Yeovil Town: New stewardship needs to give club care, says manager Mark Cooper

Yeovil Town have been in the National League since 2019 after a 16-year spell as an EFL club

Yeovil Town needs to get "back up on its feet" says manager Mark Cooper, after the club was placed under the new stewardship of SU Glovers.

SU Glovers was set up in December 2022 by Julie-Ann Uggla and Matthew Uggla, according to Companies House.

Matthew Uggla was at Huish Park for Yeovil's draw with Altrincham on Tuesday alongside former England rugby union player Paul Sackey.

Sackey is believed to be involved in the new venture.

"That's the most important one, to get this club back on its feet and give it a little bit of love and care that it deserves because it's been run down for a long time," Cooper told BBC Radio Somerset.

"Then it's to recapture the enthusiasm of the fans because this place can be a fortress."

Chairman Scott Priestnall took over the National League side in 2019 but has been a controversial figure.

In December he said that the club had entered into a "period of exclusivity with a preferred party to become a majority shareholder' as he looked to sell.

"We are committed to working with the community to build a successful and thriving club," the statement from SU Glovers said.

"We recognise that there have been historical tensions and issues, and we aim to work together with the community to address and fix those issues.

"Our vision for Yeovil Town is to create a club that is not only successful on the field, but also plays an integral role in the community."

'Overriding feeling is cautious optimism'

Yeovil were relegated to the fifth tier in 2019 ending 16 years in the English Football League.

They are 19th in the National League and only out of the relegation zone on goal difference, having not won in their last six matches.

Yet questions remain over what the stewardship means in terms of the club's ownership and its long-term stability.

"People are hanging on that word stewardship and whether it means there is a physical handing over of the deeds to the company," Ben Barrett, presenter of the Gloverscast podcast, told BBC Radio Somerset.

"I think the overriding feeling is a cautious optimism because it's not just the long-term stuff we need to sort out it's the here and now.

"We need to get out of trouble at the bottom of the table but if SU Glovers can start to do some of the things that they talk about in their statement, working with the community - we have a wonderful community sports trust that just needs the freedom to go and make stuff happen."