Yeovil announced the signing of Harvey Greenslade this week, a 20-year-old forward who had just been released from Bristol Rovers after plenty of loans – including at National League Oxford City last season. Greenslade’s signing was the kick off of the club’s summer incoming, but there’s still plenty to press on with.
It’s an annual tradition for a the onset of mild (sometimes major) panic amongst pockets supporters. “Oh they’re doing a lot of business…why aren’t we signing them? We’re doomed!” Seeing clubs like Barnet, Forest Green and even York City completing signings shouldn’t panic us. Those clubs will be shopping in very different aisles to us for various reasons, including their locations and budgets.
I understand some of the concern, though. In 2022, we spoke to then manager Chris Hargreaves who spoke about having his 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice targets. He whetted the appetite with talks of Ed Uspon and Josh Neufville as players he’d spoken to. Clearly, for circumstances outside of his control (if you categorise believing a charlatan as that) he wasn’t able to recruit nor attract the players he anticipated with the budget he was given and the season ended disastrously. (For a plethora of reasons, obviously!)
Clearly it’s important to get some business done early if you can, but it has to be right. Last season Yeovil moved early to sign Jamie Sendles-White (31st May) Rhys Murphy (9th June), Josh Owers (12th June) and Jake Hyde (14th June) . Then when the season got underway, we moved to sign Joe Day and Michael Smith.
Greenslade’s arrival was a surprise, the rumour mill has been speculating that Aaron Jarvis from Torquay was all but done – and has been for a while. With Gary Johnson’s appointment at Cheltenham confirmed, now it looks like Jarvis could be joining his old boss at the Robins in League Two.
Last season, Cooper had more hits than misses with his signings and you could say, until the stewardship set sail, he’d done okay with next to no resources. As Martin Hellier said on Episode 340 of the Gloverscast, the whole club has to find efficiencies, including the playing side. Cooper will have to spend wisely and sell the project to prospects – as he did last season – and maybe hope for another Day – Smith style availability once the season is up and running.
Yeovil aren’t going to be every player’s first choice, but when I look at our core and current squad, I don’t think Cooper needs to reinvent the wheel – if our ambitions are to stabilise in the National League. The back four is set (providing Whittle recovers from the injuries he suffered at the end of last season), there’s a good base for a midfield. Clearly the priorities are in the striking department, in goal and then squad players to provide cover. I would like a ball carrier in midfield if one can be found, though.
Plenty of clubs in the National League haven’t brought anyone in yet, and when you look at the released lists across the country, there is a dearth of players out there. I trust the manager to find them.
Thanks for the voice of reason Ian, there’s all this talk about us not having the budget to sign anyone at all, amongst other nonsense.
Cooper’s record has been solid on transfers so far, I’ve got confidence in him to build a squad for next season.
The word budget does concern me. At the moment I would predict lower half of the national league. I’m old and can’t face another nail biting end of season, my heart won’t stand it!! Looking forward I do fear a “Gateshead” situation if we don’t buy back our stadium. Therefore next season could be make or break, in more ways than one. But I have not heard anyone sharing my concerns !!!???
Gateshead’s problem was not being able to secure a 10 year lease on the stadium, we’ve got a 30 year one, so there’s no chance of the same happening to us anytime soon. I’d love the land to be bought back ASAP, but with the millions of will cost, we’ve got to be realistic
We need two goalscorers with a 1 in 2 goal ratio (when starting), or something very close to that. If we don’t get them in I think we’re in for a difficult season.
When Murphy & Hyde got injured last season Cooper didn’t replace them & we started to struggle.
Cooper’s most common complaint in the post match interviews last season was, “we should have scored more goals.”
To get one of those would be a coup, a consistent goalscorer is one of the most sort after players and every club will want them, having 2 is a pipe dream.
1 nailed on first choice striker, someone experienced in the men’s game and then Harvey and maybe one more chance signing, like someone from a lower league who’s scored goals or a loanee and that’s our centre forward position sorted.
I’m more concerned about squad depth this season, we were relatively injury free across the backline last year, and we can’t bank on that again, especially if our first choice full backs are both in their 30s.
Predicting a ‘difficult season’ if we don’t have two 20-goal strikers is a bit extreme. We didn’t have two when we won the Conference, or League Two, or the League One playoffs!