Yeovil Town have announced the signing of National League South opponents Taunton Town defender Jake Wannell for an undisclosed fee.
Described by Glovers’ boss Mark Cooper as an “a big, uncompromising central defender“, he has plenty of experience from spells at Exeter City, Poole Town, Chippenham Town, Eastleigh and he was also at W*ymouth for a few seasons… but we’ll ignore that last one.
Wannell played at Huish Park in the Somerset Men’s Premier Cup last November, but was injured when the two sides clashed over two matches in the FA Cup last season. involved when the sides clashed in the FA Cup.
This deal represents his first crack at full-time, senior professional football at 28 years old, he told ytfc.net he was excited to get going.
Speaking to the club’s YouTube channel, he confirmed that Cooper had been chasing him since the season came to an end last month.
Wannell said: “He’s been ringing me for 3-4 weeks now and he expressed the project he wants me to do and it suits me down to the ground.
“It is a great a set up with big stands and a lovely pitch, obviously I came here last year with the Taunton boys (in the FA Cup – let’s gloss over that, eh Jake?) and it was a tasty affair. I was injured at the time, so I am looking forward to getting going here.
“I like to think I am technical with a nice left foot, a big, strong centre half like you get in non-League football, but when Mark said he wanted to get the ball down and play, that suits me down to the ground.”
The defender was part of a Taunton team which kept 19 clean sheets last season (again, let’s not think about two of those!) last season and, whilst he was keen to praise Peacocks’ keeper Jack Bycroft for his role in that, he is looking forward to reuniting with Glovers’ keeper Will Buse.
The pair played together when Buse was on loan at Wordsworth Drive and won the Southern League Premier Division South in 2021-22.
Wannell said: “A defender’s bread and butter is clean sheets and to keep 19 in our first season in National League South was pretty remarkable, we did have a great keeper at the time, I need to take my hat off to him.
“I have some good memories with Busey after winning the Southern Prem with him. He was fantastic for (Taunton) and I look forward to working with him again.”
Welcome to Huish Park, Jake!
(cover pic C/O @TauntonTownFC/@gould_debbie on Twitter)