Double transfer departure from Bristol City as manager hails signings

Bristol City have green lighted moves for academy pair Josh Owers and Seb Palmer-Houlden, who have both joined non-league Yeovil Town.

Owers and Palmer-Houlden are both key members of the Under-21's squad that is currently second in the Professional Development League South, but their development will for the foreseeable future be in the senior game after joining the Glovers on loan.

Both will ply their trade at Huish Park until the end of the season, with technical director Brian Tinnion playing a key role in the transfer. Yeovil have already had Sam Pearson and Ewan Clark this season, whilst goalkeeper Will Buse has been there since the start of the campaign. Buse played in the Somerset Men’s Premier Cup last week but was sent off against Paulton Rovers.

In his pre-match interview with BBC Radio Bristol, manager Mark Cooper said: "I spoke about trying to keep it fresh and making sure we keep plenty of fresh legs in the team and we’ve managed to bring two boys in and we have to thank Bristol City for the finance and letting them bring them in to play and get some game time. We have to thank Bristol for that and Brian Tinnion."

It is the second loan move of the season for Owers who was at Gloucester City in the National League North in the earlier part of the campaign. The 20-year-old was recalled in December and made 13 appearances in all competitions before his return to the High Performance Centre.

As for Palmer-Houlden, he is highly rated amongst those at the HPC, and he has led the line for Ali Hines’ side in the absence of Sam Bell who has graduated into the first-team. Palmer-Houlden headed to Chippenham Town on loan in early August but he was recalled early on after the coaching staff were 'impressed with Sebs' stats' and wanted to intergrate him in to the first-team.

“Seb is an out-and-out forward, he’s strong, a big lad, quick and he can score,” said Cooper about the arrival of one of his two additions from City.

“Josh is a left-footed strong midfield player. We needed an extra body in midfield because we’ve got Worthy (Matt Worthington), Charlie (Wakefield), Law (Ryan Law) and we haven’t got other options in midfield. Some of those are going to need to rest and it’s important we have more bodies in.

"It’s important that they have already been out and sampled being kicked up in the air not and again. They will be used to that."

Hours after being announced as new signings, both players were named in Yeovil’s starting XI for their six-pointer with York City. Palmer-Houlden played 57 minutes before being subbed for Alex Fisher, whilst Owers was substituted for Chiori Johnson in the 74th minute. It was a losing start for the pair as Oliver Dyson and Lenell John-Lewis were on target for the Minstermen.