club by mutual agreement, subject to FA clearance. Aidan joined in (February) 2025 and went on to make 17 appearances for the Glovers. We thank Aidan for his time at the club and wish him all the best in the future.”

Aidan Stone responds to the club’s confirmation of his contract being cancelled.

Shortly after the confirmation of his contract being cancelled, Stone’s arrival at Truro on a one-year contract was confirmed by The Tinners.

In his arrival statement, the keeper said he had been speaking with former Yeovil goalkeeping coach Phil Osborn about the move. He said: “The manager (John Askey) spoke to me at length and I have been in regular contact with Phil (Osborn, goalkeeping coach), so this is something I wanted to get done. 

“I know a few of the lads here already and they spoke about the project and what has been going on over the past year. This is certainly something that aligns with what I want to do. 

“Hopefully I can add bits to the group and thrive in this kind of environment, as I’m only 26, which is young for a goalkeeper.”

Stone’s future was in doubt after he failed to appear in the pre-season friendlies against Bristol City and Bath City where trialist Bristol City youngster Josey Casa-Grande and goalkeeping coach Matt Gould were between the posts.

At time of writing, it leaves just Gould as a registered first team keeper, but with trialists being used and rumours of free agent Shaun MacDonald (not that one) also of interest to the Glovers there could well be movement between the sticks in Somerset sooner rather than later. The former Torquay United stopper, who was the back-up keeper at Exeter City last season, has featured in a number of exhibition matches for unattached players organised by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) in recent weeks.

All the best further down in the South West, Aidan. 

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Gloverscast Fans' Quiz #1

Think you know your Dickie Plumb from your Francois Zoko? From famous cup runs and cult heroes to recent triumphs and obscure trivia, our monthly Gloverscast quiz will test whether you're Huish Park's finest or just blagging it like a trialist in pre-season.

Get your thinking caps on, rally your mates, and prepare for four rounds of Glovers-themed glory. Let’s see who’s got the brains to match the badge.

Up the Gloves — and may the best fan win!

1 / 12

Who scored Yeovil Town’s famous winner against Sunderland in the 1949 FA Cup giant-killing?

2 / 12

In which season did Yeovil Town first win promotion to the Football League?

3 / 12

Dan Burn scored the winning goal in the 2013 League One play-off final - but which club was he on loan at Yeovil Town from?

4 / 12

Who was Yeovil Town's top-scorer in the pre-season campaign ahead of our year in the National League South?

5 / 12

Who picked up Yeovil Town's first booking of the 2024-25 season?

6 / 12

True or false? Yeovil Town won the National League South title with a victory over Truro City.

7 / 12

How many seats are there in Huish Park?

8 / 12

Which number did Francois Zoko wear for Yeovil Town?

9 / 12

Which team did Yeovil Town win against to more than any other during their time in the Football League?

10 / 12

In which season did defender Nathan Smith first join Yeovil Town?

11 / 12

Which club did Nathan Smith leave us to join in 2011 before rejoining us from the same club in 2014?

12 / 12

In the summer of 2019, how did Nathan Smith spend his summer break whilst his team-mate were hitting the beach in Spain?

Nathan Smith challenges for a ball in an FA Cup fixture with Solihull Moors in November 2016.

Your score is

The average score is 57%

0%

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To mark the 130th anniversary of Yeovil Town, the club is bringing one of its quirkier traditions back.

The first goalscorer of the upcoming 2025-26 National League Premier Division will be awarded a sack of potatoes, a tradition last seen at the club in the 1930s.

From the 1934-35 season, a local greengrocer awarded striker Tom McNeil with the ‘lucky spuds’ and went on to score 40 goals in one season – and he wasn’t even the top scorer with his team-mate Joe Taylor topping the charts with 66! That season, the Glovers went on to face Liverpool in the FA Cup third round, so not a bad year all in all!

Ninety years later, Glovers’ fan and greengrocer Alan Sheppard, who owns The Fruit & Veg Shop in South Petherton with his brother-in-law Nick Wakely, has rekindled the idea, the brainchild of the Yeovil Town Heritage Society’s Michael West.

Alan said: “It worked for the club all those years ago, so why not try it again. If these spuds can spark another league triumph of FA Cup run, I’ll be happy.”

Michael said: “It’s a brilliant idea, wonderfully quirky with real historical roots. We’re proud to keep the stories of our club alive in creative and memorable ways.”

Great work Michael, Alan and Nick and we cannot wait to see the confused look on that first scorer’s face!

Greengrocer Alan Sheppard clutches his sack of lucky potatoes.
Greengrocer Alan Sheppard with the sack of lucky spuds.