Former Bristol Rovers winger James Daly has become the latest new arrival at Yeovil Town.
The 25-year-old was released by League Two Harrogate Town at the end of last season where he made 45 appearances, scoring four times. The original announcement referred to Daly signing a one-year contract at Huish Park, however, in his own post on social media about the move he refers to signing for “a couple of years.”
He becomes the third new face to arrive ahead of the start of the pre-season campaign which gets underway with a visit to Exmouth Town on Saturday following the signings of fellow frontman Tahvon Campbell and defender Kyle Ferguson.
Speaking to the club’s social media, Daly said: “I am delighted to get it sorted. I spoke to the Gaffer (Mark Cooper) and Richard (Dryden) to make the initial conversations and they both sold it to me. I know Yeovil is a massive club with a massive fan base so hopefully I can come here and get this club where it needs to be.
“I had a great season last year in terms of getting grips to the experience of League football and I had a great time with Woking so I know what this league is all about and I know which teams are expected to do well, so hopefully I can bring that knowledge and experience here.”
The player has been training with his new team-mates at their new training facility at the SGS Wise Campus, near Bristol, this week and admits he has had a warm welcome.
He added: “I have been welcomed with open arms and felt at home straight away which is a massive thing. It has been a few hard days graft, but that is what you need to be successful.
“I was here (as an opposition player) a few years ago but now I am here the pitch looks immaculate, it is a massive infrastructure. There have been some great memories made here in the past and it is time to make our own memories and hopefully get this place rocking on a matchday.”
Having started his career in the academy at Crystal Palace, the left-sided wideman joined Bristol Rovers in January 2020 and went on to make 32 appearances in his first season at the Memorial Stadium before making the move to Stevenage in the summer of 2021.
He spent one season at Stevenage before joining Woking where he was part of Darren Sarll’s side which reached the National League Premier Division play-offs and showed enough to earn a move back to the EFL with Harrogate.
In the 2023-24 season he appeared regularly in the first half of the season before joining Aldershot on loan in February 2024 and helped them to the brink of the National League play-offs, finishing eighth, and worked alongside Yeovil’s new coach, Richard Dryden before returning to Harrogate for last season.
Mark Cooper, please, play him wide & not central midfield.