The 2016–17 season was the 14th season in the Football League and the second consecutive season at the fourth tier of English football played by Yeovil Town Football Club, an English football club based in Yeovil, Somerset.
It was manager Darren Way's first full season in charge, and he signed fourteen players on permanent and loan contracts before the close of the summer transfer window. After winning their opening game, Yeovil lost six of their next seven matches leaving them in the relegation zone in September before an improved run of form, including eight matches unbeaten saw the club rise into the play-offs after a 5–0 victory against Crawley Town in December. This though was the highpoint of the season as Yeovil only won three of their final 27 matches as the club slid dangerously towards the relegation zone, but safety was confirmed with one match to spare as Yeovil finished the season in 20th place.
The club were knocked out in the first round of the FA Cup, losing to non-league side Solihull Moors in a replay, while the Glovers progressed to the second round of the EFL Cup losing to Premier League side Everton. The club also reached the quarter-finals of the revamped EFL Trophy, losing to Luton Town. Ivorian striker François Zoko finished as the club's top goalscorer with thirteen goals, with eight of them coming in the league.
Background
The 2015–16 season saw Yeovil compete in the fourth tier of English football following their successive relegations from the Championship and then League One. The season started poorly with the club suffering a series of injury crises and only winning two league matches by the end of November. With a third consecutive relegation a real possibility the club sacked manager Paul Sturrock, and replaced him with first-team coach Darren Way. After his appointment, Yeovil's form improved including a run of four consecutive 1–0 wins in March and eight clean-sheets in nine matches and safety was confirmed with four matches to spare as Yeovil finished the season in 19th place. Yeovil reached the third round of the FA Cup, for the third consecutive season for the first time in the club's history, losing in a penalty shootout to Carlisle United. The club also reached the southern area semi-finals of the Football League Trophy, losing to Oxford United.
The end of the season saw Way release eight players, including Jack Compton, Jordan Gibbons, Simon Gillett, Shaun Jeffers, Marc Laird, Leroy Lita, Jakub Sokolík and Chris Weale, while the club terminated the contracts of Mark Beck and Wes Fogden a year early. Six players were offered new contracts by Darren Way, defender Nathan Smith and Ivorian striker François Zoko agreed new one-year contracts, while goalkeeper Artur Krysiak, Ryan Dickson and Omar Sowunmi all agreed two-year contract extensions. Defensive midfielder Ben Tozer verbally agreed a new contract subject to him passing a medical after recovering from an operation on his knee. but later rejected the offer to sign for Newport County.
Review
Pre-season
The squad returned for pre-season training on 1 July. The first day of pre-season saw the arrival of three new signings, attacking midfielder Otis Khan joined from Barnsley on a free transfer signing a one-year contract, forward Tom Eaves also signed for a year having been released from Bolton Wanderers, while defender Liam Shephard rejoined on a six-month loan deal from Swansea City. The following day Yeovil confirmed two further signings, former West Bromwich Albion full-back Josh Ezewele, and midfielder Joe Lea from Southampton both on one-year contracts. On 8 July, Yeovil confirmed the signing of winger Ryan Hedges on a six-month loan deal from Swansea City.
Yeovil's first friendly of the season saw them travel to Southern League Premier side Dorchester Town, on 12 July. Yeovil's squad included eight trialists, and one of those former Norwich City forward Jamar Loza scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory. One of those eight trialists former Leicester City goalkeeper Jonny Maddison became the club's seventh signing, on 14 July, joining on a one-year contract. On 16 July, Yeovil played their second pre-season friendly a home fixture against Championship side Bristol City, and suffered a 2–1 defeat with Tom Eaves scoring Yeovil's goal.