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Yeovil Town FC, the green and white hooped West Country wizards. Or something like that.
Ah, ok. The FA Cup "giant killers", right?
Yeah, sort of. For a side that's spent most of its 100+ years outside the League (Yeovil Casuals started in 1895), they've managed to reach the first round of the FA Cup over 40 times, which is impressive going. Their most impressive Cup run was in 1978/9 when they beat Sunderland before losing to Man City in the fifth round in front of 80,000. They accounted for us, more recently, but that was less of a giant killing and more of a happy slapping of someone of average height. This year, a 3-1 defeat to Rushden & Diamonds FC ended their campaign, which is why we're playing them in the League.
Sum them up in a sentence, will you?
For years, they were the best supported and most consistently good side not to play in the league. Now, they're a solid League outfit, with good support, a tidy, well desigined stadium and sensible reasons to think they've got a rosy future.
Isn't that two sentences?
Whatever.
Who's their gaffer?
Mr Russell Slade, a less attractive Nicky Law. He's got no hair, but, given that Yeovil are doing ok in the League, the Yeovilians probably don't care.
His previous includes caretaker spells at Notts County and Bramall Lane (twice) and 100+ games in charge of troubled Scarborough. Before Yeovil, he transformed Grimsby from pretty footballing but pretty ineffective tippy-tappy weaklings into a solid, robust, direct powerful battlers. A cup run and play-offs followed, but the good burghers of Cleethorpes never really took him to their hearts, so his contract lapsed and he toddled off to Yeovil, where he's made them into a top-10 side, after last year's flirtation with relegation.
So, they're good then?
Yes. They look to have a good combination of ability and power. Certainly more than capable of giving anyone a game at this level. A bit more "route one" than us, but probably not too far away in terms of ability.
Anyone we've heard of play for them?
Marcus Stewart, who's scored goals pretty much everywhere he's been, is currently on loan there from Bristol City (though it's likely he'll join permanently in the transfer window). Formerly commanded a £3m+ price tag when moving from Ipswich to Sunderland, he's scored goals at all levels, including Europe (and proper UEFA Cup Europe, not just a pre-season friendly against Berwick). For them what Mark Robins was for us.
Anyone we should look out for?
Jean-Paul Kalala, and not just because of the name. Followed Slade from Grimsby, he's a talented lad (a DR Congo international, no less). If you can remember the game, he scored a terrific goal for Grimsby against Tottenham last year.
Also, Terry Skiverton, who's been at Yeovil for years and years, is club captain and is dependable tall centre-half lump. A sort of Chris Swailes, he's been around the block and will be a good test of Hoskins' ability to out-guile a solid, capable central defensive unit.
Oh and, for completeness, Paul Terry, John's brother.
What's the Yeovil town pub-quiz question?
Which is the only non-league club ever to have it's own Subbuteo replica made?
I don't know, what is?
Yeovil, you moron.
Oh, right. If I see any of their supporters, anything I should say?
Try saying how much you admire them for finally getting the league status that their support and stadium deserves and how it's great to see them flourishing.
Anything I shouldn't say?
Avoid jokes about cider, wurzels and combine harvesters, I'd say.