Billy Rowley leaves Walton & Hersham to join National League side Yeovil Town

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Billy Rowley has taken charge of National League side Yeovil Town after Walton & Hersham confirmed on Monday evening that he had left the club with immediate effect.

Rowley, who spent 18 months in charge of the Swans, was approached during Saturday’s fixture against Hungerford and has now accepted the offer.

The club will begin the process of appointing a new first-team manager immediately, with further updates expected in the coming days.

Reports linking Rowley with the Glovers quickly gathered pace after his departure — and they proved accurate, with the club confirming his appointment on Tuesday morning.

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Incredible

Speaking upon his appointment, Rowley said: “It’s a massive community club. The history of this club is incredible. I know a few boys who have played for this team and they can’t speak highly enough of it.

“I’m just looking forward to getting on the grass with the lads. When a club like Yeovil call you up, it is incredibly hard to turn that down.”

Chairman Prabhu Srinivasan added: “Our focus is clear: progressive, attacking football, a strong identity, and a commitment to developing players at Huish Park.

“In Billy Rowley, we found exactly what we were looking for. I’ve watched his Walton side firsthand, the quality of his setup, the clarity of his ideas, and the intensity of his football are unmistakable.

“Speaking with him only reinforced that he was the standout choice. Billy is the manager we wanted, and we are delighted to bring him to the club.”

The Glovers later confirmed that Darren Simpson will remain Rowley’s assistant after making the move from the Swans to Huish Park.

Transition

In the Swans’ statement, they noted that several staff members have progressed to higher-level roles in recent seasons, with Rowley’s exit continuing that established pathway of development from within the club.

They added that the strength and unity of the club’s community will remain at the heart of Walton & Hersham as they navigate this latest period of transition.

Rowley’s departure comes just a week after he spoke to The NLP about Walton & Hersham’s blistering start to the season.

Since then, the Swans drew 0-0 away at Hungerford at the weekend, before floodlight failure forced Tuesday night’s trip to Sholing to end early with Rowley’s side leading 4-1.

Challenge

In last week’s interview with the NLP, Rowley highlighted the relaxed, united environment at the club and praised the commitment of a squad that has “80%” of its players under contract.

The attacking trio of Johl Powell, Dawid Rogalski and Jack Wood had already combined for close to 30 goals, while additions such as Aaron Williams Fernandez and Luciano D’Auria-Henry had further strengthened the group.

He maintained that the Swans were not getting ahead of themselves despite their 12-match league winning run – a streak that finally ended with the weekend’s draw.

Now, the challenge for Walton & Hersham is to maintain that momentum without the manager who helped drive it.

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