Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said he is still looking to bring in “one or two” new players who can “make a difference” as he prepares for the start of the National League Premier season.
The Glovers’ boss used his post-match interview following the 2-1 pre-season friendly win at Farnborough Town on Saturday to hit out at “trolls” who has believes are trying to destabilise the club.
He also confirmed winger Jordan Stevens, who has featured in all the club’s pre-season friendlies up until the trip to Hampshire, was no longer training at Huish Park having moved to the North.
Speaking to the club’s official YouTube channel, Cooper said: “We are in the market for a couple of players, we are monitoring a couple, but we want to make sure we get the right ones.
“There are players out there still hoping to get a League One or League Two club and they are not all going to get fixed up and we are waiting for that one or two that can really make the difference like we did last year (with the signings of goalkeeper Joe Day and full-back Michael Smith). We waited then and we got the right ones.”
Former Portsmouth and Kilmarnock full-back Brandon Haunstrup, who has been on trial for the past ten days, appeared as a second half substitute in the win at Farnborough. But it appears ex-Charlton Athletic academy defender Jacob Roddy has departed and Stevens, who was released at the end of last season, has also moved on.
Cooper said he was frustrated at the negativity from “a minority” of people whilst praising supporters like those who joined a crowd of 622 on a sunny afternoon at Cherrywood Road on Saturday.
He added: “We have got a really tight, united group who have had a brilliant season last year. I have heard some comments that we had a budget bigger than some League Two teams which is complete dross, I have heard I have fallen out with the Chairman (Martin Hellier) which is complete dross.
“I have heard so many different rumours that people look like they are trying to destabilise us when we should be going in to this season full of optimism. You get the people that come here today, fans that come and support us, get behind the boys and are buzzing that we win, but tonight there will be some trolls out there that will slaughter some players, slaughter everybody to do with the club and it is really frustrating.
“This should be a really good club. The Chairman has put his money where his mouth is, there are lots of people that will talk about doing that, but not many that will do it. So fair play to him for that.”
The boss added: “Things are not going to go well with the weather and pitch and everything every game, but we have to make sure we come and compete and get something out of it. We had loads of supporters here today and fair play to them, but you are always talking about a minority (of people who are not supportive). Whatever their beef is, they need to get behind the football club and drive us on because we are one campaign away from the Football League.
“I am not going to stand here and say we are going to get promoted, but two teams have to get promoted. There are teams with bigger budgets than us, but we are competitive, we have a really good squad of players and we just need to add a couple to it.“.
On to the game of football which took place on Saturday afternoon. A late winner from substitute Jordan Thomas, who was making his first appearance since signing from Hampton & Richmond in the summer, sealed victory and the Ted Pearce Memorial Trophy, a cup named after a former Farnborough manager.
Yeovil had been lacklustre up until they went behind when a trialist put the National League South hosts ahead after 67 minutes, but that goal and a flurry of substitutes which came moments before it, sparked the visitors in to life.
A superb solo run and finish from Dylan Morgan drew them level on 75 minutes before Thomas got the winner with three minutes of normal time remaining.
Cooper said: “The game started with the ball out of play for the first 15 minutes, we had a referee that in both teams’ opinion spoiled the game and slowed it down. The pitch was really dry and you are going to get that and it was a typical game towards the end of pre-season where all we got out of it was minutes in to the legs.
“People will say why are you (picking that team) with the team which started the game, but we are just trying to manage minutes to make sure we get everybody ready for the first game of the season. The only positive was we won the game and got another trophy.”
Midfielder Charlie Cooper was withdrawn after 48 minutes which the manager said was down to “a tight hamstring.” He was replaced by Brett McGavin.
The Glovers travel to Buckland Athletic for their penultimate fixture of the pre-season campaign on Tuesday night, before travelling to Weston-super-Mare next Saturday.