TahvioNew Yeovil Town coach Richard Dryden has said the club’s players have been impressed with their new surroundings following the first training session of pre-season at their new training facility in Bristol.

The Glovers took the 70-mile journey north of Huish Park to the SGS Wise Campus in South Gloucestershire for the first time on Tuesday to get preparations for the upcoming season.

They were joined by Dryden who is now officially on the staff at the club following the expiration of his contract at National League rivals Aldershot Town, where he was part of the coaching set-up which got them to the FA Trophy final last season.

Speaking to the club’s social media after the first session, the former Bristol City and Rovers defender said: “It is a bit of a change for the players going to a different training ground but they have been positive, training was good and I think they have liked what they have seen. It is day one of pre-season and early signs have been pretty good.

“The first session was good, the facilities are brilliant, we have people here at the college wanting to help us as much as they can as well. There are always going to be a few little glitches when you come to a new place, but it is pretty impressive.”

The decision to move training away from South Somerset has been a controversial one with supporters split over the move which was described by Executive Chairman Stuart Robins as “a major milestone in the continued evolution” of the club. Manager Mark Cooper has said he expects the move to be an attraction for players as he looks to strengthen his squad. Read more – here. 

There have been just two new signings announced so far this summer with former loanees striker Tahvon Campbell and defender Kyle Ferguson among the ‘new’ faces in training on the first day back. The club posted that defender Morgan Williams was not yet back in training for “personal reasons” and added that he will “join back up very soon.”

Dryden spoke about his decision to link back up with Cooper who he had previously worked with at Tamworth, Darlington, Notts County and Barrow.

Asked about his decision to leave Aldershot, he said: “It was a tough decision because I have had two seasons and a lot of success at Aldershot and I have enjoyed it along the way. But I just felt it was time to move on, I am closer to some of my family and friends this way because I was obviously born and bred in Gloucestershire, so this is very close to where I was brought up. I have obviously worked with Mark (Cooper) and (coach) Ian Weston and a few of the other staff here. It was a tough decision, but I feel it was the right one.

“I have quite a bit of experience (in the National League) and the leagues above and below. I have worked with Mark for years at various clubs and we trust each other and bounce off each other, so hopefully I can bring a bit of experience and hopefully progress the players.”

Asked about his thoughts on the competition the National League will pose in the coming campaign, he added: “It is the same every year, there are a lot of ex-Football League clubs here trying to get out and we are one of them. There are two big clubs (Carlisle United and Morecambe) which have come down, some decent clubs (Truro City, Boreham Wood, Brackley Town and Scunthorpe United) which have come up, but it is the same every year, it is going to be a tough season. We will get ourselves equipped, get ourselves fit and organised and try and win a few games.”