Football is back….league football, that is. After a pre-season of wondering how much we can read in to a performance, Yeovil Town make the long journey to Scunthorpe United for the opening fixture of the new National League Premier Division season.
FORM…
YEOVIL TOWN
For the Glovers, results in these games have probably been a bit lower down the pecking order than in previous years. 15 new players trying to gel and figure each other out was the most pressing matter and after finishing last season with an injury-ravaged squad, boss Billy Rowley wasn’t keen to get through the warm-up games unscathed, which it seems like has been the case.
However, the results have probably frustrated Rowley, none more so than when pushing Newport County close last week. The game finished 1-2 to the football league side, but perhaps could’ve been different had Yeovil kept a hold of their early lead. It wasn’t to be though, with the Glovers succumbing to the quality of the opposition. That felt like the story of the pre-season for the Glovers, which hopefully will be turned around come Saturday.
SCUNTHORPE UNITED
Scunthorpe manager Andy Butler has made it perfectly clear this pre-season has been about getting minutes in to the legs of his squad. If you wanted proof of this, the Iron’s final friendly – a 1-1 draw with Chesterfield last Friday night – added an extra 30 minutes after the regulation 90, just to get those minutes in to legs.
There were nine friendlies in the Scunthorpe schedule (three more than Yeovil, for context) and the results range from a win over Leeds United’s highly-rated Under-21s to drawing with a strong League One opposition in Chesterfield, to defeat at Buxton and a draw at Spalding United, managed by former boss Jimmy Dean.
There have been plenty of comings and goings at the Attis Arena. The most notable departures are winger Callum Roberts, who delivered 21 goals as the Iron made the play-offs last season, and midfielder Oli Ewing who have gone to League One new boys Notts County and National League rivals Forest Green Rovers respectively.
Incomings include former York City captain Callum Howe, the defender turned down a contract extension at the Football League’s latest member to make the move, and Luke Brennan, a tricky winger brought in from National League North side Buxton, who is being seen as at least part of the answer to replacing Roberts.
The biggest point of intrigue going in to the opening game is between the posts. Last season’s number one, Louis Jones, has been handed the number one jersey, but that was a decision manager Andy Butler only made late in pre-season. His rival for a place between the post, Maison Campbell, signed a new contract in the summer, but was handed the number 25.
KEY PLAYERS…
YEOVIL TOWN – LUKE McCORMICK
Many fans will be looking towards the new players to provide the spark and be a shiny new toy that can propel us to the playoffs. But it is the midfield maestro and new captain Luke McCormick that could be the key to unlocking this teams potential.
The 27-year-old played a huge role last season, as he orchestrated the team on the pitch from midfield, whether it was getting back and doing the dirty work or finding the back of the net at the other end. And it’s those goals that helped us secure safety last season, with our strikers underperforming Yeovil needed someone to step up and it was the former Bristol Rovers man who did so. If it wasn’t for a long term injury who knows how many more he could’ve bagged.
He clearly had an impact off the pitch as well, with manager Billy Rowley naming the midfielder our new captain. It wasn’t just his boss he impressed, as the curtained colonel endeared himself to the Huish Park faithful, which isn’t all that easy to do. McCormick has been here for a season now but it feels like 10, and that’s the biggest compliment I can pay him.
SCUNTHORPE UNITED – DANNY WHITEHALL
If you wanted to genetically engineer a striker that you’d love to play for you, but hate playing against you, you’d probably end up with the genes of Scunthorpe’s Danny Whitehall in your test tube.
The 30-year-old opened the scoring from the penalty spot when the Iron won 3-0 at Huish Park last March and picked up a booking – standard.
He’s someone who will probably empty Jos Barker’s water bottle at the first opportunity, is guaranteed to be in the referee’s ear when he’s hurled himself to the floor when the Yeovil defence looked at him sideways, but give him a chance in front of goal and there’s a good chance he’ll take it.
THE GAFFER…
Andy Butler is royalty when it comes to Scunthorpe United. The former defender started his playing career at The Iron in 2002 and would go on to make over 130 appearances for them in a six year spell. He’d go onto play for the likes of Huddersfield, Walsall and Doncaster Rovers over the next 10 years (with some loan spells dotted in there) before returning to Glanford Park in 2019. After a season however, he’d leave to return to Doncaster, where he’d make 20 appearances. After flirting with the lower leagues, Butler would find himself back where it all started for him 21 years earlier at Glandford Park where retired a legend.
As a manager the 42-year-old has been in charge of the Iron since 2024, when he replaced Jimmy Dean. However, it was as the Doncaster Belles boss, in woman’s football, where he cut his teeth, before he took over as caretaker boss of the mens side.
Butler has only faced the Glovers twice as a manager, both last season when he would win both games.
LAST TIME WE MET…
It’s back to March, when the two sides last met, with The Iron running out 3-0 winners at Huish Park. It was a tough day that for the Glovers but one they would have learned many a lesson from. It was fairly even affair for the first 45 as both teams wanted to give nothing away. it was in the second half though that Yeovil threw away all their good work.
Five minutes into the second period Scunthorpe were given a penalty after Joy Mukena brought down Danny Whitehall. The aforementioned Whitehall would then convert the spot kick to take a 1-0 lead. Billy Rowley’s men wouldn’t be pushed about easily though and made it tough for the away side, before Leo Farrell doubled The Iron’s lead on the 75th minute. With the game almost complete, Farrell got his brace as he converted a Tyler Denton pass in added time to make it 3-0.
The last time the two sides met in Lincolnshire was last November when Scunthorpe ran out 1-0 winners at Glanford Park. A first half goal from Hull City loanee Tyrell Sellars-Fleming was enough to sink Richard Dryden’s side.
DON’T I KNOW YOU?
THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE…
Michael Barlow will take charge of Yeovil’s first game of the season with more detail here from Ben.