[themaclad]

Former Barrow boss Mark Cooper has been appointed the new First Team Manager of Yeovil Town on a three season deal.
Mark Cooper has extensive management experience in the EFL and National League
Yeovil Town have appointed former Barrow AFC boss Mark Cooper as their manager on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

The 53-year-old has previously managed 10 clubs across the EFL and National League, leading Swindon Town to the League One play-off final in 2015.

He also oversaw Forest Green Rovers' promotion to the EFL in 2017.

"He is a manager I've admired for a long time," said club chairman Scott Priestnall. "Mark has the promotion credentials we are looking for."

Cooper left Barrow by mutual consent in March this year whilst he was serving an eight-match ban for comments he made to a female assistant referee.

The club was sitting just outside the League Two relegation zone at the time.

'This can be a big club'
Yeovil director Stuart Robins had said the club was looking for an 'experienced manager' to replace former boss Chris Hargreaves, who was sacked last week.

"It's good to be here," Cooper, who had a 22-year playing career spanning 17 clubs, told Yeovil's website following his appointment.

"I already know a few of the players and staff so I'm excited and really looking forward to it.

"If you look historically, this can be a big club. We need to unite; the players, the supporters. Everybody needs to come together and that can play such a big part."

The Glovers are currently 21st in the National League and occupy the final relegation place, one point adrift of safety.

They have won just once in their last 10 games in all competitions and scored just twice in their last seven games.

Challenging for promotion 'won't be easy'
Analysis - BBC Radio Somerset's Richard Hoskin

Mark Cooper comes to Huish Park with an encouraging CV for a National League manager.

Short term, his first job will be to get the team up the league table, and scoring goals. No team in the National League has scored fewer goals than Yeovil this season.

Long term, I'm sure his ambition will be to get the club challenging for promotion back into the Football League.

That won't be easy. He joins a football club where many supporters are concerned about issues off the pitch.

Mark Cooper will most likely be aware of those issues - and in his opening comments via the club, he said "we need to unite".

[themaclad]

Mark Cooper has extended his stay as Yeovil Town manager, signing a new three year deal.

The 55-year-old took The Glovers back up to the National League last season after winning the National League South title.

"I could not be more pleased that Mark has agreed to stay with the club on a three-year contract renewal," club owner and chairman Martin Hellier told the club's official website., external

"Fourteen record wins in a row, attendance records smashed, and several other accolades are all testament to Mark’s prowess as a manager and his commitment to the club."

Former Forest Green boss Cooper was appointed Glovers head coach in October 2022 under previous ownership, but could not save them from relegation to the sixth tier.

But last season the Somerset side won 29 of their 46 games to finish 11 points clear at the top of the table.

Hellier also confirmed that he would be "injecting more funds into the player budget" to "fine tune" the squad at Huish Park ahead of their upcoming campaign which begins next Saturday, at home to Hartlepool.

Cooper has already recruited seven signings in the summer transfer window, including Southampton goalkeeper Oliver Wright on loan and 20-year-old striker Harvey Greenslade.

[themaclad]

Yeovil Town have sacked manager Mark Cooper less than 24 hours after their 4-3 defeat to Gateshead.

Cooper has been "relieved of his duties" following three losses and a draw from their opening five National League fixtures which has left them 18th in the table.

Cooper was appointed Yeovil boss in October 2022 and after experiencing relegation in his first season won immediate promotion from National League South.

Assistant coach Richard Dryden is to take up interim coaching duties as Yeovil search for Cooper's replacement.

"We would like to place on record our thanks to Mark for his commitment to this club through some very difficult times and also his achievements during his three years at Huish Park," read a statement on the club website., external

"We wish him every success in his future endeavours."

Cooper's time at Huish Park has coincided with a turbulent period of instability off the field.

In March 2023, the group SU Glovers announced they were "in charge" of the club but their takeover fell through two months later, prompting local businessman and boyhood fan Martin Hellier to step in.

Although Cooper achieved promotion in 2023-24, the relationship between Hellier and fans turned sour with the former owner banning some from attending Huish Park due to remarks made on social media.

Amid an intensely divisive environment, Cooper took Yeovil to 18th place last season with Hellier selling to entrepreneur Prabhu Srinivasan in May.


Safe to say, Mark Cooper has stuck around at the club in some difficult times - with two changes of club ownership.

He did provide the club a piece of silverware - winning the National League South at the first time of asking - but too many draws (11) and too many losses (20) last season and into this new campaign, the defeat at home to Gateshead was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Even before Bank Holiday Monday, Yeovil fans wanted Cooper gone. This only intensified once Gateshead levelled the scores after the Glovers had taken a 3-0 lead.

Chants of "we want Cooper out" rang around Huish Park. As the fourth was scored and the full-time whistle blew, supporters in unison got out of their seats and marched towards the exit immediately.

Personally, I think it's the right decision. Every manager runs their course and can do no more at the football club. This is just Cooper's time to go.

Fans have already given their suggestions for who they think should be the next man in charge: Scott Bartlett from Weston-super-Mare, John Askey from Truro and even Matt Taylor, the ex-Bristol Rovers boss.