Ed Upson

Former Yeovil Town midfielder Ed Upson revealed he offered his services to Glovers’ boss Chris Hargreaves this summer.

The 32-year-old, who was part of the club’s League One play-off-winning side of 2013, was a free agent following his release by Stevenage at the end of last season.

Ed Upson in action for Yeovil Town. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

However, despite having spoken with Hargreaves, who he knew from their time together at Bristol Rovers, an offer was not forthcoming and he chose to move to Isthmian League North side Stowmarket Town, where he began his career.

Speaking to us on a future episode of the GloversPast, he said: “I was away on holiday when Chris got the job and I text him and said ‘Congrats on the job, if you need a midfielder, let me know.’

He rang me back the day he got the job and asked what my situation was and I told him I was a free agent and he said ‘I’ll be in touch’ but I never heard anything after that.

I never turned down Yeovil, I never had the opportunity to turn them down, but it would have been a difficult decision for me because it was a time when I felt it was time to settle down with the family.

I had a couple of offers in the National League and a couple of EFL clubs and it was the biggest decision I have ever had to make.

If Yeovil had come in with an offer, it would have been a tough decision to make because they are one of the clubs that would have tempted me to be away from home again.

I made a decision to be at home for the first time in my career, it was a human decision rather than a football decision.

Midfielder Ed Upson, who had been linked with a sensational return to the Glovers this summer, has signed for Isthmian League side Stowmarket Town.

Speaking exclusively to the Gloverscast, Chris Hargreaves had confirmed he had had a conversation with Upson about a return, but was giving nothing away about his chances of a return.

Ed Upson in action for Yeovil Town. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The move marks a return to Suffolk, Ed’s home town of Bury St Edmunds is close to his new club.

The transfer sees him drop down to just below the National League North/South level, which considering he was plying his trade at League Two level last season is quite a drop.

Best of luck, Ed!

New Yeovil Town manager Chris Hargreaves has revealed he has spoken with former Glovers’ favourite Ed Upson and loanee Josh Neufville about potential returns to Huish Park.

But, speaking on the latest edition of the Gloverscast the new boss said that neither player had committed to making the move.

Chris Hargreaves.

The new boss worked with Upson, a star of the club’s surge to the Championship from a decade ago, when Hargreaves was on the coaching staff at Bristol Rovers, and has spoken to him since his release by Stevenage.

Hargreaves said: “I know Ed, I worked with him at Rovers and had a great relationship with him and encouraged him to do what he does well.

We have discussed things, I don’t know at this stage and that is for a number of reasons, one being the number of midfielders we already have.

I like Ed as a person and a player, so I would never rule anything out. He’s someone I hold in high regard.”

Neufville is a huge fans’ favourite after two impressive loans from Luton Town and a recent social media post hinting at a possible return got fans’ excited about the prospective.

Hargreaves confirmed that he has spoken to him about coming back, but knows the 21-year-old will be looking to catch the eye of Nathan Jones, the ex-Glovers’ defender in charge at the Championship club.

The manager said: “I have spoken to Josh Neufville about a potential return to the club. With him, the manager will want him to go to the next level and he probably wants to show himself in pre-season, but he knows if there’s any glimmer of him coming back, he’s coming back.

The door is open. The way he performed in some of the game, he looked like he gained from being here, so I would love him to be here.”

The club’s Head of Player Development, Marcus Stewart, is a former Yeovil Town team-mate of both Jones and Luton first-team coach Chris Cohen and Hargreaves was keen to point out that there was a connection there.

He said: “Marcus knows Nathan, I have spoken to Josh, Marcus has spoken to Nathan, so there is dialogue between everyone.

I speak to Daz (Darren Sarll, Terry (Skiverton), I have spoken to a lot of people about the club and I’m hoping to gain something from everybody.

I look at what Gary (Johnson) achieved with this club and I have been part of teams like that and what a fantastic thing to turn up and see yourself on the side of the stadium.

I have to draw off those legends and they are all welcome, I don’t buy in to ‘those are the old times’, come through the door, let’s all be successful together.

You can listen to the new Glovers’ boss talk about his hopes for the new season, his thoughts on his coaching staff, players and the future of winger Charlie Wakefield on the latest podcast, available – here.