Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 49)

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The Green & White Supporters’ Club is asking whether Yeovil Town fans would be interested in travel to the opening pre-season friendly at Exmouth Town.

The Glovers travel to face the Southern League Division One South side on Saturday 5th July, 3pm kick-off.

If you are interested in travelling, please send a message to Paul Hadlow on 07736 044570.

 

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New Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan has told the club’s supporters he is targeting getting the club back to the Football League.

In an open letter published on the club’s website, the Dubai-based businessman said he would support these ambitions with “a larger budget than they have received over the past few seasons.”

He spoke of his desire to provide “steady and sustainable leadership” echoing comments made by executive chairman Stuart Robins this week that the takeover did not been the club would be bankrolled like the multi-millionaire owners which have overseen Wrexham’s rise.

In the open letter, Srinivasan said: “Like you, we are excited about the future. We will now start a period of development both on and off the pitch. In short, we want to put the businesses on a stronger financial footing. We understand that we need to invest to get the club to where we believe it should be. We are delighted to support the team on the pitch with a larger budget than they have received over the past few seasons.

“Let me be clear – we want to see the team promoted back to where it belongs, the EFL. That said, we are fully aware of how competitive the National League is and that the main priority is the long-term viability of the club.”

Prabhu Srinivasan, the new chairman and owner of Yeovil Town – yes, this is the best picture of him we can find at the moment!

He also set out his ambition to strengthen bonds between the club and the local community and confirmed he would attend an open evening to meet supporters at Huish Park on e can also answer any questions you have. We have scheduled the event for Thursday, 12thJune at 7.30pm.

An open letter fromPrabhu Srinivasan – in full

Dear Fellow Glovers,

As you might be aware, our family office, Inflection Holdings, has purchased Yeovil Town Football Club. We are delighted to announce this transition in ownership, marking a transformative chapter in the club’s history. 

We want to make a clear promise: we will work tirelessly for the values of this incredible club. Like you all, we want success on the pitch, but service to the community is equally important. You never truly own a football club; we are merely the custodians with a responsibility to provide steady and sustainable leadership for the foreseeable future.

As the famous Glovers song goes…

“A sign of a true supporter is the colour of their heart. 

Day or night we will be green and white…”

First, a note of gratitude. We want to thank Stuart Robins for agreeing to come in as the club’s Executive Chairman and joining our investment team. Stuart has done a remarkable job in his short time in a leadership role; he is a tremendous asset to our cause and a true servant of the club.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Martin and Jack Hellier for a swift and smooth transition.

There has been much written about the situation at Huish Park over the last few weeks. With the transition complete, I would like to share with you, our treasured fans, a little about who we are and what we have planned.

Me and my family…

I have over 30 years of experience in banking, retail, technology, travel, real estate, e-waste and wellness. More importantly, I have built one of the largest multi-sports youth platforms in India and the Middle East. My wife, Bhavna, is a seasoned leadership coach and business strategist, widely recognised for her contributions to entrepreneurship and wellness integration. 

Our son Sahil’s core passion is football. He has cultivated extensive football expertise, having trained in Spain, Germany, the UK & UAE under prestigious league clubs. He has designed proprietary programmes for youth training. His academic focus in sports science at New York University strengthens his deep understanding of football analytics and strategy. We now reside in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.

Why we fell in love with the club…

The potential, size, history and uniqueness of this club is fantastic. We truly believe Yeovil is a special club in the most wonderful part of England. I quickly fell in love with the area. On my first visit I had the real pleasure of visiting local landmarks, including walks in Montacute House’s garden, a concert in Sherborne Abbey and viewing the rolling countryside. When you live in a desert, it’s nice to see green grass!

But above all, we appreciated the dedication and skill of the team working at the club. Behind the scenes, a small, dedicated team works tirelessly to deliver for our players and fans. We hugely look forward to working with them.

Finally – and most importantly – you the fans! I attended the last home game of the season against Sutton United. The club had kindly offered me a seat in the Tam Main Stand, but I couldn’t resist joining the vocal fans in the Thatcher’s End. I just loved bouncing around with you, despite the result. In that short interaction, you made a ‘stranger’ feel very welcome.

Looking forward…

Like you, we are excited about the future. We will now start a period of development both on and off the pitch. In short, we want to put the businesses on a stronger financial footing. We understand that we need to invest to get the club to where we believe it should be. We are delighted to support the team on the pitch with a larger budget than they have received over the past few seasons.

Let me be clear – we want to see the team promoted back to where it belongs, the EFL. That said, we are fully aware of how competitive the National League is and that the main priority is the long-term viability of the club.

Together a Team…

We are ready to work hard, be innovative and show determination to improve all aspects of the club in the coming years. We will always be honest and transparent with you. We want to foster a close and trusted relationship with you where you feel comfortable sharing your concerns and ideas.

We want to invite you to Huish Park for a meet the owner’s event. This will be an informal evening, where we can meet and chat through ideas. We can also answer any questions you have. We have scheduled the event for Thursday, 12thJune at 7.30pm in the Glovers Lounge at Huish Park. More details on ticketing for the event will be released next week.

What we ask of you…

The best way to show your support is to ensure you are with us at every home match next season! We have prolonged the chance for fans to buy season tickets at early bird prices. By purchasing your season tickets, you make a massive contribution to the club and ensure we ‘pack the park’. Let’s make Huish Park a fortress next season!

Our commitment to you…

We are committed to delivering success for you, our amazing supporters, key stakeholders, and the wider Yeovil community. We are here for the long haul. We want to build a legacy for the local community that we can all be proud of. Your support means the world to this football club, and we are counting on it as we look ahead to the new season.

We are all in this together

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New Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan wants to  bring the community of South Somerset closer to the football club, according to executive chairman Stuart Robins.

The Dubai-based businessman completed his takeover of the club through his holding company Inflection Holdings from former owner Martin Hellier on Thursday after what Robins described as “a hard, long negotiation.”

Speaking for the first time since the takeover was announced, he told BBC Somerset reporter Jack Killah the reason why he had backed the deal with the Indian businessman.

Robins said: “I have had so many conversations with different suitors actually before Martin made his announcement. What was exciting about Prabhu and his family was that it was not just about the football club, it was about the whole community. When I got to know Prabhu, I got to find out about the community-related activities that he has been instrumental in. Because this is so dear to my heart and, as people know, I love this place and the club.

“It was important to me as a Yeovil boy that it was not just about someone who wanted to come in and be part of a famous football club, it was someone who wanted to make sure we could build Yeovil Town as part of the community and make it more inclusive for everybody and I think that is what Prabhu brings.”

Prabhu Srinivasan, the new chairman and owner of Yeovil Town – yes, this is the best picture of him we can find at the moment!

Who is Prabhu Srinivasan?

The club director, who joined the club’s board under the ownership of former chairman (NAME REDACTED) in May 2022, said that the new owner would be visiting Huish Park in the coming weeks with the club promising a ‘Meet the Owner’ night for fans.

He spoke about Srinivasan’s previous success in building community initiatives in his native India and his adopted home in the Middle East. He co-founded KOOH (Kids Out Of Home) Sports  in 2010 as an organisation which runs sports curriculum activities with schools across India funded by invested raised from private investors. You can read more about KOOH Sports in an article in Forbes India admittedly from 2016 – click here.

The businessman’s profile on professional networking website LinkedIn describes him as “a multi-faceted corporate thought leader and entrepreneur with over 28 years of multi-sector global experience in integrating strategy and operations to deliver outstanding stakeholder value.” To be honest, we’re not really sure what that means, but clearly it is a description not written with a footballing audience in mind.

It goes on to give his career highlights as being involved in 20 mergers and acquisitions (maybe 21 now!) with a number of major global investment firms, heading companies across the world employing up to 30,000 people, and describes him as “a serial entrepreneur” having been involved in businesses involved in sports (see KOOH Sports, above), e-waste management and  sustainable packaging.

Does this add up to multi-millionaire status? The truth is we do not really know, but Robins’ comments about “not doing a Wrexham“ would suggest not to get too carried away about a massive chequebook.

Asked about the new owner’s ambition and past history in sports, Robins added: “I do not want to steal Prabhu’s thunder because he will go in to much more detail when he comes over, but one thing that drew me to him was that his whole motivation in his (previous ventures in the Middle East and India) were to ensure his son Sahil was not stuck in front of a computer all day.

“He wanted to use the wealth and experience he has accumulated to make sure children were able to get out and play support and I am really pleased he is really interested in football because it gives us such a great opportunity.

“Prabhu and his advisors had done their research and they had seen there was a good opportunity to make a difference. We have gone through some difficult times since we were in the Championship (in 2013) and it has been a rapid decline, but we are now back on the way up. It is an opportunity to be involved in that.

“Whenever a new owner comes in, it is a new start and a new opportunity, I would not say it was a rebuild, but it is an opportunity to build bigger and better.“

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New Yeovil Town executive chairman Stuart Robins has said the club will have “a sensible budget” for next season following the takeover by Dubai-based businessman Prabhu Srinivasan.

In his first media interview since news of the deal to buy out former owner Martin Hellier on Thursday, the director admitted the Glovers had fallen behind a number of their National League Premier Division rivals in preparing for next season.

But, he promised they would now be going “full throttle” to support manager Mark Cooper in his preparations.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah on Friday, he also confirmed that a number of banning orders handed out for making “negative comments and remarks” about the former owner have been rescinded.

Robins said: “We have been working hard behind the scenes to make sure we can have a sensible budget. Since I joined the club three years ago, I have always had a vision that we could build something sustainable and I remember in my first interview I used the word ‘sustainable’ and it is really important that we build properly and sensibly. We are not going to do things overnight, we are not going to do a Wrexham, but we are finalising our budgets to make sure we build sensibly.”

Yeovil Town executive chairman Stuart Robins.

Yeovil are among only a handful of professional clubs not to confirm which members of last season’s playing staff will be retained and released and Robins said that the protracted negotiations around the takeover had led to them being behind the curve.

He said: “It has been a hiatus and it has been difficult for Mark and the coaching team to do any planning because of the situation we were in. We are a little behind the A ball and I feel for Mark, but now we will be going full throttle. It has been difficult for everybody, the uncertainty that surrounds a change of ownership is huge whether it is a football club or a business and lots of people have had to live through it and it was no fun. But people worked so hard to get this over the line and get rid of this uncertainty, I have not spoken to Mark this morning but I will be having a chat with him this afternoon and I would imagine he is incredibly relieved it is done and we can now give him the tools to make sure we are successful on the pitch.”

Asked whether he expected to receive a list of players Cooper would like to bring to the club, the executive chairman added: “I would imagine he has got it ready and I would not be surprised if it is in my email inbox now!”

Speaking about the banning orders, he was keen to focus on the future, but admitted that four supporters banned from Huish Park for their comments had been contacted by the club.

He added: “Those four banning orders have been rescinded already, they received letters from me (on Thursday) evening. That is probably all I want to say about the past because I want to look to the future because I am excited about the future. I have said before and Prabhu shares the vision, I believe we should be a League One or League Two club, that is where Yeovil Town deserves to be. I am not going to give a timescale but that is what we are building towards.”

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The Glovers’ Trust has welcomed the takeover of Yeovil Town by new owner Prabhu Srinivasan.

The group, which reformed shortly after the announcement former owner Martin Hellier was stepping down as chairman in April, published a statement on Thursday following the announced of the takeover by Inflection Holdings, the group owned by the Dubai-based businessman.

The statement in full reads: 

“The Glovers Trust would like to extend its sincere thanks to Martin Hellier and The Hellier Trading Group for their two years as majority shareholders of Yeovil Town Holdings and, consequently, their majority stake in Yeovil Town Football Club. During a period that was often turbulent for supporters, their leadership and commitment played a vital role in helping Yeovil Town FC secure the National League South title last season. Their efforts on and off the pitch during this time are greatly appreciated.

“We now look forward with optimism and renewed energy as we welcome Inflection Holdings, the family office of Mr. Prabhu Srinivasan, as the new majority owner of Yeovil Town FC. The Trust is particularly enthusiastic about the opportunity to work closely with Mr. Srinivasan, his wife Bhavna, and their son Sahil as we enter this exciting new chapter in the club’s journey.

“We would also like to congratulate Stuart Robins on his appointment as Executive Chairman of Yeovil Town FC. His leadership will be instrumental in shaping the future of the club, and we look forward to supporting him in this role.

“At the Glovers Trust, we have been working diligently behind the scenes to lay the foundations of a stronger, more effective organisation. We are excited about the future and are committed to working collaboratively with Mr. Srinivasan and all stakeholders to help Yeovil Town FC thrive both on and off the field.”

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New Yeovil Town executive chairman Stuart Robins has said he is looking forward to working with manager Mark Cooper to build an “exciting future” for the club.

The club director posted a video update on the club’s official social media after news that Dubai-based business Prabhu Srinivasan had completed a takeover through his family-owned company, Inflection Holdings.

He said: “I am really excited to welcome Prabhu, his son Sahil and his wife Bhavna to the club when they visit in the next couple of weeks. You will also get the opportunity to meet them as well.

“I fully realise that during this time there has been incredible uncertainty. Uncertainty for the staff, uncertainty for the players and for (manager) Mark (Cooper) and his coaching team and I, like all of you, are really pleased that time is now over.

“I would also like to thank Martin Hellier and his colleagues at the Hellier Trading Group for making this as easy a transaction as it possibly could be. I would like to thank our staff at the club for the way they worked so diligently to make things go so smoothly and the players and Mark and his coaching team for their patience, and I would also like to thank you the supporters for your patience and support through this difficult time for everybody.

“I am now really looking forward to playing my part in helping Mark with his pre-season and making sure we have an exciting future.“

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Former Yeovil Town owner and chairman Martin Hellier has spoken of his pride at what the club has achieved as his two-year reign came to an end with the sale of the club to Inflection Holdings, a group owned by Dubai-based businessman Prabhu Srinivasan.
 
The local businessman, who took over the club following its relegation to National League South in May 2023 and oversaw its immediate promotion back to non-League’s top flight, admitted his time in charge had been “somewhat tumultuous in terms of public relations.“
 
He stepped down as chairman at the end of May following a  public dispute with supporters which has seen many banned from Huish Park for “negative comments and remarks” regarding the club and the former owner.
 
In a statement published on the club’s official social media accounts, he said: “I have today officially transferred Hellier Group’s stock in Yeovil Football & Athletic Club Limited and Yeovil Town Holdings Limited to Inflection Holdings Limited, officially marking the end of our two-year tenure at the club.
 
“We are, as a company, and as a family, proud to have played a significant role in reviving the club’s prospects. Jack and I are truly honoured to have forged friendships with so many club supporters, staff, volunteers, players and of course Mark Cooper, and whilst it might have been somewhat tumultuous in terms of public relations, I am proud to have served with my heart if not at times my head, yet I am still resolute in my beliefs that this two-year period will have served to prepare the club to go on to the next level under the ownership of Inflection Holdings.

“I wish Stuart Robins, in all sincerity, the very best of luck as (Executive) Chairman. I know his humility and level-headedness will guide the good ship Yeovil Town through whatever waters lie ahead.
 
“We are grateful to have served you all. We wouldn’t change a single memory. Thank you, and God bless The Glovers.“

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Yeovil Town have confirmed the completion of the takeover of the club by Inflection Holdings, the office of Dubai-based businessman, Prabhu Srinivasan.

Mr Srinivasan, who becomes owner and Chairman, has purchased all the shares from the Hellier Trading Group, owned by former chairman Martin Hellier, in Yeovil Town Holdings Ltd and is now the majority shareholder of the club.  Stuart Robins will becoming Executive Chairman of the club. Mr Srinivasan will be joined by his wife, Bhavna, and son, Sahil, at the club, forming a “dynamic and dedicated ownership group committed to the club’s future development.” 

The group has also pledged to host a meet the owners event in June, with details to be confirmed.

Reflecting on his investment, owner and chairman Mr Prabhu saud: “Investing in Yeovil Town Football Club is a moment of immense pride for us. This club’s rich history and potential inspired us, and we are committed to being a responsible steward as we  embark on an exciting new journey together. We are focused on making a positive impact on players, fans, employees and the entire community.” 

Prabhu Srinivasan, the new chairman and owner of Yeovil Town – yes, this is the best picture of him we can find at the moment!

Mr Prabhu who attended Yeovil Town’s home match against Sutton United, added: “Despite the result, I witnessed the fans’ outstanding passion. In the middle of the game, I moved to the Thatcher’s Stand to be amongst the fans. I really appreciate and respect the terrific support the team enjoys from its wonderfully loyal fanbase, and I am looking forward to meeting them in the coming weeks! I am excited and proud to lead our unique club into a bright, new, stable future. We are committed to delivering success for you — our amazing supporters, key stakeholders, and the wider Yeovil community.” 

Executive Chairman Stuart Robins expressed his enthusiasm, stating: “We are thrilled to welcome Prabhu and his family to our club on this landmark day. Having spent considerable time with Mr Prabhu, I am confident Yeovil Town is in great hands. I’m excited to commit to the long-term vision we have co-created, centred on developing and growing the club for our wonderful supporters.” 

A statement from the club added this background to Yeovil’s new ownership group: Mr Prabhu is a multi-faceted global leader and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in banking, retail, technology, travel, real estate, e-waste and wellness. More importantly, he has built one of the largest multi-sports youth platforms in India and the Middle East. His wife, Bhavna, is a seasoned leadership coach and business strategist, widely recognised for her contributions to entrepreneurship and wellness integration. Their son, Sahil, has a deep-rooted passion for football. He has cultivated extensive expertise, having trained in Spain, Germany, the UK and UAE under prestigious league clubs. He has designed proprietary programmes for youth training. His academic focus in sports science at New York University strengthens his understanding of football analytics and strategy. The family now resides in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 

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Football, National League, Vanatama

The National League semi finals took place this week, with plenty of drama and action unfolding in both matches! Let’s see what happened, and see what names have been added to the 2025/26 National League season! You can see what happened in the quarter finals here, if you need a catch up!

Participants

Final PositionTeam
1st (Champions)Barnet
2ndYork City
3rdForest Green Rovers
4thRochdale
5thOldham Athletic
6thFC Halifax Town
7thSouthend United

Results

The semi final fixtures were between the below teams:

York City vs Oldham Athletic
Forest Green Rovers vs Southend United

We begin in Yorkshire on Tuesday night, where Oldham Athletic booked their spot at Wembley with an emphatic 3-0 win over their hosts York City! The Minstermen had a positive start, registering a couple of half chances, but the visitors fought back with moments of their own. 23 minutes in, Vimal Yoganathan pounced on Alex Hunt as he received a dangerous roll out from ‘keeper Harrison Male. The Oldham midfielder quickly gave it to Joe Garner, who rifled home for the opener and left an uphill battle for the pre-match favourites. Oldham continued to impress throughout the rest of the half, forcing Male into a handful of good saves.

The misery continued for York shortly after half time, as Mike Fondop controlled a ball close to the edge of the box, turned and found Yoganathan in space, who fired into the bottom left corner to send the Oldham fans into raptures. They barely had time to calm down after Yoganathan’s goal before the third hit the net, as Joe Pritchard nodded home from close range completely unmarked to make it 3-0 just six minutes into the second half. York continued to look toothless up front for the rest of the game, as the Latics confirmed their place in the final, while York face a fourth season of National League football.

Wednesday night saw another upset, as Southend United defeated Forest Green Rovers on penalties to create an intriguing playoff final prospect! Both sides were pushing for the opener in the first half, former Yeovil man Joe Quigley nodding wide for Forest Green, while Keenan Appiah-Forson had Southend’s best chance as his chance cannoned off the bar; both sides went to their dressing rooms at half-time with no goals scored.

Into the second half, and it was the Shrimpers who opened the scoring, as Ben Goodliffe rose highest from a free kick, his header looping over another former Glover, Ted Cann, and into the back of the net. Eight minutes later, and it was 1-1, as yet another former Yeovil man was involved, Ryan Inniss powering the ball home from an almost identical set-piece to Southend’s goal. Both sides continued to probe and press, with Southend finishing the second half as the dominant side, but to no avail as the full time whistle blew, and extra-time was in order.

Just four minutes into extra-time, and the hosts had the lead, a ball floated towards the back post from Liam Sercombe found the head of substitute Emmanuel Osadebe, who headed at ‘keeper Nick Hayes, but the ball was fumbled into the net. Southend continued to push on though, defiant in the face of adversity and they were rewarded for their courage, as substitute Jack Bridge tucked home from a wonderful counter-attack on the edge of the box, the number 7 having way more space than perhaps he should have, to equalise for his side.

The final whistle blew, and penalties were in order. Southend began, and Josh Walker’s kick was saved. Former Southend man Harry Cardwell tucked his shot home, before Jack Bridge hammered home his side’s first. Former Yeovil man Tom Knowles stepped up and hammered the bar, and Jack Gubbins fired his side ahead. Charlie McCann scored, as did Macauley Bonne (just); Liam Sercombe sent his spot-kick flying over the bar, allowing Gus Scott-Morriss to send Southend United to Wembley, and condemning Forest Green to a second season of non-league football.

Oldham Athletic vs Southend United will take place on Sunday 1st June at Wembley, and will be televised on DAZN.

Final Scores

York City 0-3 Oldham Athletic
Forest Green Rovers 2-2 Southend United (Southend win 4-2 on pens)

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Yeovil Town will host Bristol Rovers in a dedicated ‘Match for Marcus’ during the upcoming pre-season.

The game is set for Saturday 19th July with a 3pm Kick Off.

Marcus Stewart is considered something of legend of both sides and with the front man leaving the Glovers’ coaching staff this summer the friendly will be dedicated to his legacy at both clubs as well as his ongoing battle with Motor Neurone Disease and the fundraising campaign he has undertaken.

Yeovil hosted the Gas as a part of the pre-season campaign last season too, with Rovers coming out 3-0 winners, one of their goals scored by one Kofi Shaw.

Tickets will be available soon.

Marcus Stewart celebrates his 87th minute goal in the League One play-off semi-final at Nottingham Forest in May 2007. Picture courtesy of Len Copland – www.lencoplandphotography.blogspot.com.