Form
Exeter City finished last season in 16th place in League One, 10 points clear of the relegation places. They were promoted back to the third tier in 2022, finishing as runners-up in League Two, ending a 10-year spell in the fourth tier.
The Grecians currently sit 17th in the league, two places and two points ahead of Reading. Their recent form has been poor, having seen four losses and one win in their last five games.
They did however end their four-game losing streak last weekend with a 0-1 away
win at Lincoln City, with midfielder Kevin McDonald scoring a 94th-minute winner.
The Royals took four points off Exeter last season, winning 1-2 at St James Park last October, before playing out a 0-0 draw at the Select Car Leasing Stadium back in March.
The boss
Gary Caldwell: Caldwell was appointed Exeter manager in October 2022, taking over from Matt Taylor, who left the club to join Rotherham United.
Caldwell had a 14-year professional career as a defender, starting off at Newcastle United, before also playing for the likes of Hibernian, Celtic and Wigan Athletic, where he became captain.
He ended his playing career at Wigan, before taking up a coaching role with the club. It wasn’t long until he was made manager, taking over from Malkay Mackay in 2015. He won promotion in his first full season as manager, winning the League One title in 2016.
Caldwell was sacked by Wigan partway through the 2016/17 season and went on to manage both Chesterfield and Partick Thistle. He then had minor roles at Newcastle United, Manchester City and Hibernian before his move back into first-team management with Exeter.
The 43-year-old has led the Grecians to 14th-, 13th- and 16th-placed finishes in League One since taking charge. The Scotsman likes his teams to play aggressive, front-footed football, while also looking to hand opportunities to younger players.
Squad
A total of 12 players came through the door at St James Park this summer, with six joining on permanent deals and another six signing on loan.
Three came in on free transfers, including goalkeeper Jack Bycroft and defenders Luca Woodhouse and Danny Andrew. Fellow defender Johnly Yfeko signed from Rangers following a successful loan last season, while Sligo Rovers midfielder Jake Doyle-Hayes and former Reading striker Jayden Wareham both signed for undisclosed fees.
The six players signing on loan were goalkeeper Joe Whitworth (Crystal Palace), defenders Ryan Rydel (Stockport County) and Sil Swinkels (Aston Villa), midfielder Ethan Brierley (Brentford) and forwards Akeel Higgins (West Bromwich Albion) and Carlos Mendes Gomes (Bolton Wanderers).
Winger Gomes will not be available for this weekend’s game due to an abductor injury, while forward Sonny Cox also misses out with a groin injury. Striker Josh Magennis will also be missing due to his international callup for Northern Ireland.
Predicted lineup
Whitworth, Sweeney, Fitzwater, Yfeko, Niskanen, Andrew, McMillan, Brierley, Cole, Higgins, Wareham
Key player
5. Jack Fitzwater: Defender Fitzwater joined Exeter in September 2023 on a free, following the end of his contract at Livingston.
He started his career In the West Brom academy but only made one appearance for the Baggies, instead gaining first-team experience on a number of different loan spells. Fitzwater spent time on loan at Chesterfield, Hednesford Town, Forest Green Rovers and Walsall, where he had three separate spells.
He left West Brom to join Scottish side Livingston in 2020, where he spent three years, making over a century of appearances, scoring eight goals.
Since joining Exeter the 28-year-old has made 42 appearances for the club, scoring two goals, with one of those coming this season. Fitzwater is a ball-playing centre-back who is patient and doesn’t dive into tackles.
One to watch
1. Joe Whitworth: Goalkeeper Whitworth joined Exeter for a second consecutive season-long loan deal this summer, signing from Premier League side Crystal Palace.
He started his youth career in the AFC Wimbledon academy before joining the youth setup at Crystal Palace in 2016. He worked his way through the youth teams at Palace and made his professional debut for the club in a Premier League game against Brighton & Hove Albion in March 2023.
His first loan spell away from Palace last season was a success, with Whitworth playing every league game for the Grecians, keeping 15 clean sheets, while also being named Exeter fans’ player of the season.
The 21-year-old has represented England at under-15, under-16 and under-18 level and is a strong shot-stopper with great reflexes.