As has so often been the case in the history of Yeovil Town Football Club, a change of manager also meant a change in fortunes of the team in the 1960/61 season. Under Basil Hayward, who had been appointed in April, Yeovil Town climbed to third place in the Premier Division of the Southern League, added another Football League 'scalp' to the long list of successes in the F.A. Cup and won the Southern League Cup for the second time. But even though the Club had a successful season, attendances were still on the decline with the average 'gate' falling to 3,173.

The season got underway with a 2-0 win at home to Cambridge City, Tony Pounder and Dave Taylor getting the goals. Yeovil's biggest victories were against Bedford Town (10-0), Wisbech Town (9-0), Boston United (8-0), Hastings United (7-0) and Weymouth (7-1). In fact, Town were the League's leading goalscorers with 109 and conceded only 54. Only two home defeats were suffered all season, Guildford City and Weymouth both winning 1-0.

Oxford United, who had just changed their name from Headington United, won the Championship with 64 points and Boston United dropped out of the Southern League.

Dave Taylor scored the winning goal against Walsall in the FA Cup.

In the F.A. Cup Yeovil reached the First Round after an easy 4-0 win against Trowbridge Town at Frome Road. The draw was unkind, for it brought a trip to Walsall, then top of the Third Division. Yeovil took the lead after 27 minutes of the match with a goal from Dave Taylor - the 300 travelling supporters watching their team hold on for another famous victory. At times it seemed as if the clock in the stand at Fellows Park had stopped! This was Walsall's only home defeat of the season, which they finished by winning promotion to the Second Division.

The Yeovil Town team on duty that day was: Dave Jones, Mike Lyons, Basil Hayward, Bill Albury, Derek Blackburn, Bobby McLaughlin, Tony Pounder, Danny Paton, Jim Kelly, Dave Taylor, and Ernie Ashe.

In the Second Round Yeovil were drawn away to Bournemouth, going out of the competition with a 3-1 defeat.

Consolation came in the form of the Southern League Cup, successes over Trowbridge Town, Weymouth, Merthyr Tydfil, Hereford United and Guilford City bringing a tussle against Chelmsford City in the final. The first leg was played at Huish and Yeovil won 3-0. But the Essex side won the return by the same scoreline, which meant a toss of the coin for choice of venue for the decider. Fortunately, the coin came down in Yeovil's favour and, on 28th April, Chelmsford City flew down to Yeovil for the game. Two goals from Dave Taylor gave Yeovil the Cup once again in front of 5,172 spectators.

The season ended up on a sad note when it became time to say 'goodbye' to Danny Paton, who had ended his spell of National Service and was returning to Scotland to play for Hearts (he later went on to gain Scottish Under 23 Cap). There was many a tearful eye that afternoon as Danny was chaired off the pitch to the strains of 'There was a Scottish Soldier'. However, another Scot was doing his National Service at Houndstone Camp during the season and joined the Club.... George Muir.

The season's first team playing staff was, goalkeepers: Jones, Fowler, full-backs: Harris, Robshaw, Lyons (from Swindon Town), Hayward (Portsmouth), half-backs: Blackburn, McLaughlin, O'Donnell, Topping, Albury (Gillingham), Muir (Hibernian), forwards: Pounder, Paton, Pacey, Coughlin, Phillips, Kelly (Swindon Town), Taylor (Portsmouth) and Ashe (Leicester City).

Dave Taylor was the only player to take part in all the fifty nine games played, scoring fifty nine goals in the process.

Link: 1960-61 First Team Fixtures And Results.

Link: 1960-61 First Team Scorers.

The 1961/62 season opened with a 3-0 reverse at Guilford City followed by a 2-0 defeat at Oxford United in the Championship play-off between the Southern League champions and Southern League Cup Winners. Then, in the first home game of the campaign, Dave Taylor scored five times as Yeovil recorded a fine 8-2 win against Merthyr Tydfil. Yeovil's first opponents in the FA Cup were Andover, who they met at the Fourth Qualifying Round stage, with goals from Dennis Coughlin, Terry Foley, Dave Taylor and Ernie Ashe seeing Town into the first Round once again in the comfortable win at Huish. Missing from the Yeovil side that day was George Muir, who had injured his shoulder while playing for the British Army Team. Drawn away against Third Division Notts County in the First Round the men in green and while went down 4-2 in front of 11,375 spectators at Meadow Lane, Terry Foley and Dave Taylor scoring the Yeovil goals.

Bill Albury, who was a mainstay of the Glovers side during this period.

The team was: Dave Jones, Mike Lyons, Len Harris, Bobby McLaughlin, Derek Blackburne, Bill Albury, Tony Pounder, Dennis Coughlin, Terry Foley, Dave Taylor and Ernie Ashe.

The team suffered a set-back in December when player-manager Basil Hayward had to go into hospital for a cartilage operation. This put him out of action as a player for the rest of the season. Had it not been for this, it is just possible Yeovil Town would have been playing in the Football League by the following season .....

Early in 1962 there was a good deal of talk in football circles about the formation of a Fifth Division of the Football League. The club's response was to introduce a new competition called the 'League Fighting Fund' in an effort to raise some additional revenue should the new league materialise. At the same time, a new Weekly Lottery was launched with a first prize of £100.

Then, in March of 1962, came the demise of Accrington Stanley due to bankruptcy and it became certain that the top club in the Southern League at the end of the season would take their place in the Fourth Division of the Football League at the end of the season.

Yeovil Town were in fifth place at the time, nine points behind leaders Oxford United, competition for the Championship taking on an entirely new meaning. Despite defeating Oxford United 4-3 (a Dennis Coughlin hat-trick with Terry Foley scoring the other) in the last home match of the season, Yeovil could not overtake United and finished in fourth place with 54 points - seven points behind the Manor Ground side with Bath City and Guilford City sandwiched in between.

Earlier in the year, a dispute broke out between the Board of Directors and the Supporters' Club regarding the distribution of profits from from the successful Jackpot competition. This was resolved when it was agreed that 75 percent should be handed direct to the parent club with the remaining 25 percent going into the 'Ground Development and Amenities Fund'.

Meanwhile, on the playing front, the team had another fine run in the Southern League Cup. Gloucester City, Bath City, Poole Town and Weymouth were all overcome and the holders were through to the semi-final. Drawn away to Cambridge United, Yeovil Town lost 3-1 to complete a 'university double' over the club.

Those appearing in the side during the season were - goalkeepers: Jones, Leather (from Southampton), full-backs: Lyons, Harris, Hayward, Muir. half backs: Albury, Blackburn, McLaughlin, Lambden, Webber (local), forwards: Pounder, Coughlin, Ashe, Taylor, Phillips, Hirst (Barnsley) and Foley (Chesterfield).

Dave Jones, Dennis Coughlin and Len Harris played in every game and once again Dave Taylor with 40 goals was leading goalscorer.

At the end of the season the Club suffered a great loss when chairman Bill Farthing died. Mr Farthing had been on the Board of Directors since the formation of the company in 1923. The acting chairman, Mr S. Pinder took the chair at the A.G.M. and informed the shareholders that the Club had made a profit of £2,832 for the jseason. He also announced plans for the building of a new stand. Work would commence in April, 1963.

Link: 1961-62 First Team Fixtures And Results.

Link: 1961-62 First Team Scorers.