Welcome to the latest installment of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog.
For this installment, we travelled to Somerset for some National League South action as Yeovil Town took on Hampton & Richmond Borough at Huish Park.
It's All In The Name
The nickname "The Glovers" refers to the history of glove-making in Yeovil, which became a centre of the industry during the 18th and 19th centuries. The town once had many leather manufacturing factories, but only one is still in operation today. The Westland Helicopter factory is now the town's main employer.
Some Notable People From Yeovil:
Vanessa White- Member of The Saturdays
Martin Cranie- Footballer
Robbie Jarvis- Actor
Christopher Wheeldon- Choreographer
Kerry Howard- Actress
Some Notable Former Players
Luke Ayling
Asmir Begovic
Ian Botham (yes the cricketer)
Shane Duffy
Wayne Hennessy
Kieffer Moore
Lloyd Owusu
Connor Roberts
Andros Townsend
A History Lesson With The Gloucester Groundhopper
Yeovil Football Club was founded in 1890 and shared its ground for many years with the local rugby club. Five years later, the current club, Yeovil Casuals, was formed and began playing home games at the Pen Mill Athletic Ground. Yeovil Town was formed in 1907, and when it merged with Petters United, it became Yeovil and Petters United. Before the 1946-47 season, the club was renamed Yeovil Town.
The club rose to national prominence as the 'giant-killers' during the 1948-49 FA Cup season, when they defeated Sunderland 2-1 in the fourth round in front of a record home attendance of 17,000 people. Manchester United defeated them 8-0 in the following round.
Between 1955 and 1973, they won the Southern Football League three times and finished second twice. During this time, Yeovil Town applied for Football League membership on several occasions, coming within a few votes of being elected in 1976. The Glovers were founding members of the Football Conference, a new national non-league division, in 1979. They were relegated to the Isthmian League in 1985. Yeovil won the title in 1988 and rejoined the Conference.
In 1990, Yeovil won the Bob Lord Challenge Trophy, and three years later, they finished fourth in the Conference, their best ever finish. Graham Roberts, a former Weymouth and Tottenham Hotspur player, was appointed manager in January 1995, but the club was quickly demoted back to the Isthmian League. Yeovil Town were relegated to the Conference in 1997 after winning the Isthmian League with a record-breaking 101 points.
Colin Lippiatt took over as manager for the 1998-99 season and signed Terry Skiverton as a player. Gary Johnson was appointed manager in June 2001, and Yeovil won the FA Trophy in his first season, defeating Stevenage Borough 2-0 in the final at Villa Park - the club's first major trophy.
The following season, Yeovil Town earned promotion to the Football League by winning the Football Conference by a record 17 points, accumulating 95 points and scoring 100 goals while remaining unbeaten at Huish Park. Their team featured a number of top players, some of whom went on to play in the Premier League. Gavin Williams, who moved to West Ham United, Lee Johnson, Chris Weale, Darren Way, and Adam Lockwood are among the notable players.
Yeovil's first Football League game was a 3-1 away win over Rochdale. The Glovers finished eighth in their first season and advanced to the third round of the FA Cup before losing 2-0 at home to Liverpool. Before the game, the club released a single that was only available in local shops: "Yeovil True," which peaked at No. 36 in the UK Singles Chart. The following season, Yeovil won League Two with 83 points, earning promotion to League One. During the season, Jon Goddard-Watts sold the club to David Webb, who took over as CEO from chairman John Fry.
Gary Johnson left Yeovil for Bristol City at the start of the 2005-06 season. He was replaced by his assistant Steve Thompson, and Kevin Hodges was named his number two. Thompson was demoted to first-team coach at the end of the season, and he was replaced by Russell Slade. Around this time, John Fry purchased all of Dave Webb's shares in the club, making him the new owner of Yeovil Town. They reached the fourth round of the FA Cup once more and were drawn away against Charlton Athletic, who were then in the Premier League and lost 3-2.
Yeovil Town finished fifth in League One in 2006-07, qualifying for the play-offs. In the semi-final, Yeovil defeated Nottingham Forest 5-4 on aggregate after losing the first home leg 2-0. Yeovil Town lost 2-0 to Blackpool in the final at Wembley Stadium.
The following season, Yeovil finished 18th in League One with 52 points. Russell Slade remained as Yeovil Town manager until the 2008-09 season, when he resigned in February 2009. After one game as caretaker manager under assistant manager Steve Thompson, club captain Terry Skiverton was named manager until the end of the 2009-10 season, with Nathan Jones as his assistant. Following a 1-1 draw at Tranmere Rovers, the duo kept Yeovil Town in League One.
Skiverton and Jones helped Yeovil avoid relegation the next two seasons, but a poor start to the 2011-12 season prompted a manager change. Gary Johnson was re-appointed as manager on 9th January 2012, with Terry Skiverton taking over as assistant. The Glovers went on to reclaim their safety, finishing 11 points clear of the drop zone.
In the 2012-13 season, Yeovil had their best start ever, scoring 10 points in their first four games. Yeovil Town finished fourth in League One in 2012-13, making the play-offs. They advanced to the final on 6th May 2013, after defeating Sheffield United 2-0 at home, overcoming a 1-0 loss at Bramall Lane in the first leg. Yeovil Town defeated Brentford 2-1 in the League One play-off final at Wembley Stadium on 19th May 2013, advancing to the second tier for the first time in the club's history. Paddy Madden, who scored the opening goal against Brentford at Wembley, finished the season as the league's leading scorer.
Yeovil Town spent one season in the Championship before being relegated to League One, despite memorable victories over Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday, and Watford. The club's difficulties persisted the following season, despite earning a lucrative FA Cup tie against Manchester United, which they lost 2-0 despite a "gallant challenge." Gary Johnson was eventually replaced as manager by Paul Sturrock after Yeovil were relegated for the second time in ten years.
Sturrock was fired after a poor start to the 2015/16 season, and Darren Way took over as caretaker manager before being named permanent manager. Way was able to guide Yeovil to safety, as they finished 19th in the table.
During Way's tenure as manager, Yeovil Town equaled their Football League record for heaviest defeat with an 8-2 loss to Luton Town on the opening day of the 2017-18 season, but they also recorded their highest Football League victory under his leadership with a 6-0 win over Newport County in September 2018. In January 2018, the club faced Manchester United in another FA Cup tie, which they lost 4-0 to Jose Mourinho's side.
Yeovil Town's 16-year stay in the EFL came to an end when they were relegated following a 2-2 draw with Northampton Town during the 2018-19 season.
In June 2019, Darren Sarll was introduced as the club's new manager, and in September 2019, a consortium led by Scott Priestnell and Errol Pope announced a takeover of the club. The 2019-20 National League season was called off on April 22 due to a coronavirus outbreak, with the Glovers finishing fourth in the standings.
South Somerset District Council completed the £2.8 million purchase of Huish Park and its surrounding land from Yeovil Town owner Scott Priestnall in May 2022, with the football club becoming tenants of the council through a leaseback arrangement.
In February 2023, it was announced that SU Glovers Limited, a company publicly supported by Matt Uggla and former England rugby union international Paul Sackey, was in the process of completing a takeover of Yeovil Town Football and Athletic Club Limited's majority shareholding. Scott Priestnall, the club's former majority shareholder and chairman, was confirmed (albeit prematurely) to be leaving the club.
The club was relegated to the National League South in April 2023. The SU Glovers takeover was called off on 2nd May 2023, and Yeovil was taken over by a local company, the Hellier Group, on 13th May 2023.
Honours
🏆 League One (Play-off Winners: 2013)
🏆 League Two (Champions: 2004–05)
🏆 Conference (Champions: 2002–03)
🏆 Isthmian League (Champions: 1987–88, 1996–97)
🏆 Southern League (Champions: 1954–55, 1963–64, 1970–71)
🏆 Southern League Western Section (Champions: 1923–24, 1931–32, 1934–35)
🏆 Western League (Champions: 1921–22, 1924–25, 1929–30, 1934–35)
🏆 FA Trophy (Winners: 2001–02)
🏆 Conference League Cup (Winners: 1989–90)
🏆 Southern League Championship Cup (Winners: 1971–72, 1976–77)
🏆 Southern League Cup (Winners: 1954–55, 1960–61, 1965–66)
🏆 Bristol Charity League (Champions: 1921–22)
🏆 Dorset District League (Champions: 1908–09)
🏆Somerset Senior League (Champions: 1896–97, 1901–02, 1912–13, 1920–21)
🏆 Isthmian League Cup (Winners: 1987–88)
🏆 Isthmian Championship Shield (Winners: 1988–89)
🏆 Western League Cup (Winners: 1958–59)
🏆 Somerset Premier Cup (Winners: 1929–30, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1946–47 (jointly with Bath City), 1947–48, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1956–57 (jointly with Bristol City), 1961–62, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1968–69 (jointly with Frome Town), 1972–73, 1975–76, 1978–79, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2004–05, 2021–22)
🏆Forse Somerset Charity Cup (Winners: 1910–11, 1912–13)
An Interview with Yeovil Town Supporter, Alan Shepphard:
GG: How long have you supported Yeovil Town and how has the journey been for you?
AS: I first saw Yeovil Town in 1968, when they played Bath. My father is from Bath, and I was born in Yeovil. Growing up and supporting the Glovers was both exciting and frustrating at times. We were known as the Giant Killers in the FA Cup. I believe we have defeated over 20 League clubs when playing Non League. But I also recall carrying a white sheet on two wooden poles and collecting money for the club; my uncle used to run two Bingo nights a week at the time to help pay the players. Yeovil won the Southern League in 1970/71 but were not promoted to Division 4 of the Football League because the majority of football league teams voted to keep the bottom team in Division 4 in the league. This, I believe, was the norm. Fast forward ten years, and it's been a nightmare. Last year, we were only 2 or 3 days away from folding. This, I believe, has been widely reported. The club was then taken over by Martin Hellier, a long-time Glovers fan. And has done an excellent job. And turned around the club's fortunes.
GG: Could you tell us about the Yeovil Matchday experience and what we can expect?
AS: To be honest, the last ten years have been a disaster. A bar in a tent. Everything shut down an hour after the final whistle. However, under the new owner, it is likely to be the best I've seen or heard about. In the home end, there is a Fan Zone with either a live band or a DJ. Before the game begins. The facilities are also open after the game. The stands around the stadium have also been painted, and all of the seats have been cleaned. Under the previous owner, it was looking very dirty due to a lack of investment.
GG: Who is Yeovil Town's standout performer this season?
AS: Murphy, Nouble Wannell, without a doubt. But really, the entire team. I can't find anything wrong with them. They are competing against one another. As a result, as I write this, we are 9 points clear at the top of the league with a game in hand.
GG: Could you give us a rundown of non-league football? and how it compares to football in the rest of the EFL?
AS: I believe non-league fans are friendlier, and the football itself is of high quality. For some reason, the officials are the most problematic. You'll have to inquire with the powers that be as to why. Following games, there is a lot of discussion about the officials on the field and on social media.
GG: Who is your all-time favourite player?
AS: I have too many to name, but if I had to pick one, it would have to be Terry Skiverton. True Glover at its finest. He wore his emotions on his sleeve. Never shied away from a challenge and always got the crowd going.
GG: What has been your favourite Yeovil football match?
AS: The victory over Brentford at Wembley to get us into the Championship. But, to be honest, a lot of it was a Blur, not because of the drinks, which are expensive at Wembley. But there's the euphoria. Another must-see event is the second leg of the play-offs against Notts Forest. They won 2-0 at our place. When we arrived at the stadium, they were handing out flyers advertising a weekend in London for the final they thought they'd be playing in. History reveals who participated in the Final. After defeating them 5-2 in the second leg and 5-4 on aggregate,
GG: Which managers have left the most impressions on Yeovil Town fans?
AS: I believe it must be Gary Johnson. We won the FA Trophy in his first season as manager. and made it into the league. After that, they were promoted to Division 1. and his second spell propelled us to the Championship.
GG: Who, in your opinion, was the biggest team to play at Yeovil's stadium?
AS: I got to watch us play Manchester United twice in the FA Cup (2014/15 3rd round, 0-2 and 2017/18 4th round, 0-4), and both times they brought a strong team. This is most likely why it was one of the most memorable games. They showed us respect both times by bringing a strong squad, as I mentioned. In the 2003/04 season, we also faced Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup. The score is 0-2. The best non-league match has to be Yeovil vs. Enfield. G.M Vauxhall Conference League 1996/97. We were first, with Enfield coming in second. We went up 2-0, but they battled back to tie the game at 2-2. That's how the game ended. There were over 8000 people on the ground and over 1000 people outside. And it was a Tuesday evening in March.
GG: Can you tell us how Yeovil likes to play in general?
AS: Now that we're hopefully out of the woods, we'll move on. This season, the team prefers to play attacking football, scoring a lot of goals. I believe we have already scored more points this season than last. Depending on the opposition, they use a variety of formations. 4-3-3, 4-4-2 . We try to put the opposition on the defensive right away. Maintain a high line while pressing. This is good because the team's goals are being distributed.
GG: Can you tell us a funny Yeovil story?
AS: around the mid-2000s Myself and eight friends joined the Glovers on a pre-season tour of Germany. We decided to have a kickabout on the pitch before the game (I believe it was against Dortmund). Because we were wearing Yeovil shirts and tracksuit bottoms, many home fans approached us and asked for our autographs, believing we were Yeovil players. While we were signing autographs, a few members of the real team came over to cheer us on. They had only just arrived on the ground and witnessed what was going on. It was a quality moment in reverse.
Matchday:Yeovil Town 0-0 Hampton & Richmond Borough
We travelled to Yeovil on a cold, winter's morning as we looked to round off the calendar year in style. This being the second time I have visited Yeovil Town, the first being another 0-0 draw between Yeovil Town and Cheltenham Town back in 2017. We arrived in Yeovil in good time, parking at the Preston Road Asda (we paid for extended parking on the Just Park app), then sought nourishment. We took a trip to The Arrow, a nearby pub, and it wasn't a great experience to be honest.
We arrived and found a table, to find the bar absolutely overrun. There was a man who was doing the washing up, who then decided to barge in and cut the queue and buy himself a pint, with absolutely no consideration to anyone who had been waiting. After waiting in the queue for a good twenty minutes, we were then informed that the bar was, in fact, not serving food at that time. I appreciate that the bar was overrun so it's not like they could talk to everyone individually, but a sign of some sort indicating that they were unable to serve food at this time wouldn't have gone amiss. Anyway, we found nourishment in a typical British cuisine: a Tesco meal deal (chicken, bacon and stuffing sandwich, Thai Sweet Chicken McCoys and a Mountain Dew).
We then went to the stadium, doing our customary circuit of the ground in the process. The first thing that struck me was how good a ground it was at the level it was at, although it had quite a lot of imperfections (hence the score given). There was a retro programme store which had a massive amount of merchandise available, the only qualm being it was cash only, had they taken card, I anticipate they'd have made a small fortune from AFC Finners. There was also a standard club shop, which sold a range of merchandise including drinks glasses, replica shirts and those weird torches that you have to squeeze to make them work (I don't know what they're actually called).
There were a few food vendors available outside the ground, including a burger van, and a chip van (I think). Inside the ground, there was a food kiosk serving pasties and sausage rolls. AFC Finners said he really enjoyed the pasty he ate, so it is pertinent to assume it was an average pasty at best.
Entering the ground was fairly easy. We bought the tickets online and they were sent straight to our phones. I know that seems fairly straightforward, but the amount of clubs we have been to where the ticketing process is over complicated is actually shocking. As a result, this was a welcomed change. We simply scanned our tickets at the turnstile, and hey presto, we were in.
It has to be said that everyone at the club was really welcoming and engaging. There were no bad eggs in the Yeovil contingent (except the annoying guy that kept shouting 'HA HA' like the ostrich from Family Guy). On social media, all their fans seemed pretty friendly, and to be honest, it was quite nice to be amongst people who didn't make you feel like an outsider.
The atmosphere was fairly average. The fans behind the goal sporadically sang songs and tried to get the crowd going (shoutout to the guy who's voice cracked when trying to spell Yeovil), but there were quite a few times where the atmosphere fell a bit flat. Further to that, I don't think the quality of the game helped at all, it was a really poor game, and to be honest, it got a bit tedious to watch, so it's understandable that the atmosphere was lacking at times.
Teamsheet
Yeovil Town
Manager: Mark Cooper
Joe Day
Morgan Williams
Jake Wannell
Matt Worthington
Jordan Young
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton
Michael Smith
Charlie Cooper
Frank Nouble
Jay Foulston
Rhys Murphy
Substitutes
Jordan Maguire-Drew
Josh Owers
Will Dawes
Alex Fisher
Duncan Idehen
Hampton & Richmond Borough
Manager: Mel Gwinnett
Adam Desbois
Jordan Thomas
Ruaridh Donaldson
Luis Fernandez
Rob Hall
Ben Seymour
Jake Gray (c)
Sam Deadfield
George Hunt
Sam Dreyer
Dan Wishart
Substitutes
Shane Dunne
Isaac Pitblado
Mason Bloomfield
Dominic Revan
Joshua Anifowose
The game was even throughout, with few notable opportunities. In the fifth minute, Jake Gray had one of the early chances at Huish Park. Grey found space on the edge of the Yeovil box and drew a strong low stop from Joe Day.
Rhys Murphy had a fantastic chance to open the scoring minutes later. The poacher was in a familiar position inside the box, and as he swivelled and struck a low shot towards goal, Adam Desbois made a wonderful stop to keep it out.
Yeovil should have taken the lead through Frank Nouble. A ball into the inside left channel made its way to Nouble, who opened up his body to bend it into the far corner but missed Desbois' post.
Alex Fisher came on and nearly made an impact. Matt Worthington, who was playing with a lot of freedom, curled a teasing ball across the six yard box with the outside of his boot, and Fisher was inches away from getting a toe on it.
In the end, it was a goalless draw that kept Yeovil Town atop the National League South standings.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 6/10
Food and Drink: 6/10
Stadium: 6/10
Welcome: 8.5/10
Overall Experience: 6/10
GG
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