EXETER CITY LOOKING TO CREATE MORE HISTORY AND EXTEND UNBEATEN RUN

IT was Paul Tisdale’s class of 2010/11 that defied the odds. After back-to-back promotions from the Conference to League One and then a year where survival was secured on the final day of the campaign, few expected the Grecians to fare well ahead of that season.

It didn’t start that well either – on or off the pitch. A draw at home to Colchester United on the opening day of the season was followed by the devastating news that fans favourite Adam Stansfield has lost his battle with cancer at the all too young age of 31. Understandably, it took some time to overcome that tragedy, which really did put everything into perspective.

When the action resumed, City suffered a 3-0 loss at Leyton Orient just two days after those Exeter players of the time had been present at their team-mates’ funeral. To then go the next month unbeaten was testament to their character. It ended up being a more than decent season for the Grecians and one that ended with a stunning run of seven wins in the last eight matches. The Grecians finished in eighth with 70 points, one shy of the play-offs as they recorded the highest post-war finish in their history.

Now, Gary Caldwell’s class of 2023-24 have a chance to secure City’s second highest finish – and a place in the top ten if they can get the better of Northampton Town today, Oxford United in next week’s curtain faller at an already sold-out St James Park and other results go in their favour.

“I think this group of players has to create their own history,” Caldwell said. “I think we have to keep building on what we’ve been doing in recent weeks.

“We keep saying whilst there’s nothing in terms of play-offs, or promotion, or staying in the league to play for, we want to finish as high as we can in the league and we want to show progression from last year.

“We’ve already done that in the points total, so now the challenge is: where can we finish in the league? We still potentially could finish tenth, which would be an amazing achievement. It would be one of the highest finishes ever in this club’s history, so that is still the aim and we’ll have to win two games to do that. We have to fully focus on a difficult away game to Northampton and then obviously the last game of the season at SJP.

“It’s a big challenge, Northampton have had a great season as well. They’re one place above us, we know if we win the game we go above them, so there is lots to play for.”

However, as the season reaches its conclusion, the exertions are taking their toll with injuries and tired bodies mounting. Pierce Sweeney, Vince Harper, Yanic Wildschut, Sonny Cox and Jack Aitchison are all absent this weekend, but hoping to be fit for the finale at St James Park against Oxford.

“We’ll obviously look after them for next season,” Caldwell said. “I think they’re all desperately trying to get fit for the last game of the season, a full house at SJP and finish the season on a high. If there’s any risk whatsoever Michael (McBride) will let us know and we won’t put them in.”

Likely to feature today is defender Cheick Diabate, fresh from having a one-year extension triggered on his present deal, and Pedro Borges, who made such an impression with an exquisite assist for Luke Harris to score in the 4-2 win at Port Vale last week.

The 18-year-old is likely to be a substitute, but should get more game time, along with 16-year-old Jake Richards, who has settled into League One football with consummate ease.

“He’s a young player with a huge future,” Caldwell said. “We obviously saw him at Mousehole and in pre-season when we had younger players coming into the squad and it was great to get eyes on him as a 15-year-old.

“He showed so much personality and quality in possession that he caught our eye. He then got opportunities in EFL games and played a few league games and I think he came on in the Carabao Cup as well against Middlesbrough, so he had great experiences early in the season for a young player.

“As every young player does, it’s not hard, your first full season in training and all the kind of rigours of that take effect on your body – he had a few niggly injuries - and then second half of the season he’s kicked on again and deserves his opportunities and he’s playing extremely well.”

On Borges, Caldwell said: “As with all young players, the development path is never linear, there’s ups and downs and Pedro will be the first to say he’s had a frustrating season.

“He would have wanted to have impacted the first team more than he has but he came on on Saturday and showed his quality, his physicality and the potential that he has as well.

“He’s another player that we have high hopes for and, hopefully, the last two games he gets moments where he can come on the park again and, next season, he comes back ready to really impact the team on a more regular basis.”

Get the best stories delivered to your inbox every day. Choose what you love here

2024-04-20T04:42:24Z dg43tfdfdgfd