Yeovil Town Season Preview: fresh mentality needed

Since Yeovil Town’s promotion to the Championship in 2013, it’s fair to say the club has not had much to cheer. Can the club bring the good times back under the current regime? Supporter Sheridan Robins has her say on what needs to change…

Mentality is a huge one. For so long we had this losing mentality and that is so hard to get out of. We lost key players and never really replaced them. Hopefully now, we have come to terms with where we are, in the third tier, and try and get that winning feeling back.

You’ve had the best defensive record in the bottom half of League Two for two seasons – and went 466 minutes without conceding last year. Does the rear-guard, including goalkeeper Artur Krysiak and defender Nathan Smith, deserve credit?

Definitely. Our problem was always going forward. Krysiak has his moments but overall he is a top goalkeeper and kept us in many matches last season. As for Nathan Smith, over the past season or so he has become our best player. He rarely makes a mistake and has a good attacking part to his game too now.

Key centre-back Alex Lacey has left for Gillingham. Given that Stephane Zubar has played most recently in the seventh tier with Weymouth, he’s surely got big shoes to fill?

Losing Lacey was a big blow. He really became a man last season and it is unsurprising to me he has moved on to bigger things. However, Zubar has experience and I think alongside the right players, we should be able to get the best out of him. I won’t judge him on where he was playing last season, non-league has a lot of talent in it, that is for sure.

Right winger Kevin Dawson and midfielder Matty Dolan are two other well-regarded figures who have left. Will you miss their work rate?

Definitely. I would have loved both of them to say and I think where they have gone is disappointing as I don’t feel Cheltenham and Newport are necessarily big steps up. But I wish them both luck in their new ventures. They were fantastic servants and leaders on the pitch and had passion. There would never be any hard feelings towards either of them.

Connor Smith joins with good reviews from Plymouth. Do you hope he’ll add some energy to the midfield?

I am really excited by this signing. When we get the ball down and play, we look good – always have done. So, if we can have some creativity in the middle then we may well do something in the league. He has the right amount of experience too.

New signing Rhys Browne stood out in the National League due to his pace. Are you hopeful that he’ll develop other sides to his game at a higher level?

Pace is something we have lacked in recent years, we often don’t hurt teams enough so I am hoping he will be hungry and ready to show the league what he is about. No doubt being with a league club will help develop his overall game.

Despite injuries, striker Francois Zoko and winger Otis Khan finished your top scorers with 21 goals combined in all forms. Are you pleased both have signed two-year deals?

Very pleased. Losing Dolan and Dawson were huge blows, so to have two of our best players from last season commit their future to the club was a welcome development. Khan is certainly one to watch. He was injured for a while last season but his creativity, pace and work ethic makes him a fantastic number 10. Zoko needs some support but there is no doubt he knows where the back of the net is.

Your only right-back at the time of writing is new utility man James Bailey. Do you expect another to come in?

I think we will bring in someone else, yes. I would expect us to use the loan market for a right back and striker. Swansea and Everton have been good to us over the years.

Terry Skiverton’s new contract means you’ve got one club stalwart as an assistant and another, Darren Way, as manager. Does this create a sense of identity? Or should John Fry look to appoint the most qualified coaches possible for the roles?

There is no doubting their love and commitment to the club. And for that I will always be thankful. However, I do think we should probably at least bring in someone to help them as sometimes we look tactically naive – particularly in the last few minutes of matches.

What are your thoughts ahead of the League Two season as a whole? Any potential dark horses for you?

Forest Green are ones I will be watching closely. They have done some decent business and whatever you think of the club, they have done well over the past few years. I also expect Carlisle to be there or there abouts again. It should be an interesting season – I don’t expect any side to run away with it.

Where will you finish?

This is so tough as I am always far too optimistic and I have not seen any of the new signings in action. There has already been talk at Yeovil about the play-offs but I think not flirting with relegation would be nice – we should not have last season! So, I am going to go with 12th.

The Football Lab’s Verdict

Yeovil lack firepower at the top end of the pitch while at the other, Lacey is yet to be convincingly replaced. Smith is a decent signing but the lack of off-field leadership is a deep-running problem which may lead to the unfortunate drop. 23rd