+- Sports Babble - sports forum (https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk)
+-- Forum: Football (https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: English Football Leagues (https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?fid=2)
+---- Forum: National League (https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?fid=193)
+----- Forum: Yeovil (https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?fid=98)
+----- Thread: Mark Cooper (/showthread.php?tid=11836)
Mark Cooper - themaclad - 31-10-2022
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".
RE: Mark Cooper - themaclad - 01-08-2024
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.