Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper is looking to bring in one more “statement” signing to his squad as they prepare to kick-off the National League Premier season this weekend.
The Glovers’ manager added on loan Bristol City defender Raphael Araoye during the week but has said he is still looking to make a further addition, but it is unlikely to be before the opening fixture against Hartlepool United at Huish Park on Saturday.
Speaking on Thursday ahead of the game, Cooper said: “Raph will be a big help to us and we are chasing another one, that probably will not happen before the weekend, but hopefully we can get that done and then I am happy with the size of the squad.
“We are one player short which gives us a really healthy balance, we have got cover in most areas now with the arrival of Raph.
“But what I will not do is just go and spend money for the sake of it, I want to make sure the one we bring in is a really good one and a bit of a statement for us.”
Araoye caught the manager’s eye when he played for Weston-super-Mare in the 2-1 win at Huish Park in National League South last season, a game settled by a late winner from the teenager’s new defensive colleague, Morgan Williams.
He is able to play in the centre and left of the defensive unit and will provide cover in both positions, most notably on the left where Alex Whittle was previously the only option.
Cooper said: “He is 6’3″, he is still only 19, but he has got great potential, Bristol City think really highly of him and in the few days he has been with us in training he has made a real impression with his physicality and his pace.
“He is a man mountain, so we are looking forward to getting him integrated in to the way we do things.”
Yeovil have added goalkeeper Ollie Wright, on loan from Premier League Southampton, goalkeeper/coach Matt Gould, defenders Finn Cousin-Dawson and Jordan Thomas, midfielder Brett McGavin and striker Aaron Jarvis in the summer and believes they all have the ingredients he wants from players he brings to Huish Park.
Asked what that was, he said: “Character and a desire to come to the club, someone who is a good team-mate in good times and bad. One bad apple can destroy the dressing room and we will not sign a good player if they do not have that character.
“Good characters drive and demand a good spirit and a good changing room, and you can’t win anything without that. Results help that, if you win lots that helps, and how strong your changing room is gets tested if you lose a few games.
“They have to fit in to the way we do things and I have said before that we are looking to get all our recruitment to the local area as we can, or within travelling distance and we have done pretty well at that.”
Having won the National League South title by 11 points last season, Cooper is expecting a tougher test at a higher level with Hartlepool United, managed by former boss Darren Sarll, are the first opponents on Saturday.
They then travel to Braintree Town, who came up from the South through the play-offs, seven days later before homes games against Ebbsfleet United and Rochdale and trips to Gateshead and Boston United before the end of August.
On the new division, Cooper said: “There is no difference in fitness, it is physicality and pace. Some of the clubs we will face this season are historically big clubs, like Oldham Athletic, who are founder members of the Premier League, so teams like have big, powerful squads.
“What we have tried to do in the summer is add to the athleticism of our squad and bring in players who are robust and can handle the Saturday-Tuesday schedule.”
One change which Cooper believes will make a major difference is the introduction of seven substitutes available to teams in the National League. The change, introduced in the summer, means clubs will be able to make five changes per match.
The boss added: “The substitutions are going to be key, if games are tight late on and we can put two or three really quick players on that can give us that impetus, that is fantastic. People that use their replacements best, could end up winning more games.”
Sarll, who spent almost three years at Huish Park having taken over following the club’s relegation out of the Football League in 2019, brings his side to his old stomping ground describing his new squad as “one of the strongest” he has worked with.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
But Cooper does not believe the presence of one of his predecessors will make any difference to his side on Saturday.
He said: “It won’t make any difference to us. Darren did well here in his first year, got the club in the play-offs, and then they had some problems, COVID and some unfortunate other bits and pieces. I am sure he is fondly remembered down here, but it is a game of football and it is about what goes on on the pitch, not what happens on the touchline.
“They have some really good, experienced players and Darren’s way of playing is full on pressing, getting after teams and looking to make it really uncomfortable. But we have our own style of play and being at home, we have to try and impose our style on them and they will try to do the same to us – and may the best team win.
“One game will not make or break the season. If we win, great, but if we lose, we go back to work on Monday but it would be great to get off to a good start after a few months away.
“We are really looking forward to it, there will be a healthy crowd and it should be a good game of football.”
“I want to make sure the one we bring in is a really good one…” 🎙️
Mark Cooper spoke with the press ahead of this Saturday’s National League fixture against Hartlepool United. #YTFC 💚 pic.twitter.com/kJx5Q1I8Fm
— Yeovil Town F.(C). (@YTFC) August 8, 2024