During the close season we will look at our opponents in the EFL2 this season.
Last Season’s finish: 19th
Nickname: The Glovers
Ground: Huish Park
Capacity: 9,565
Last Season - summary:
The first campaign in England’s fourth tier for ten years was a disappointing one for the Glovers. After relegation from League One the previous season, Paul Sturrock oversaw wholesale changes with no fewer than 19 new faces arriving at the club. But the changes didn’t have the desired effect, and with just two wins by the end of November Sturrock was sacked and replaced by Darren Way. Results under Way did improve and the club managed to avoid a second successive drop.
Manager: Darren Way
Way spent his playing days as a tough-tackling central midfielder and moved to Yeovil Town from Norwich City in 2000. He went on to make over 200 appearances for the club and won a place in the League Two ‘Team of the Year’ in 2004/05 season. He departed to Swansea City in 2006 before returning to the club on loan and then permanently in 2008.
He became first-team coach in 2010, before becoming assistant in 2015 and stepping into the manager’s role last year.
Key Man: Artur Krysiak
The Polish goalkeeper previously played in the Scottish Premier League for Gretna and Motherwell. He went on to represent Swansea City, Burton Albion and Exeter City in the Football League.
Krysiak made over 100 appearances for Exeter City from 2010 to 2014, before moving to Huish Park where he has already made over 50 appearances for the club.
Press View: Tom Seymour - Sports Editor at the Western Gazette
Last season:
To use a well-worn footballing cliché, it was very much a game of two halves in 2015-16. The start of the season was disappointing as the hangover of back-to-back relegations remained and it left the Glovers at the foot of the table by Christmas.
This poor run of form cost Paul Sturrock his job as manager and there was more than a little reservation when Darren Way was appointed as the Scot’s successor on an interim basis. Way quickly won everyone but the most cynical around, though, with a string of victories and important points that saw Yeovil secure their survival with four games remaining.
Star man:
As is often the case at Huish Park, loanees played a big part last term. Swansea City right-back Connor Roberts – who played every minute of every game bar one due to an international call-up – and classy Everton midfielder Liam Walsh stood out, but of course have both returned to their parent clubs now.
Goalkeeper Artur Krysiak was also a key figure, keeping nine clean-sheets once Way had taken charge, whilst eight league goals from Francois Zoko were also crucial as the Glovers often struggled in the final third.
Prediction:
The form under Way put Yeovil among the top half of the table and there is little reason to think that a position among the top 12 in Sky Bet League Two should not be a realistic target for the South Somerset club in 2016-17.
Anything more than that would be a bonus, with a three-year plan to return to League One set out by the club.