Yeovil Town’s manager Billy Rowley and his assistant Darren Simpson have spoken to the Gloverscast about their plans to build a side capable to making a return to the Football League.
The pair joined us on our latest podcast – to listen click here – as they prepare to get the National League Premier Division season underway with a trip to Scunthorpe United on Saturday.
In a wide-ranging conversation they spoke about their summer signings, how they want the team to entertain fans at Huish Park, their hopes for this season and, if promotion proves a step too far this season, build foundations for a team which will be feared in 12 months time.
Rowley said: “This season is going to be about us winning as many games as we can and figuring out which players we want to keep on this journey with us. If we are in this division this time next year, we will be very, very good. We are a bit unknown at the moment, but based on what we see every day in training, we will be a far more exciting team, we will be definitely creating more chances.
“I want to finish as high as possible in the league this year, I want to get as many points as we can possibly get, but with it being a new group I think we are going to learn a lot in the next six months as well. We want to make the play-offs this year and hopefully in a years time we can be talking about travelling to teams in League Two. But whether we do that or not, we want to build a team that is together, united and everyone else is a little bit fearful of. And whether that takes a year or two, I believe in us, the staff and the players, I know that if everyone else is not fearful of us now, they will be in a year’s time.”
The pair have brought in 15 new faces over the summer ranging from talents from the lower leagues including goalkeeper Jos Barker, midfielder Johl Powell and winger Mason Obeng, who all played for them at Walton & Hersham, through to more experienced heads with National League experience including defender Joe Gubbins, midfielder Zain Westbrooke and striker Slavi Spasov.
Rowley said: “If you look at the players we have signed, we have signed mostly from a league or two below us with a handful of proven players at this level. We tried to find a balance of hungry players that want to kick on and train their hardest every day and the boys we have from this level are top characters that act like captains on and off the pitch. We feel it is a good mix.”
He added: “The style of football we want to play, we want to dominate the ball more, we want intelligent, creative footballers that can run and boys that turn up that want to play for this club but also want to push on. I think it is important that they want to be the best. Experience is important but so is the experiences you have had, we could get a 32-year-old that has played in the League, but he has not got much interest in playing for us and is just looking for a retirement home and I don’t really want those players around us. A lot of the boys we have brought in are hungry to do well for this club and for themselves and that is really important.”
The 15th new arrival was Barnsley winger Charlie Lennon who joined on loan until January during the week and Rowley said he thinks the latest arrival will be a player who will excite crowds at Huish Park.
He said: “It only came about in the past few days, so that is the answer to why we didn’t do it earlier. Charlie is someone we watched back in November or December, he is a very exciting winger. I love top level comparisons in football and I think Charlie is a bit of an Anthony Gordon. He is a left-sided winger who loves the touchline, he can glide with the ball, go left and right, he can score, he’s quick and exciting. We have known about him for a while and he can play anywhere across four positions in the frontline. He comes in to add a bit more quality in wide positions, I love players that get you off your seat and Charlie is one of those, he will take risks and if you give him the ball he will do something with it.”