The return of the lucky spuds

To mark the 130th anniversary of Yeovil Town, the club is bringing one of its quirkier traditions back.

The first goalscorer of the upcoming 2025-26 National League Premier Division will be awarded a sack of potatoes, a tradition last seen at the club in the 1930s.

From the 1934-35 season, a local greengrocer awarded striker Tom McNeil with the ‘lucky spuds’ and went on to score 40 goals in one season – and he wasn’t even the top scorer with his team-mate Joe Taylor topping the charts with 66! That season, the Glovers went on to face Liverpool in the FA Cup third round, so not a bad year all in all!

Ninety years later, Glovers’ fan and greengrocer Alan Sheppard, who owns The Fruit & Veg Shop in South Petherton with his brother-in-law Nick Wakely, has rekindled the idea, the brainchild of the Yeovil Town Heritage Society’s Michael West.

Alan said: “It worked for the club all those years ago, so why not try it again. If these spuds can spark another league triumph of FA Cup run, I’ll be happy.”

Michael said: “It’s a brilliant idea, wonderfully quirky with real historical roots. We’re proud to keep the stories of our club alive in creative and memorable ways.”

Great work Michael, Alan and Nick and we cannot wait to see the confused look on that first scorer’s face!