The 2005–06 season was the third season in the Football League and the first season at the third tier of English football played by Yeovil Town Football Club, an English football club based in Yeovil, Somerset.
Yeovil began their first campaign in League One with a run of six games without a win. After an upturn in form, manager Gary Johnson left the club for West Country rivals Bristol City. His assistant Steve Thompson oversaw the rest of the campaign, inconsistent form plighted the season but even after the loss of Darren Way and Lee Johnson in January, the club's League One status was confirmed with a game to spare.
The team reached the second round of the FA Cup before losing 2–0 away at fellow League One side Walsall. The team also reached the second round of the Football League Cup knocking out Championship side Ipswich Town before losing to Millwall, while in the Football League Trophy the club were knocked by Leyton Orient in the first round. Forward Phil Jevons was the club's top goalscorer for the second consecutive season scoring 16 goals, with 15 in the league and one in the FA Cup.
Background
The 2004–05 season was the club's second season in the Football League and manager Gary Johnson's fourth season in charge. The end of the season saw the team celebrate promotion from League Two as champions. The club released five players including Latvian international Andrejs Štolcers while Polish striker Bartosz Tarachulski rejected the club's offer of a new contract.
Four further players were offered new contracts, Colin Miles agreeing a new one-year contract while Adam Lockwood agreed a month-to-month deal. Youngsters Stephen Reed and Dale Williams both signed new one deals. Additionally player/assistant manager Steve Thompson agreed a new two-year contract. While goalkeeper Daniel Barker and midfielder Richard Cullingford entered the first team squad from the youth team after agreeing their first professional contracts. The close season also saw manager Gary Johnson reject an approach from Championship side Derby County.
Review Pre-season
The squad returned for pre-season training on 1 July. The first day of pre-season saw the arrival of four new signings, striker Matt Harrold joined from Brentford for a nominal fee, while left-back Nathan Jones signed following his release from Brighton & Hove Albion, winger David Poole joined after his release from Manchester United, and defender Luke Oliver signed for an undisclosed five-figure sum from Conference side Woking.
On 5 July, Yeovil set off for their Dutch training base for a pre-season tour for three matches against German opposition. The squad was joined by a selection of trialists including former Arsenal trainee Eric Obinna. Yeovil's first friendly saw them record a 1–0 victory over Regionalliga Nord side SC Preußen Münster courtesy of a Phil Jevons penalty, Yeovil then faced the reserve team of Bayer 04 Leverkusen winning the match 2–1 with goals from Adam Lockwood and Lee Johnson. Yeovil concluded their tour with a 7–1 defeat against 2. Bundesliga side Leichtathletik Rasensport Ahlen with Obinna scoring Yeovil's consolation goal, but that was the last contribution for Obinna as he was released upon Yeovil's return home. Upon the club's return, they briefly took former Nottingham Forest striker Craig Westcarr on trial, before their first home friendly of the season against Premier League side Portsmouth. Yeovil suffered a 4–2 defeat with Paul Terry and Darren Way scoring for the Glovers. The following day Yeovil traveled to Burgess Hill Town, and a collection of squad players and trialists recorded a 4–0 victory with goals from Stephen Reed, David Poole, Luke Oliver and Scott Guyett. In mid-July, young winger Dale Williams received his first two Wales under-19 caps in friendlies against Turkey.
Yeovil then had two more friendly matches in consecutive days, first a 3–1 win against Dorchester Town with goals from Kevin Gall, Jevons and Matt Harrold, followed by a trip to Staines Town again winning 3–1 with goals from Terry, trialist Paul Bastin, who was later revealed to be Pablo Bastianini, and Harrold. On 23 July, Yeovil hosted newly promoted Premier League West Ham United, a game which saw the return of Gavin Williams who received his League Two winners medals before the match. A crowd of 8,382 watch Yeovil record a 2–2 draw with Bastianini and Gall scoring the Glovers' goals. Three days later Yeovil lost 3–1 at home against relegated Premier League side Southampton. The following day Yeovil travelled to face Conference side Woking, for a benefit match for former manager Colin Lippiatt, the Glovers won the match 2–0 with goals from trialist Luciano Álvarez and Poole. Yeovil's pre-season schedule concluded with a 1–1 draw against Cheltenham Town and a 3–0 win against Tiverton Town.
After a successful trial Argentine striker Pablo Bastianini signed from Quilmes for an undisclosed club record fee, signing a two-year contract. With manager Gary Johnson, saying of the fee, "we have signed him for a club record fee but that will remain undisclosed. All I can say is that it is not six figures which some people are presuming."
+ Pre-season match detailsDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendancePreußen MünsterAW2–1Obinna, Jevons650Bayer 04 Leverkusen IIAW2–1Lockwood, Johnson168LR AhlenAL1–7Obinna1,200PortsmouthHL2–4Terry, Way4,417Burgess Hill TownAW4–0Reed, Poole, Oliver, Guyett340Dorchester TownAW3–1Gall, Jevons, HarroldStaines TownAW3–1Terry, Bastianini, Harrold308West Ham UnitedHD2–2Bastianini, Gall8,382SouthamptonHL1–3Way5,761WokingAW2–0Álvarez, Poole479Cheltenham TownAD1–1Jevons946Tiverton TownAW3–0Guyett, Oliver, Reed785
August Yeovil's season opener in their first season in League One saw them travel to Oldham Athletic, on 6 August. Without record signing Pablo Bastianini whose international clearance had failed to come through Yeovil lost the match 2–0. On the same day a Yeovil Town XI side faced Sherborne Town in a friendly match and recorded a 3–0 win with Argentine trialist Luciano Álvarez scoring a brace and Dale Williams with the third. On 9 August, defender Scott Guyett joined Conference side Aldershot Town on a one-month loan deal, that evening Yeovil drew 0–0 with Rotherham United in their first home match in League One. Following the match defender Adam Lockwood signed a new one-year contract, On 13 August, Yeovil drew 1–1 with Blackpool with Kevin Amankwaah scoring Yeovil's first goal of the season. Young defender Stephen Reed joined Woking on a short-term loan deal, while Arron Davies scored in a 3–1 victory for Wales under-21s against Malta. On 18 August, record signing Pablo Bastiaini finally received his international clearance, and the following day Yeovil signed a second Argentine, Luciano Álvarez signing a four-month contract after a successful trial. Bastianini's debut though saw Yeovil lost 1–0 away at Barnsley a result which saw Yeovil fall to the foot of the table. On 23 August, Yeovil faced Championship side Ipswich Town in the first round of the League Cup. Yeovil recorded their first victory of the season with Darren Way and Kevin Gall both scoring in a 2–0 win. With the transfer deadline looming, Yeovil rejected a bid in the region of £100,000 from Swansea City for the services of Lee Johnson, while defender Michael Rose joined Cheltenham Town on a month's loan deal. but forward Kevin Gall rejected a move to Carlisle United after the two club had agreed an unspecified fee. On 27 August, Yeovil lost 4–2 to Swindon Town, with Bastianini scoring his first goal for the club after just 26 seconds. Three days later Yeovil completed a winless month in the league, losing 3–1 at home to Chesterfield with Álvarez scoring his first Yeovil goal. Transfer deadline day saw Yeovil bring in Liam Fontaine on loan from Fulham, while Luke Oliver returned to Woking on loan, and Dale Williams joined Tiverton Town on loan.
September
Yeovil began September by recording their first League victory of the season, winning 1–0 away at Hartlepool United, with Pablo Bastianini's header enough for victory. Arron Davies who missed the match appeared in two more matches for Wales under-21s. On 10 September, Yeovil recorded their second successive win a 2–1 victory over Walsall to move off the foot of the table, with Phil Jevons scoring his first goal of the season. The following week saw the extension of Scott Guyett's loan at Aldershot Town for a further month, the signing of Uruguayan defender Alejandro Meloño on a short-term contract and the departure of Andy Lindegaard on loan to Crawley Town. On 17 September, Yeovil drew 1–1 away at Bradford City, while Stephen Reed having returned from his loan at Woking was immediately sent out on loan to Aldershot Town. Yeovil then faced Millwall in the second round of the League Cup, after being reduced to ten-men Yeovil were knocked out losing 2–1. The game turned out to be the last match at Yeovil for manager Gary Johnson, who left the club to join West Country rivals Bristol City. Johnson departed after four seasons in which he had overseen two promotions and victory in the FA Trophy. Johnson's assistant Steve Thompson took over as caretaker boss and recorded a 1–0 victory in his first match in charge against Port Vale, with summer signing Matt Harrold scoring his first goal for the club. On 27 September, Yeovil travelled to Southend United and despite taking the lead courtesy of a Jevons free-kick ultimately lost 4–1. The end of September also saw Thompson bring in former Yeovil goalkeeper Len Bond as the club's new goalkeeping coach.
October Yeovil started October with a trip to Scunthorpe United and after trailing 2–0 inside the first 20 minutes, Yeovil mounted a remarkable comeback to win the match 4–3 with goals from Darren Way, Phil Jevons and a brace from first-half substitute Matt Harrold. That result was enough to convince the Yeovil board to appoint manager Steve Thompson on a permanent basis. Thompson celebrated his permanent appointment with a 1–0 victory over league leaders Swansea City, a result which saw Yeovil rise to eighth in the table. On 10 October, Yeovil appointed former Plymouth Argyle manager Kevin Hodges as their new assistant manager to work with Steve Thompson. Yeovil then faced two away matches recording a goalless draw against Gillingham, before losing 2–0 to Leyton Orient in the first round of the Football League Trophy. The Gillingham match saw midfielder Darren Way suffer a fractured cheekbone and eye socket that ruled him out for four weeks. On 20 October, Yeovil confirmed Andy Lindegaard had extended his loan at Crawley Town for another month. On 22 October, Yeovil recorded an impressive a 3–0 win against Nottingham Forest, with Jevons scoring a brace. On 24 October, the club confirmed the departure of Uruguay Alejandro Meloño after his contract terminated by mutual consent having only started two matches. Yeovil ended the month losing 3–2 away at Colchester United.
November