Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 24)

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Yeovil Town head to Robbie Savage’s Forest Green Rovers on Saturday 16th August, 2025 and tickets are now on sale to Glovers fans.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

Much like last season, the first thing to note is that you’ll need to sign up for a “My FGR” account before going any further, a valid email address and phone number and a unhackable password is needed.

Then once on the correct match page, you’ll need to “Change to Away” so that you’re not in with the home fans… obviously.

Right, awesome, now you should have a screen that looks like this… with two different options – that’s one fewer than last season.

Now, obviously, having different options means different price points… I’m not typing all that out, so here are three screen shots.

 

If you are choosing to pay the roof & seat premium there are two rows to choose from

Right, so now we’re getting somewhere.

Select your ticket, head to the checkout, select either E-Ticket, Text Ticket or Physical Ticket Collection (£2 additional fee) and pay the good people.

Want to park?

Tough, get the park and ride.

“There is no general admission parking at the stadium or official parking within the immediate local vicinity.

Park and Ride – We advise first-time visitors to use the Park and Ride facility at Renishaw, South Entrance, Bath Rd, Stroud GL5 5EY (Please note P+R is only currently available for Saturday/weekend fixtures). The P+R opens as 12:30pm for 3pm kick-offs, and the service costs £5 per car.”

Additional Assistance

If you require any additional assistance, there is some availability for any disabled supporters making the trip.

“Disabled facilities – We have a limited number of seats with level access at the front of the East Stand, as well as a platform for disabled fans with lift access. There are disabled toilets around the stadium, including one in the Green Man, two either side of the East Stand concourse and one opposite the board room.

Complimentary tickets for carers – If you need to be accompanied by a carer or assistant, we’ll give them a free ticket. You’ll need to present documentation to show one of the following:

• You’re on the medium to high rate Disability Living Allowance (mobility or care)

• You receive the Enhanced Rate Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

• You receive Severe Disablement Allowance

• We can also accept a letter from your GP.

To enquire about our disabled facilities and ticketing, call 0333 123 1889 or email reception@fgr.co.uk.

Disabled parking – We have a limited number of disabled parking spaces for blue badge holders. These can be booked up to four weeks in advance at £10. To avoid disappointment, book early by calling 0333 123 1889.”

Dont Bring Cash… ’tis useless.

“Cashless – The Bolt New Lawn is a cashless stadium and therefore does not handle cash at any time. You can only make payments via debit/credit card and contactless.”

For everything else you wanted to know about Forest Green Rovers check out the Huish Hugh Ciderspace Away Travel Guide – HERE.

Other Tickets On Sale To Yeovil Town Fans

Braintree – Saturday 23rd August – CLICK HERE

Aldershot Town – Wednesday 24th September – CLICK HERE

Sutton United – Tuesday 30th September – CLICK HERE

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In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Yeovil Town Women FC

The fixtures are out for Yeovil Town’s Women’s side ahead of the 2025/26 season

Starting the new season off with a trip to Wells City and finishing with a home tie against… our claret and blue friends down the road, W*ymouth.

With the division down to just six teams from 10 last season, it does mean a much shorter fixture list.

The league have suggested that due to the withdrawal of a quintet of sides from those originally listed – Helston, Sticker, Plympton, Banwell and Honiton – these sides will take on a slightly different fixture schedule, we’ve asked the league for clarification on this.

The season gets underway on Sunday 7th September, coming to a conclusion in mid November.

There will naturally be cup matches in the County, League and FA Cup early qualifying rounds to squeeze in there too.

The season marks the start of the Dave Court era of management, after he took over the reigns following the departure of Paul Knight after the conclusion of last season.

The team’s FA Full Time page can be found here with fixture details and grids and even a little predictor function. 

We’ll endeavour to keep the below table updated as the season progresses, and as ever, if anyone is planning on taking in a Yeovil Women’s game and can share any imagery or details, we’d be very grateful.

OppositionKick OffH/ACompetitionScoreLocationScorers
September
07.09.2025Wells City FC14:00AFA Cup1-6Wells City FCDavenport '11, Childs '30, OG '64, McNally '70, Hunt '85 & '92
07.09.2025Wells City FC14:00ALeagueWells City FC
14.09.2025Appledore14:00HLeagueYTCST Centre at AlvingtonMcNally '5, '20, '86, Hunt '53, '65, '83
21.09.2025Saltash Utd14:00AFA CupSaltash United
21.09.2025Weston-super-Mare14:00HLeagueYTCST Centre at Alvington
28.09.2025Feniton14:00HLeagueYTCST Centre at Alvington
October
05.10.2025W*ymouth14:00ALeagueBob Lucas Stadium
12.10.2025Feniton14:00ALeagueFeniton Playing Fields
19.10.2025Wells City FC14:00HLeagueYTCST Centre at Alvington
26.10.2025Appledore 14:00ALeagueMarshford, Appledore
November
02.11.2025Weston-super-Mare 14:00ALeagueOptima Stadium
16.11.2025W*ymouth14:00HLeagueYTCST Centre at Alvington

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Talks to extend an exclusivity agreement around the ownership of land at Huish Park are underway with Somerset Council and the new owners of Yeovil Town.

The current agreement which gives Yeovil Town Holdings, the company which Dubai-based businessman Prabhu Srinivasan bought from former chairman Martin Hellier in May, is due to expire in May 2026.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Gloverscast podcast, Chief Strategy Advisor Nicholas Brayne said the new owners are also talking with “quality partners” about how the land can generate long-term revenue in the future.

He said: “We have had a number of detailed conversations with officers from the council and I had a meeting this morning and I have further meetings next week.

“It is all geared towards two things – the extension of buy-back option on the land and reuniting the club with the stadium and the bigger question of what we do with it.

“The goal is to put revenue the way of the football club to make it a better business and more resilient. This is a unique opportunity which other clubs do not have to utilise the space with the explicit purpose of bringing revenue in to the club.

“That sounds quite a lofty vision because there are two issues. The first is it is a huge space which brings complications and the question of how much capital can we put in to it when we want to also put capital in to what is going on on the pitch.

“We are a bunch of investors from the Middle East, so we are not experts on the things we could do on that site, so we do need to find partners to do it with to deliver quality solutions for the club.”

However, Brayne said that supporters should not expect any buy-back or the long-term future of the land to be a quick fix.

He added: “Let me reassure you there are meaningful conversations with the right stakeholders, but I want to be really honest, this is not going to happen overnight. This is going to take time, so people asking when we are going to buy back the land, please be patient with us.

“The most important thing is that we do this the right way for the football club and that we stop with the quick fix solutions which actually have a negative, long-term impact.”

You can listen to the full interview with Nicholas Brayne wherever it is you pick up your podcasts or by clicking HERE.

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Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan at a fans' forum meeting at Huish Park.

Yeovil Town’s new ownership is backing manager Mark Cooper is his waiting game to bring transfer targets to Huish Park.

The club’s Chief Strategy Advisor Nicholas Brayne, who is an advisor to new owner Prabhu Srinivasan, told the latest episode of the Gloverscast podcast that he has no concerns about the manager’s strategy of waiting for players to come available.

He said: “If you look at Yeovil’s transfer policy over a few years, it has been quite consistent in doing business up front and I would argue that there has been a bit of a lack of thinking about why players were coming in and how they improve the squad.

“This strategy is led by Mark (Cooper), not (the ownership group) saying ‘this is how it should be done’, we made a collective decision to say we wanted to be sure the players would improve the team and that we wanted to take our time to get that right.

“We also identified the weaknesses of going early and leaving some finance in the tank to make some moves later if necessary. What you see in football is that teams higher in the pyramid may be chasing a striker and when they get their guy and then the guy we are chasing is able to move on. In previous seasons there has not been that (finance) in the tank to do that.

“Mark has done a brilliant job and I really back his strategy and you can see the logic behind why he has brought certain players in. I come from a privileged position of knowing what is going on behind-the-scenes and there is no worry on my face, I know what is coming around the corner and I am sure you will be pleased.”

Trialist striker Jevani Brown turns away during the pre-season friendly with Bristol Rovers.
Trialist striker Jevani Brown has been a regular fixture in the pre-season friendlies. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The Glovers released seven players at the end of last season – goalkeeper Will Buse, defenders Michael Smith, Dom Bernard and Marcel Lavinier, midfielders Harry Kite, Caleb Hughes and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton – at the end of last season with winger Lewys Twamley departing earlier this month.

Arriving at Huish Park have been young full-back Byron Pendleton, signed on a season-long loan from Birmingham City, and permanent signings defende Kyle Ferguson, winger James Daly and striker Tahvon Campbell. The club has also had three trialists who seem to have stuck around during pre-season, ex-Bristol Rovers’ pair midfielder Luke McCormick and striker Jevani Brown and midfielder Teo Kurtaran, albeit the latter was absent from the squad which won 3-1 at Bath City in the most recent friendly on Saturday.

Speaking last Friday, Cooper made his own appeal for supporters to be patient. He said: “We might have to wait to get our first choice players, but we are only talking two or three. It is a waiting game now, there are probably about 25 players of real quality that still have not got a club and they all want to play in the EFL. Not all of them are going to be fixed up and I certainly want to explore one or two of those which would be above our level.

“We have got enough players at the minute to make sure we can get good minutes in to games. I would just appeal to the fan base to have a bit of reality and a bit of calmness.”

Listen to our interview with Nicholas Brayne in full wherever you pick up your podcasts or by clicking HERE.

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Byron Pendleton shoots for goal against Bristol Rovers.

Loan right-back Byron Pendleton has spoken of his excitement at his first taste of men’s football having joined Yeovil Town from the Under-21s’ set-up at Championship Birmingham City.

The 19-year-old joined on a season-long loan this week having impressed on trial in the pre-season friendly with Bristol Rovers last weekend and played the full 90 minutes of yesterday’s 3-1 win at Bath City, wearing the number two shirt vacated by Jordan Thomas.

He has been a regular in the Under-21s side at St Andrews for the past two seasons, captaining the team in the Professional Development League last season, and is contracted to Blues until the summer of 2027.

Speaking to Yeovil’s social media following the Bath win, he said: “It is a very exciting time for me, my first loan. I want to play for Yeovil because they have given me the opportunity to come and perform and show what I am about.

“The first game (against Bristol Rovers at Huish Park) was a great feeling with the noise levels and the fans all cheering. For me playing in men’s football, the whole adrenaline rush was just great.

“It is a big difference for me, I have been in the Under-21s at Birmingham for four or five years so I was getting too used to it and comfortable. Making the step up to men’s football is a lot more physical, the game is a lot faster and the game is a lot more tactical and there is a lot more on the games we are playing.”

Trialist Byron Pendleton, who captains Birmingham City's Under-21s, sinks to his knees after coming close.
Trialist Byron Pendleton sinks to his knees after hitting the side netting against Bristol Rovers. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The athleticism, speed and crossing ability of the right-back has been notable in his 180 minutes of friendly action and he came close to scoring during his outing as ‘Trialist B’ against Rovers.

He added: “I prefer playing in higher areas of the pitch because that allows me to make room in behind because I am quite quick, so that allows me to get higher up the pitch and put crosses in the box and contribute to goals and assists.

“The lads have been very welcoming, they are a good bunch of players and made me feel at home. I am really excited for the first game of the league season (at home to Hartlepool United on 9th August), I am looking to get out there and show what I am about, hopefully pick up some wins and get us as high up the table as we can.”

In his post-match comments at Twerton Park, manager Mark Cooper said Pendleton was an example of the type of loan signing he is hoping to bring to Huish Park to give strength in depth. The Glovers could only name 15 players at Bath with defender Jake Wannell, midfielder Brett McGavin and summer signing striker Tahvon Campbell all absent.

Cooper said: “I have been asked why there are so many loan players, but I have been consistent, the loan players are going to give us that depth to our squad. When you bring in loan players like Byron, who looks a really good acquisition for us, it helps us with our budget and he did really well.”

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Mark Cooper speaks to the club's social media following the 3-1 pre-season friendly win at Bath City.

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper said he was content to name just four substitutes for today’s 3-1 pre-season friendly win at Bath City.

The Glovers were without defender Jake Wannell, who was missing for “personal reasons“, and midfielder Brett McGavin and striker Tahvon Campbell meaning they had just 15 players in the squad.

Trialist striker Jevani Brown, fellow forward Harvey Greenslade and Under-18s’ defender Ollie Hughes all appeared in the second half at Twerton Park with only goalkeeper Aidan Stone, who was a first-team regular at the end of last season, not being used.

Speaking to the club’s social media after the game, Cooper said: “Jake Wannell has got a personal issue with a family member that is seriously ill, Tahvon Campbell is still not quite right and we are hopeful he will be back training on Monday and Brett McGavin has had a tight Achilles, so we did not risk him, but he will be back on the grass on Monday as well. So we have got three big players to come back in to the group which would have given us seven on the bench, so I am okay with (only having four substitutes).”

Trialist midfielder Teo Kurtaran runs down the wing in the pre-season friendly against Bristol Rovers.
Teo Kurtaran, who has featured in all Yeovil Town’s pre-season friendlies, has missing from the squad at Bath City. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Trialist midfielder Luke McCormick impressed with assists for all three of the Yeovil goals, but there was no sign of Teo Kurtaran, the midfielder who has appeared in all the previous friendly matches this summer, suggesting he is no longer in the manager’s plans.

Asked about the trialists, the boss said: “We are still monitoring the trialists and we want to get as much value as we can, but they are certainly not doing themselves any harm with their performances.”

Goals from defender Morgan Williams and midfielders James Daly and Josh Sims put Yeovil in to a 3-0 lead by half-time, but the manager said his side “lost a little bit of professionalism” after the break with Bath pulled a goal back late in the game.

The manager said: “The first half was outstanding, we looked powerful, energetic, really good on the counter attack and defended well, but when you are 3-0 up at half-time it is hard to replicate that again (in the second half) because the opposition half to change. (Bath) changed their shape, they made substitutions and it becomes difficult and we certainly did not replicate what we did in the first half and we got away from doing the things which had got us so much joy in the first half, we lost a little bit of professionalism and it ended up being a bit more of a game in the second half.

“The trialist (Luke McCormick) looked good in the first half and we looked powerful, quick and sharp around their penalty area, I was really pleased with that bit but, as always, there is loads to do. I have just said to the players there will be lots of National League teams which have lost to National League North and South clubs, and I said to them that today was about winning and make a statement with two weeks to go (until the first league game of the season).

“There was really good support here today, really big numbers and at least we gave them three goals to go away with.”

The ball runs out of play for Bath's Ewan Clark with Byron Pendleton and Morgan Williams in close attendance.
The ball runs out of play for Bath City’s Ewan Clark with Byron Pendleton and Morgan Williams in close attendance. Picture courtesy of Abby Carter.

On Friday, the manager called on supporters to “have a bit of patience” with summer recruitment and said he expected to bring in “two or three” permanent additions plus loan signings for the new campaign which gets underway on August 9th.

One player who impressed against Bath was young Birmingham City right-back Byron Pendleton, who joined on a season-long loan during the week. The manager said: “I have been asked why there are so many loan players, but I have been consistent, the loan players are going to give us that depth to our squad. When you bring in loan players like Byron, who looks a really good acquisition for us, it helps us with our budget and he did really well.”

The final match of the announced friendly fixtures takes Cooper’s men to Weston-super-Mare next weekend, but he revealed they will play a behind-closed-doors fixture against an unnamed Championship side on Tuesday night.

He said: “We are playing a behind-closed-doors game at a Championship club on Tuesday which will be a real tough one for us, so we need to get ready and recover for that.“

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The ball runs out of play for Bath's Ewan Clark with Byron Pendleton and Morgan Williams in close attendance.

Three first half goals from Yeovil Town saw them get their pre-season campaign back to winning ways with a victory at National League South side Bath City on Saturday.

The Glovers took the lead through defender Morgan Williams after 14 minutes before summer signing James Daly opened his goal-scoring account for his new side and then Josh Sims added a third with trialist Luke McCormick providing assists for all three goals.

A fairly uneventful second half saw Will Jenkins-Davies reduce the deficit for the hosts, managed by former Yeovil player and manager, Darren Way, with nine minutes remaining.

First half

The starting line-up gave the first talking point with just four substitutes, including youngster Ollie Hughes, named by manager Mark Cooper, who had told supporters concerned about the lack of transfer activity to “have a little patience” on Friday. There was no Jake Wannell, missing due to “personal reasons“, or Brett McGavin and Tahvon Campbell, both not being risked due to injuries. Campbell had looked to be struggling in the defeat to Bristol Rovers seven days earlier with a heavy strapping on his knee.

In the starting XI, goalkeeper/goalkeeping coach Matt Gould was named in goal with last season’s first choice, Aidan Stone, named on the bench. The visitors started with Finn Cousin-Dawson lined up in defensive midfield positions alongside Charlie Cooper and trialist Luke McCormick playing behind Aaron Jarvis.

James Daly had the first effort on goal with an effort from distance after just three minutes before former Glovers’ loanee Ewan Clark found Joe Raynes inside the box but his two efforts were blocked by Kyle Fergsuon. Clark forced Matt Gould in to the first save of the match after five minutes, the home side have dominated the opening exchanges.

However, it was Yeovil who opened the scoring through Morgan WILLIAMS after 14 minutes. Good pressure from Byron Pendleton found Josh Sims who could not release anyone until he picked out McCormick whose cross was met by a flick from Williams to put the Glovers ahead against the run of play.

Byron Pendleton and Ewan Clark eye each other during a break in play.
Byron Pendleton keeps a close eye on Bath City’s Ewan Clark. Picture courtesy of Mike Hudson.

Bath continued to dominate with Clark, who failed to get much action during his time at Huish Park, but Yeovil found their composure and doubled their advantage on 27 minutes. Pendleton and Sims linked up well down the right-hand side to get the ball to McCormick whose sliced shot landed on a plate to James DALY who slid home his first goal since arriving in the summer.

Just before the half-hour mark, a great ball from Cousin-Dawson found Pendleton whose cross from the right was towards McCormick who could not quite get to the ball. Good move, but the trialist did not quite have the legs for it.

McCormick was involved again in Yeovil’s third goal with seven minutes of the first half remaining. Nicely worked by McCormick on the left, he found Josh SIMS who turned his man and finished coolly to extend the advantage for the visitors. Having had to weather an early storm, Yeovil have taken this game by the scruff of the neck with McCormick at the centre of it whilst Bath looking unsure what to do.

Bath keeper Harvey Wiles-Richards had to scramble back after a clearance deflected off the knee of Sims just after and from the resulting corner Williams forced the keeper in to a save. But at the interval, get the open top bus booked – we’re winning the lot!

Half-time:  Bath City 0 Yeovil Town 3

Second half

Yeovil Town's four substitutes warming up at half-time in the pre-season friendly at Bath City.
“The depth” warming up at half-time at Twerton Park. Picture courtesy of Mike Hudson.

There were two changes for Bath with last season’s top scorer Scott Wilson entering the fray at the interval, he replaced former W*ymouth frontman Brad Ash. Unsurprisingly given the lack of options, there were no changes for Yeovil.

Bath came out the brighter but the nearest either side got to adding to the scoreline saw Jenkins-Davies try to chip Matt Gould under pressure from the Yeovil defence after 56 minutes. Not much end product from the home side here.

There were a couple of half chances for Raynes and then substitute Wilson around the hour mark, but nothing in the way of meaningful opportunities for either side.

The first change for Yeovil came after 71 minutes with Harvey Greenslade replacing Aaron Jarvis followed six minutes later by trialist Jevani Brown who came on for Daly.

It took an error from Williams to add to the goal-scoring tally. The defender’s attempted clearing header landed at the feet of Will JENKINS-DAVIES who rifled past Gould to reduce the deficit.

Charlie Cooper tried a spectacular effort which did not trouble Wiles-Richards who then kept everyone entertained with a bicycle kick outside his box with three minutes remaining.

Under-18s’ defender Ollie Hughes replaced Kyle Fergsuson in the 88th minute and then, as the game ticked in to injury time, a dangerous cross by Jordan Alves picked out fellow substitute and officially the Nicest Man In Football, Alex Fisher, whose header forced a good save from Gould to touch it over the bar.

Another good ball in to the box from Alves in the flying moments of the game was turned aside by Whittle with Fisher lurking again, but it was Yeovil who ran out winners.

Full time: Bath City 1 Yeovil Town 3

Teams:

Yeovil Town: Matt Gould, Alex Whittle, Kyle Ferguson (for Ollie Hughes, 88), Morgan Williams, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Byron Pendleton, Charlie Cooper, James Daly (for Jevani Brown, Trialist, 77), Josh Sims, Luke McCormick (Trialist), Aaron Jarvis (for Harvey Greenslade, 71).

Substitutes (not used): Aidan Stone.

Bristol Rovers: Harvey Wiles-Richards, Joe Raynes, Danny Greenslade, Ollie Tomlinson, Kieron Parselle, Will Jenkins-Davies, Ewan Clark (for Jordan Alves, 77), Brad Ash (for Scott Wilson, 46), Jordan Tillson, Mitch Beardmore (for Jack Batten, 46), Luke Russe.

Substitutes (not used): Massimo Sardo, Louis Sweeten, Owen Pritchard, Alex Fisher, Trialist, Trialist.

Scorers: Morgan Williams 14 (1-0), James Daly 27 (2-0), Josh Sims 38 (3-0), Will Jenkins-Davies 81 (1-3)

Attendance: 853

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper speaking to the club's social media from the training base in Bristol.

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has appealed to the club’s supporters to “have a little patience” as he bids to strengthen the club’s squad.

With just two weeks remaining until the eve of the National League Premier Division season, the Glovers have 16 registered first team players following the exit of winger Lewys Twamley earlier in the week.

The latest arrival is young full-back Byron Pendleton, who joined on a season-long loan from Birmingham City on Thursday, and follows permanent signings defender Kyle Ferguson, winger James Daly and striker Tahvon Campbell.

Speaking to the club’s social media from its training facility in Bristol, the boss said: “We had to wait a long period of time for the takeover to go through and then when we had the chance to speak to the fans at the forum it was about (the fact that) I was going to be patient and get as much value for money as I could which is still the case. I know people will be panicking that we have not done this and that, but it is in hand and I always said we would plump the squad out with two or three loans. That is the case and Byron is one of them.”

Trialist Byron Pendleton takes on a Bristol Rovers player.
Trialist Byron Pendleton in action against Bristol Rovers. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown

Asked about the futures of trialist midfielders Luke McCormick and Teo Kurtaran and striker Jevani Brown, who have regularly featured in pre-season friendlies, Cooper said he was “monitoring” their situations whilst keeping tabs on targets for permanent additions.

He added: “We might have to wait to get our first choice players, but we are only talking two or three. It is a waiting game now, there are probably about 25 players of real quality that still have not got a club and they all want to play in the EFL. Not all of them are going to be fixed up and I certainly want to explore one or two of those which would be above our level.

“We have got enough players at the minute to make sure we can get good minutes in to games. I would just appeal to the fan base to have a bit of reality and a bit of calmness, we have had three or four owners in the last three years, we have had a promotion and consolidated (with last season’s 18th place finish) in the National League, and now with a new owner we are trying to step forward. Everything is in hand, there is no panic from us. I get that fans are frustrated we have not signed this or that player, but there will be fan bases all over the country saying that now, we just have to be patient.

“I could’ve got 150 players this morning to sign for us but I want to make sure they are the right players for Yeovil that are going to excite the fans and after two weeks they are not barracking them on social media and saying ‘why have we signed them?’ We have got an amount of money we have got to spend and I want to get as much value as I can to make sure we have a good season.”

Darren Way in the dug-out during his time as Yeovil Town manager in 2016. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
Current Bath City boss Darren Way in the dug-out during his time as Yeovil Town manager in 2016. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil will be looking to get back to winning ways in their pre-season campaign on Tuesday following back-to-back defeats at the hands of Bristol Rovers and Cardiff City Under-21s as they travel to National League South side Bath City, managed by ex-Glovers’ player and manager, Darren Way. 

Cooper said he expected to give first-team squad members more minutes in the fixture and against Weston-super-Mare in their final friendly outing seven days later.

He said: “It has been a good week, a tough week in terms of the distances we have covered and the intensity. It is a good game to look forward to tomorrow where we will start seeing a lot of the players playing more minutes and from tomorrow there are two weeks to go (until the start of the season).”

You can read Jonathan Hooper’s Gloversblog assessment of Yeovil Town’s preparations for the new season – HERE.

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Pre-season is supposed to be a time for cautious optimism. New kits, fresh grass, a couple of trialists doing stepovers near the Thatchers (well as ‘near’ as possible on the pitch), and the hopeful thought that this might be our year. But at Yeovil, with just weeks to go before the season kicks off, there is a growing feeling that something is not quite adding up.

This blog does not attempt to discuss the playing style adopted under Mark Cooper; my own views on this are widely documented and there has been much discussion on the Gloverscast podcast and among supporters. So the focus of this post is on our preparedness for the coming season.

We have 15 contracted players, plus one on loan. But how many of them are actually part of the plan?

Squad Depth, or Lack of It

Let’s break it down.

Sixteen players are now listed, but not all are clearly part of the manager’s plans. Social media speculation continues to brew around the future of Aidan Stone, Josh Sims and Jacob Maddox. Matt Gould is registered as a player-coach, which says a lot in itself, especially considering he didn’t make a single appearance last season albeit he underwent surgery at some point. That realistically leaves just 12 players. TWELVE.

The goalkeeper situation has been unclear since February when, after becoming a becoming a stable part of the defensive unit, Ollie Wright was returned to Southampton in the aftermath of a shaky display in the 4-0 defeat at Rochdale. He popped up at Solihull Moors days later and will be plying his trade in the EFL with Accrington Stanley this season.

Will Buse, who signed permanently after a previous loan spell, went from number 1 choice to no squad number and persona-non-grata in the space of less than a season and is currently a free agent.

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

Now, heading into the new season, Aidan Stone is the only senior goalkeeper in the squad. He was benched for the full 90 minutes in the recent pre-season game against Bristol Rovers with Bristol City keeper Josey Casa-Grande on trial in between the sticks. That raised eyebrows, especially given his recent signing and the lack of depth behind him and no official word from the club.

There is now a recognised right back in on loan in Byron Pendleton, which helps, but there is still limited depth in central midfield and very little width. Even allowing for a few trialists, this is still a thin group. The season is nearly here, and it still feels like a squad in flux.

“We are not just short on numbers, we are short on time. Even if players arrive tomorrow (or today), it could be October before we look like a functioning team.”

It’s Not Just About Having Players, It’s About Having a TEAM

The issue is not just numbers. It is time. Whoever we bring in now is arriving late to the party, and Cooper’s system is not one you master overnight.

He demands a lot. Discipline, shape, control. When it works, it looks solid. When it does not, it can be ponderous. And we’ve seen how it can take players weeks to adjust. So even if we suddenly pull four new signings out of a hat tomorrow, they will not be fully up to speed by the first few fixtures. Realistically, it could be October before we have anything like a fully functioning TEAM.

If results are not going our way by then, we will likely see more chopping and changing. More loans. More ins and outs. More resets. A team that never settles.

Is It Just a Mark Cooper Thing?

It is tempting to point the finger at the manager. After all, Cooper regularly says he has a preference for a small squads. But this small? This light? It is hard to believe this was the plan all along.

So what is going on?

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper pictured speaking to the club's social media following the 3-2 pre-season friendly defeat to Cardiff City Under-21s.
Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper in a magnificent looking training top.

To be fair, the new owners did mean we lost time at the start of the summer. Transition periods always cost a couple of weeks, maybe more. But when the club talks about a “competitive budget”, we are left wondering what that actually means. Competitive for what? Top half? Mid-table? A relegation scrap?

And what role has the move to Bristol played in this?

Bristol Base: Attraction or Distraction?

The club has been keen to back Cooper’s vision, including moving training to the Bristol area. The idea was that it would help attract a better calibre of player. But has the manager’s vision actually weakened the playing budget?

On 22 July, the club tweeted:

“The club backed Mark’s vision to move training to Bristol and continues to support his work in the transfer market. The budgets for both the Bristol move and playing staff form part of the overall investment in the first-team operation.”

Is the same pot of money is now covering more things?

If part of the player budget is now funding travel expenses and training pitches, that raises the question. Are we weaker on the pitch because of a decision made off it?

The 3 Cs: Calmness, Competitiveness, Community

The new ownership under Prabhu Srinivasan has been clear about its values: Competitive. Calmness. Community. But let’s be honest, calmness will not last forever if supporters do not feel we are ready to compete.

There is no doubt that things are happening behind the scenes. But actions speak louder than words. At the moment, what fans are seeing, or not seeing, is creating anxiety. And you cannot blame them. After a decade of drama, promises only go so far.

We are not expecting signings for the sake of it. But people need reassurance. A sense of structure. A plan.

“How long can calmness last when key positions are unfilled, results aren’t in, and the fanbase is still waiting for something to believe in?”

Is This the Barnet Model?

Mark Cooper has previously hinted at following the Barnet model. A club that managed to climb the National League table over several seasons without a massive budget. The logic is sound: keep your core, build gradually, don’t overspend. And on the face of it, it worked for them.

Let’s look at how their journey played out:

  • 2020/21 – Finished 22nd, only avoided relegation due to COVID restructuring

  • 2021/22 – Improved slightly to 18th

  • 2022/23 – Big leap to 5th, reaching the play-offs

  • 2023/24 – Runners-up, 2nd place

  • 2024/25 – Finished 1st, promoted as champions

The parallels are obvious. In 2024/25, Yeovil finished 18th, just like Barnet did in 2021/22. So if we’re genuinely copying the Barnet model, the logic would suggest a jump to top 5 this season.

But is that realistic?

Barnet didn’t just get lucky. They kept a consistent core of players, had a defined playing style under Dean Brennan, and steadily added quality in key positions. They weren’t perfect, but they were organised, resilient, and gradually built a squad capable of competing at the top.

Right now, Yeovil seem some way off that. The core is unclear. Trialists are still hanging around. Key positions are still unfilled. And while the club speaks about “quality over quantity,” it’s hard to see the structure that made Barnet successful being replicated in time for the new season.

If we’re aiming to follow Barnet’s path, then 5th should be the minimum expectation. But to get there, Barnet had the stability, depth and direction. At the moment, Yeovil have questions, gaps and trialists.

A model is only useful if you’re resourced and ready to execute it. Otherwise, it’s just a reference point with no foundation.

Trying to Stay Balanced

Part of me wants to say ‘wait and be patient’. Let the season start and then judge Cooper and the board once we have seen the full picture.

But another part of me cannot shake the feeling that we are flying too close to the sun.

Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan interviewed during a visit to Huish Park.
Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan has promised supporters his focus is on – calmness, competitiveness and community. 

Fans do not need perfection. We gave up on that a long time ago. But they do need communication, visible progress, and a sense that the club is ready to compete at the right end of the table.

Because if we start slowly, and this squad looks like it might, how long will the calmness hold?

Conclusion: A Lot Still to Prove

There is no doubt that Mark Cooper has experience and knows how to organise a side. But right now, supporters are being asked to buy into a plan they cannot fully see.

We are told the budget is competitive, but it is unclear what that means in practice. We are told the Bristol training ground will help attract players, but we are still short in key areas. We are told we are following a model like Barnet’s, but the squad does not currently reflect that level of structure or stability.

Even the basic signs of progress are difficult to pin down. Last season’s home form was poor, and the team changed constantly. Players came in and out, systems were tweaked, and consistency never really took hold. As a result, momentum was always fragile, and performances never fully settled.

There is still time to strengthen. A few well-judged signings in the right places could change the mood quickly. But with the season fast approaching, calmness is not guaranteed to last.

Yeovil fans are not asking for miracles. They just want to see a team that looks ready to compete, a squad that is coherent, and leadership that builds belief. Right now, that belief is fragile.

If this is a rebuild, then it needs to start looking like one. Because the longer things stay vague and incomplete, the harder it becomes to keep the faith, and after the past ten years, supporters deserve more than another summer of uncertainty.

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Byron Pendleton shoots for goal against Bristol Rovers.

Yeovil Town have announced the loan signing of Byron Pendleton from Birmingham.

The youngster, who has captained the Blues’ Under 21s side recently, joins the Glovers until the end of the 2025/26 season.

He can play at right-back or used in a wing back role and has been used further forward.

This represents the 19-year old’s first loan spell away from St Andrews, but he has been training with the first team in the midlands and was an unused sub in the EFL Trophy last season. 

He appeared in the green and white as a trialist on Saturday in the ‘Match for Marcus’, nearly scoring for the Glovers.

Welcome to Yeovil, Byron!