The Yeovil Story

As I start to write this Paddy Madden has just put Yeovil ahead in the League One playoff final.

I remember Yeovil from the dim and distant past being giantkillers in the F.A.Cup on their famously sloping football pitch. What has happened? They are on the verge of being a Championship team so their story must be one worth researching.

Google tells me that:

They were founded in 1895 and took 108 years to make it to the Football League by winning the Football Conference in 2003.

In more detail:

2012/13 - They are currently competing in the League One Playoff Final at Wembley
2011/12 - 17th in League One
2010/11 - 14th in League One
2009/10 - 15th in League One
2008/09 - 17th in League One
2007/08 - 18th in League One
2006/07 - 5th in League One
2005/06 - 15th in League One
2004/05 - CHAMPIONS of League Two
2003/04 - 8th in the Third Division (before it became League Two)

Fame: Yeovil were the very first champions of the inaugural League Two.

I think this demonstrates just how difficult it gets when you get higher up the pyramid. Yeovil are vying for promotion to the Championship but they have to hold out against Brentford in the match I am watching.

So what happened before they became a Football League club?

Apparently Yeovil Rugby Club staged Association Football from the 1890/91 season but the full establishment of Yeovil Casuals took place in 1895. They had some great local matches against Petters United but eventually the two teams merged and the club was renamed Yeovil Football and Athletic Club Ltd in 1923.

Note: James Hayter has just added a second goal so Yeovil are looking favourites to win.

I researched the below during the second half. Brentford scored but Yeovil held out.

One more step and they can join Wigan as a team that reached the Premiership via the pyramid.

2012	-13	League One Playoff Final	4th	PROMOTION WON
2011	-12	League One	17th
2010	-11	League One	14th
2009	-10	League One	15th
2008	-09	League One	17th
2007	-08	League One	18th
2006	-07	League One Playoff Final	5th
2005	-06	League One	15th
2004	-05	League Two	CHAMPIONS	First season as League Two
2003	-04	Football League Division Three	8th	Last season as 3rd Division
2002	-03	Football Conference	CHAMPIONS	22 teams
2001	-02	Football Conference	3rd	22 teams
2000	-01	Football Conference	2nd	22 teams
1999	-00	Football Conference	7th	22 teams
1998	-99	Football Conference	5th	22 teams
1997	-98	Football Conference	11th	22 teams
1996	-97	Isthmian League	CHAMPIONS	22 teams
1995	-96	Isthmian League	4th	22 teams
1994	-95	Football Conference	22nd	22 teams RELEGATED
1993	-94	Football Conference	19th	22 teams
1992	-93	Football Conference	4th	22 teams
1991	-92	Football Conference	15th	22 teams
1990	-91	Football Conference	14th	22 teams
1989	-90	Football Conference	7th	22 teams
1988	-89	Football Conference	9th	21 teams
1987	-88	Isthmian League	CHAMPIONS	22 teams
1986	-87	Isthmian League	2nd	22 teams
1985	-86	Isthmian League	2nd	22 teams
1984	-85	Alliance Premier League	22nd	22 teams RELEGATED
1983	-84	Alliance Premier League	20th	22 teams
1982	-83	Alliance Premier League	20th	22 teams
1981	-82	Alliance Premier League	13th	22 teams
1980	-81	Alliance Premier League	14th	20 teams
1979	-80	Alliance Premier League	12th	20 teams
1978	-79	Southern League Premier Division	9th
1977	-78	Southern League Premier Division	12th
1976	-77	Southern League Premier Division	7th
1975	-76	Southern League Premier Division	2nd
1974	-75	Southern League Premier Division	3rd
1973	-74	Southern League Premier Division	6th
1972	-73	Southern League Premier Division	2nd
1971	-72	Southern League Premier Division	7th
1970	-71	Southern League Premier Division	CHAMPIONS
1969	-70	Southern League Premier Division	2nd
1968	-69	Southern League Premier Division	8th
1967	-68	Southern League Premier Division	12th
1966	-67	Southern League Premier Division	14th
1965	-66	Southern League Premier Division	9th
1964	-65	Southern League Premier Division	4th
1963	-64	Southern League Premier Division	CHAMPIONS
1962	-63	Southern League Premier Division	11th
1961	-62	Southern League Premier Division	4th
1960	-61	Southern League Premier Division	3rd
1959	-60	Southern League Premier Division	11th
1958	-59	Southern League South Eastern Zone	4th	Big Football Restructuring
1957	-58	Southern League	13th
1956	-57	Southern League	16th
1955	-56	Southern League	3rd
1954	-55	Southern League	CHAMPIONS
1953	-54	Southern League	3rd
1952	-53	Southern League	18th
1951	-52	Southern League	17th
1950	-51	Southern League	13th
1949	-50	Southern League	3rd
1948	-49	Southern League	8th
1947	-48	Southern League	8th
1946	-47	Southern League	4th	Yeovil Town
1945	-46	Southern League	6th	Yeovil & Petters United
1944	-45	WORLD WAR 2
1943	-44	WORLD WAR 2
1942	-43	WORLD WAR 2
1941	-42	WORLD WAR 2
1940	-41	WORLD WAR 2
1939	-40	WORLD WAR 2
1938	-39	Southern League	5th
1937	-38	Southern League	4th
1936	-37	Southern League	7th
1935	-36	Southern League Western Division	7th
1934	-35	Southern League Western Division	CHAMPIONS
1933	-34	Southern League Western Division	5th
1932	-33	Southern League Western Division	5th
1931	-32	Southern League Western Division	CHAMPIONS
1930	-31	MYSTERY
1929	-30	Southern League Western Division	5th
1928	-29	Southern League Western Division	10th
1927	-28	Southern League Western Division	9th
1926	-27	Southern League Western Division	12th
1925	-26	Southern League Western Division	7th
1924	-25	Southern League Western Division	11th
1923	-24	Southern League Western Division	CHAMPIONS
1922	-23	Southern League English Section	17th