www.ytfc.net are pleased to reproduce some of our Green and White feature articles from last season for those supporters who may not have bought the programme when it was on sale at the game.

Simon Baker & Michael Micciche Interview by Chris Sweet

Doubling the size of Yeovil Town’s physiotherapy team in the summer has boosted both the recovery from and prevention of injuries according to one half of the dynamic partnership.

Simon Baker returned to Huish Park in the summer having previously worked under Terry Skiverton during his tenure as manager and also having played for the Glovers’ youth and reserve teams.

With Gary Johnson’s men promoted to the Sky Bet Championship, the club moved to ensure the inevitable strain of injury had as little an impact as possible on their comparatively small squad.

Baker joined Mike Micciche in the Huish Park treatment room to start a working relationship that the one-time full back believes is already bearing fruit.

“It’s been pretty hectic but good on the whole,” said Baker. “We started off quite quietly from our point of view, which is a good thing as we never want to be busy.

“The prevention is much better than the cure. But it got a bit busier very quickly with three or four injured all at once so we had to get a lot of things sorted quickly, get plans in place, see the right people and do the right things.

“But that’s been exciting, it’s been quick and it’s been about thinking on the spot. It’s good, it’s what we’re here for.

“It means we can provide what we believe is a real quality service. We can allocate more time to prehab plans with players and making sure that they’re doing the right things in and around training, and are maybe strengthening areas which could lead to an overuse-type injury. We are trying to prevent issues arising that will stop them training and playing in matches.

“We get along well, it’s a good team and the communication’s good. It’s more hands on deck and then we can give a better quality service that’s hopefully going to help us well.

“For example, the squad on Wednesday had the day off after travelling back late from Ipswich Town. But we’ve got three players that we obviously want to be doing the right things for so it means one of us has the day off whilst the other works with the three players.

“It works for our down time and family time as well.”

After a relatively quiet 2012-13 campaign, the Glovers have already missed captain Jamie McAllister (knee), keeper Marek Stech (hand) and last season’s top scorer Paddy Madden (knee) to injury.

Baker admitted he and Micciche appreciated the importance of their swift return to fitness but said it could not be rushed.

He said: “There’s always pressure to get them back on the pitch when they’ve been such big players for the club.

“You want to do the best for everyone but when it’s really influential players there’s always that extra drive to get them back. But you have got to do it when it is safely possible.”

The duo have also benefited from the generosity of two supporters’ groups, the Vice Presidents donating new treatment tables  and the Away Travel Club buying an exercise bike.

“It’s been fantastic,” said Baker. “We’ve got a new exercise bike that Paddy and Marek have been battering, and the new beds have been great.

“We feel like we’re catching up to the Championship in all areas.”