Yeovil Town are soon to be National League South Champions, having bounced back after relegation in impressive style under the management of Mark Cooper. Next season I feel the club could be looking to re-establish themselves as a strong National League side given the quality of player they already have at their disposal.
In this Document I will be looking into a core group of players who I feel Yeovil should be looking to retain, as well as looking at realistic transfer targets that would suit the standard and financial possibilities the club has, creating a side that can establish themselves back in the National League next season.
Core Player Retention
Morgan Williams – Centre-Back
Williams has been an ever-present at the back for Yeovil this season and is way too good for the NLS in my opinion. A Rolls Royce of a defender who uses his mobility and reading of the game to control the defense in a composed manner, Williams is a must-keep for Yeovil going forward as it is hard to find a defender of his qualities at this level.
Jake Wannell – Centre-Back
An experienced left-footed centre-back, Wannell is one of multiple who joined from local rivals Taunton this season. He has been a brilliant addition to Yeovil, offering experience on top of defensive solidity. For me Wannell is a must-keep, especially considering how hard it is to find toplevel defenders in the NL.
Alex Whittle- Left-back
Joining from York in the summer, it came as a surprise to me that Whittle had dropped down to the NLS, and the season he has had proved my questioning of the decision right. A top-level left-back who has operated this season to a great standard, Yeovil could do much worse than have Whittle as a left-back going into the NL season.
Matt Worthington – Centre-Midfield
Worthington is a brilliant engine in midfield, and I feel only his loyalty to Yeovil has him playing in the NLS. Not only a solid midfielder but also extremely versatile, Worthington can also operate out wide, as a wing-back and full-back too. On top of this, he is contracted until 2025 which is great business from Yeovil to retain him for multiple years.
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton – Centre-Midfield
SLE is a player I have always been impressed with on a technical level. For Yeovil this season he has taken up a deeper midfield role at times, showing off his passing ability and positional
flexibility. Still only young whilst playing a large part in Yoevil’s success, I feel retaining him would be a smart decision from an ability perspective as well as a financial perspective.
Jordan Young – Attacking Midfield
Arguably one of the best players in the NLS this season, Jordan Young has taken his game to a whole new level. Having recently signed a new deal with Yeovil, I would expect him to stay with the soon-to-be champions for next season, but if an EFL team were to throw their hat in the ring for him I would not be surprised. With 14 goals along with several assists, I believe he could be set for another top season in the NL next season.
Sam Pearson – Winger
A more recent signing for Yeovil, Pearson for me will have no trouble adjusting back to life at a higher level. A very pacy and technically gifted attacker, Pearson’s impact since rejoining Yeovil this season was evident with the goals and creativity he has added to the side. I was surprised to see him join an NLS side as I do feel he is at the bare minimum of NL standard so it should be a nobrainer for Yeovil to try and retain him.
The Rest Of The Squad...
In regards to the rest of the squad, I do feel like there will be more than just these core players who are retained for next season. Names that spring to mind for me are Rhys Murphy, Jay Foulston (option to buy), Dylan Morgan, and Frank Nouble, but these players would be unlikely starters and used as squad players throughout the season
On the other hand, I also feel there are a number of players who will be released at the end of the season. Players like Owers and Dawes may have found their level, whereas loanees such as Day, Genesini, and Clarke will be returning to their parent clubs.
Potential Transfers
When looking at the key retentions as well as the few squad players I feel Yeovil should look to retain, the positions in need of recruitment in the summer become fairly obvious. The more specific positions are in the list that follows:
Goalkeeper x1
Centre-back x1
Right back x1
Centre-Midfielder x2 (one more experienced)
Attacking-Midfielder x1 (shadow striker type forward)
Striker x2 (to cover for Murphy being injury prone)
Opting for a smaller squad to begin with is something I like to do as it allows quality over quantity, especially for newly promoted sides who may have less money. Players such as Nouble, Foulston, Williams, and more are also capable of playing in a handful of positions, meaning with the versatility in the squad already, I think Yeovil can look specifically in the market for single-position specialists.
The possible transfer targets I have identified have 3 aspects identified which are, realism, where the players are based, and whether players are within the likely budget.
Transfer Targets
Goalkeeper – Joe Day – Newport (Yeovil)
Starting with an obvious one, Day is currently on loan at Yeovil and has been an ever-present in goal for them this season. Bringing a ton of EFL experience to the table and proven his abilities to manager Mark Cooper this season, I see it as extremely likely that Day will sign for Yeovil on a permanent basis.
Day has made 35 appearances for Town this season, where he has only conceded 32 goals and managed to keep 14 clean sheets. With Day out of contract at the end of the season with Newport it seems like a very obvious transfer which will leave me shocked if it doesn’t end up happening.
Centre-Back – David Longe-King – Dagenham & Redbridge
DLK is a player who I expect to be on the move in the summer, with the defender seemingly not looking to be part of Ben Streven's plans. Having played fairly local(ish) to Yeovil during his time at Newport, he could be an option with NL experience for Cooper to add to his defensive ranks.
Capable of also playing right-back, DLK is a solid defender, averaging 9.5 recoveries and 4.1 interceptions per game, whilst making 15 appearances this season. Standing at 6’3, Longe-King can also be an offensive threat at set pieces as well as defending his area with ease. At 29 now he will be wanting to find some regular first-team football and could be a good option for Yeovil.
Right-Back – Harry Leeson – Bristol City (Gloucester)
The use of the Bristol City academy has been a well-used option by Yeovil in recent years, and with the Championship side continuing to produce EFL-level players, it is certainly an option I think Yeovil should make the most of. Leeson is now 20 and needs a real challenge in senior football and could be a good option for Yeovil next season.
This season Leeson has appeared 15 times for Gloucester City, where I feel he impressed for the NLN side, showing his abilities to defend well on top of making a difference going forward. Leeson also allows for positional Versatility, with the full-back capable of playing in a back 3 or as a wingback.
Centre-Midfield – Alex Woodyard – York City
Woodyard is rumored to have been put up for transfer by newly appointed York manager Adam Hinshelwood, so it is likely he will be departing the club this summer. An experienced midfielder who has played the majority of his career in the south of the country, a move to Yeovil will allow him to be closer to home again and get his career back on track with more minutes.
Having played 29 games this season. Woodyard's stats show that he is still capable of playing at NL level. With an 84% pass completion and a 72% successful dribble rate, whilst also completing 1.6 accurate long balls per 90, Woodyard has shown he is a tidy operator in the middle of the park and could be a solid signing for Mark Cooper’s men.
Centre-Midfield – Dylan Kadji – Bristol City (Aldershot)
xAnother Bristol City loanee, but this time one who is already playing in the NL this season. Kadji is a tidy midfielder who can play in a multitude of ways. He can play as a 6, a ball-carrying 8, an offensive 10, and has even played centre-back for Aldershot at times too. If Yeovil were to look at the products available in the City Academy in the summer, Kadji would be at the top of that list for me.
On top of Several EFL appearances for Forest Green also, Kadji has seen some real success for The Shots this season. With 14.6 ball recoveries per game and a 77% pass accuracy, the numbers back the statement that Kadji is a great all-round midfielder and would be a brilliant option for Yeovil to bring in if possible.
Attacking-Midfield – Jack Wood – Southend Utd
Yeovil need an attacking midfielder who plays as a shadow-striker and brings goals, and instantly Jack Wood came to mind for me. One of the most underappreciated players in the NL this season in my opinion, Wood has so much to offer but has been given such little opportunity.
So far this season, Wood has scored 3 goals and picked up 3 assists in 28 games, but he has only averaged 37 minutes per game and made 7 starts for The Shrimpershis loan spell at Tonbridge last season he really caught my eye and seemed to kick on even more in pre-season, but for whatever reason he hasn't been given many opportunities at Southend and a move to Yeovil could benefit both parties.
Striker – Cody Cooke – Bath City
Now 32 years old it's now or never for Cooke to make a move to the NL, but I think he is more than ready. After having another season of scoring goals for Bath it would only be fair for the striker to get an opportunity to step up and Yeovil could be the perfect move.
A powerful striker who knows where the back of the net is, In his 3 seasons for Bath Cooke has managed to score 43 goals and counting, with his lowest tally in a season being an impressive 13 goals, and could be a solid option for Yeovil to look at come the summer transfer window.
Striker – Ben Seymour - Hampton & Richmond
24-year-old striker Ben Seymour has been one of my favorite players in the NLS this season with H&R. Netting 12 goals for the promotion-chasing side with a number of crucial goals as well as scoring for fun at Plymouth Parkway the season prior, I believe he would be a great option to lead the line for Yeovil next season.
Joining Yeovil would allow Seymour to move closer to home, with the striker originally coming through the Exeter academy and spending his whole career in and around that area of the country other than now. A quick striker who likes to play off the last man, Seymour, and Yeovil seem like a match made in heaven to me and would be a move that wouldn't surprise me at all if it were to happen.
The Final Squad
After combining the squad retentions with a handful of realistic transfer targets, I feel this is now a group of players who would be good enough for Yeovil to re-establish themselves back in the NL next season. With a mix of experience in the side from Whittle, Woodyard, and Murphy along with some exciting young talents in Seymour, Kadji, and Wood, I think the squad in question has the perfect blend of youth and experience with the quality in all the right areas to be a real threat next season.
There are some players on the side such as Young and Williams who could be subject to moves elsewhere with potential EFL interest, but I feel like with both players signing new deals fairly recently they will be committed to staying with Yeovil for the next season. I have opted for 20 players with a few more attacking options as Murphy and Nouble are getting on a bit and are slightly more injury-prone, so more depth may be needed in those areas, but overall I think this squad will manage to find stability in the NL come next season.
