Yeovil Town F.C.

History

:

Non-League football

The club came to national attention as 'giant-killers' during the 1948–49 FA Cup, in which they defeated Sunderland 2–1 in the fourth round, in front of a record home attendance of 17,000. They were defeated 8–0 in the following round by Manchester United.

Between 1955 and 1973 they were champions of the Southern Football League three times, and runners-up twice. During this period, Yeovil Town applied for election to the Football League on a number of occasions, coming within a few votes of being elected in 1976. In 1979 the Glovers were founder members of the new national non-league division, the Alliance Premier League. In 1985, they were relegated to the Isthmian League. Yeovil won that championship in 1988 and returned to the Conference.

Colin Lippiatt became manager for the 1998–99 season and brought Terry Skiverton to the club as a player. Gary Johnson took over as manager in June 2001 and Yeovil won the FA Trophy in his first season in charge with a 2–0 victory over Stevenage Borough in the final at Villa Park – the club's first major trophy. Yeovil Town earned promotion to the Football League in the following season, by winning the Football Conference by a record 17 points margin, accumulating 95 points and scoring 100 goals, remaining unbeaten at Huish Park. Their team included many top players, some of whom went on to play Premier League football. Notable players include Gavin Williams who moved to West Ham United, Lee Johnson, Chris Weale, Darren Way and Adam Lockwood.

Reaching the Football League

Yeovil's first game in the Football League was a 3–1 away win over Rochdale. The Glovers finished their first season in eighth position, and reached the third round of the FA Cup before losing 2–0 at home to Liverpool. Before the game the club released a record sold only in shops in the town: "Yeovil True" reached No. 36 in the UK Singles Chart.{{cite news |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040224152820/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/3514245.stm |archive-date = 24 February 2004

At the beginning of the 2005–06 season manager Gary Johnson left Yeovil for Bristol City. He was replaced by his assistant Steve Thompson and Kevin Hodges was appointed as his number two. At the season's end Thompson was demoted to first-team coach and he was replaced by Russell Slade. Around this time John Fry had bought all Dave Webb's share of the club, becoming Yeovil Town's new owner. They again reached the fourth round of the FA Cup and were drawn away against Charlton Athletic, then in the Premier League, to whom they lost 3–2.{{cite news

Yeovil finished the 2006–07 season in fifth position, qualifying for the League One play-offs. In the semi-final Yeovil beat Nottingham Forest in the two-legged match 5–4 on aggregate, after losing the first home leg 2–0. Yeovil met Blackpool at Wembley Stadium in the final, but were beaten 2–0.

The 2007–08 was less successful, as Yeovil finished 18th in League One with 52 points. Russell Slade continued as Yeovil manager into the 2008–09 season, but he left the position in February 2009. |access-date = 16 February 2009 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090221075634/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/football/teams/y/yeovil/7892607.stm |archive-date = 21 February 2009 After one game with assistant manager Steve Thompson acting as caretaker manager, club captain Terry Skiverton was announced as manager until the end of the 2009–10 season, with Nathan Jones as his assistant.{{cite web |access-date = 19 February 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090222102345/http://www.ytfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10673~1562198,00.html |archive-date = 22 February 2009

Skiverton and Jones helped Yeovil avoid relegation in the following two seasons, but a poor start the 2011–12 campaign prompted a change of manager. On 9 January 2012, the club announced the re-appointment of Gary Johnson, with Terry Skiverton becoming assistant. The Glovers went on to again achieve safety, finishing 11 points clear of the relegation zone.

Yeovil made their best ever start in the 2012–13 season, picking up 10 points from their first four games. Yeovil finished the 2012–13 season in fourth place, reaching the League One play-offs. They reached the final on 6 May 2013 after a 2–0 home victory against Sheffield United, overturning a 1–0 loss at Bramall Lane in the first leg. On 19 May 2013, Yeovil defeated Brentford 2–1 in the League One play-off final at Wembley, reaching the second tier for the first time in their history. Striker Paddy Madden, who netted the opening goal against Brentford at Wembley, finished as the league's top scorer.

Yeovil spent one season in the Championship and, despite enjoying memorable victories over Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Watford, suffered immediate relegation back to League One. The club's struggles continued the following season, although the club did earn a lucrative FA Cup tie against Manchester United, which they lost 2–0 despite a "gallant challenge". Manager Gary Johnson was eventually replaced by Paul Sturrock as Yeovil suffered another relegation, returning to League Two for the first time in 10 years.

Following a poor start to the 2015/16 season, Sturrock was sacked and replaced by Darren Way, initially in a caretaker role before being named permanent manager. Way was able to lead Yeovil to safety as they finished their campaign 19th in the table. During Way's tenure as manager, Yeovil equalled their record for heaviest Football League defeat with an 8–2 loss to Luton Town on the opening day of the 2017–18 season, although they also recorded their highest Football League victory under his leadership with a 6–0 win over Newport County in September 2018. The club also enjoyed another FA Cup tie with Manchester United in January 2018, however they lost 4–0 to José Mourinho's side.

Return to non-League football

Yeovil's 16-year stay in the EFL came to an end when they were relegated during the 2018–19 season, following a 2–2 draw with Northampton Town. Darren Sarll was unveiled as the club's new manager in June 2019 and a takeover of the club by a consortium led by Scott Priestnell and Errol Pope was announced in September 2019. On 22 April, the 2019–20 National League season was ended with immediate effect due to the coronavirus outbreak, with the Glovers fourth in the table. In May 2022, South Somerset District Council completed the purchase of Huish Park and its surrounding land for £2.8 million from Yeovil Town's owner Scott Priestnall, 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 fronted by Matt Uggla and former England rugby union international Paul Sackey, was in the process of completing a takeover of the majority shareholding of Yeovil Town Football and Athletic Club Limited. It was confirmed (ultimately prematurely) that former majority shareholder and chairman, Scott Priestnall, would no longer be involved with the football club. In April 2023, the club was relegated to the National League South. On 2 May 2023, it was reported that the SU Glovers takeover would not be proceeding; on 13 May 2023, Yeovil was taken over by a local company, the Hellier Group.

At the end of the 2023–24 season, Yeovil secured an immediate return to the National League after winning the National League South title.

On 29 May 2025, it was announced that entrepreneur Prabhu Srinivasan had completed the takeover of the club from former owner Martin Hellier after Srinivasan's family office, Inflection Holdings, acquired all shares previously held by the Hellier Trading Group, with Srinivasan becoming owner and chairman. Ahead of the 2025–26 season, the club confirmed that their first-team training operations would be relocating to the SGS WISE Campus in Stoke Gifford ahead of the new season.

Recent seasons

Rivalries

Yeovil have their fiercest rivalry with Dorset club, Weymouth, which has been described as intense. Often when the two clubs meet, a large police presence is required to separate the two sets of fans. In October 2021, fans reportedly clashed before and after the game in Huish, with mounted police and dog units being called into action. The 2020–21 National League season marked the first league encounters between the club and Weymouth since the 1988–89 Football Conference season.

The club also shares a minor historic derby with fellow Somerset club, Bath City, with Yeovil playing them 274 times. Albeit since the turn of the century, the majority of any animosity dissipated heavily. Hereford United were also seen as rivals, before their dissolution in 2014, due to both clubs being fairly well matched during their time in non-league ranks. During the club's time in the EFL, Yeovil fans considered both Bristol Rovers and Bristol City to be rivals. In August 2009, Yeovil played Exeter City for the first time in the league, and both clubs have shared a rivalry since, with the match often being billed as a Westcountry Derby. Swindon Town and AFC Bournemouth were also considered somewhat rivals due to geographical proximity.

Players

First-team squad

Out on loan

International representatives

Club management

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List of chairmen

The following men have been chairman of the club's Board of Directors:

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Honours

Source:

League

• League One (level 3)
  • Play-off winners: 2013
• League Two (level 4)
  • Champions: 2004–05
• Conference (level 5)
  • Champions: 2002–03
• National League South (level 6)
  • Champions: 2023–24
• Isthmian League (level 6)
  • 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
• Bristol Charity League
  • Champions: 1921–22
• Dorset District League
  • Champions: 1908–09
• Somerset Senior League
  • Champions: 1896–97, 1901–02, 1912–13, 1920–21

Cup

• 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
• Isthmian League Cup
  • Winners: 1987–88
• Isthmian Championship Shield
  • Winners: 1988–89
• Western League Cup
  • Winners: 1958–59
• Somerset Premier Cup
  • Winners (25): 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 (record)
• Forse Somerset Charity Cup
  • Winners: 1910–11, 1912–13

Club records

• Most consecutive wins in all competitions: 14 14 November 2023
• Most overall appearances: Len Harris, 691 (1958–72)
• Most goals: Johnny Hayward, 548 (1906–28)
• Most league goals: Dave Taylor, 284 (1960–9)
• Record attendance Football League at Huish Park: 9,527 vs. Leeds United, 25 April 2008 (League One)
• Record attendance all time: 17,123 vs. Sunderland, 29 January 1949 (FA Cup fourth round)
• Longest serving player: Len Harris, 14 years (1958–72)
• Longest serving manager: Billy Kingdon, 8 years (1938–46)
• Highest league finish: 24th Championship, 2013–14 season
• Highest transfer fee received: £1,200,000, Arron Davies and Chris Cohen, Nottingham Forest, July 2007
• Highest transfer fee paid: Undisclosed * (five figure sum)*, Pablo Bastianini, Quilmes Atlético Club, August 2005
• Highest victory in the Football League: 6–0 vs. Newport County, 15 September 2018
• Heaviest defeat in the Football League: 0–6 vs. Stevenage, 14 April 2012, 2–8 vs. Luton Town, 5 August 2017

Yeovil Town W.F.C.

After the merging of Bridgwater Town and Yeovil United (previously Yeovil Town Ladies) into Bridgwater United W.F.C. in 2021, the return of Yeovil Town's Women's Football Club (YTWFC) was announced in January 2023. In June, players from Sherborne Town Ladies and Ilminster Town Ladies were signed to the team ahead of the 2023-2024 season, as well as coaching staff from both clubs joining the team.**

In September 2023, Yeovil Town W.F.C. joined the Somerset County Women's League, playing in Division One, with homes games at the Somerton Recreation Ground. In January 2024, the women's team reached the top of the division after winning 10 consecutive games.

Coaching staff

As 17 July 2025

Notes

References

References

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