[theo_luddite]

Sid James Park South
A bit close to the (wrong side of the) tracks
Just outside the Roman Walls
Sidwell
EX4 6PX

Kick-off 15:00 UK Time
Saturday 25/09/25

Town take the long 5 hour plus coach journey to the south-west for a game in Scrumpy Country on Saturday, unless Kevin the Gerbil is still feeling flush after Thursday's announcement (see below) and he's booked a charter from Yeadon to Exeter. Our coach driver(s) will no doubt still have to do the trip anyway. Madness. Shirley they can charter a charabang through the same company or someone else more local if they do? After two games where we had damned near 70% possession in one game and damned near 20% in another and finished up scoring in neither, we'll be looking to get back to scoring goals and, hopefully, winning again.

Beers, Pies 'n' Pees and How to Get There.

https://awaygames.co.uk/away-day-guides/...city-away/

There's more info in the Club Fan Guide Web Page - https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/SJPguide

You can also find an explanation in the above as to why, in a city that was largely built by the Romans, Exeter City are known as The Grecians. There's a hint elsewhere above.

If you are letting the train take the strain and going through/changing at Birmingham New Street, part of the journey from Cheltenham Spa to Bristol Parkway and back will be on a replacement bus service. If you've not bought your travel tickets yet, or you can get them refunded on the cheap, you might be able to find a Split Ticket going through Reading for a similar price for Advanced Fares. There is a station next to the ground that runs trains to/from St. Davids and Exeter Central, though it's a short walk from either main station of similar length to Huddersfield Bus or Train Station to our ground.

Town fans will have the split Sid James Road Stand stand behind the goals, which is about 10 rows of terracing with an entrance between the two bits of stand. Not really sure why that still meant they left the lid off between the two bits, I'll put it down an effect of Scrumpy that infuenced that decision. We'll also have up to 2 blocks of the Main Stand for those that like to (cough) sit down to watch. Tickets were still available for standing at around 15:00 on Thursday.

On the tellybox

HTTV for furrin fans and dodgy web streams for the most part this weekend, unless you know different. I'll tune in to Radio Local via the HTTV radio thingy.

Latest news

Hey Rat Fans, as no doubt reported elsewhere, well I did, Kevin the Gerbil has splashed the cash again and Town now fully own the AccuMcGalpharmSmiths Stadium. Joy. The Egg Chasers will still be playing there next season though as The Shay is still not up to scratch for Super League (but Castleford, Wakefield and the dump that is Odsal are? How does that work)?

https://www.htafc.com/news/2025/septembe...u-stadium/

Out Injured/Suspended/Isolating

Alves likely to be out for several weeks due to a foot injury, along with Herbie Kane.

Back training but not oven ready/Back in the frame

Gooch and Whatmough are back in their football boots and working on the grass this week. So decisions to make about their level of involvement coming into this weekend.

Last time out

Last weekend, despite all the possession we didn't really try to beat Burton until the last 15-20 minutes and though shots were cleared off the line by an assortment of Burton body-parts, it was all too little too late. Town's "Cup side" put in a credible performance against Citeh's "Cup Side" on Wednesday, but they still had too much for us in the end.



I've seen comments asking why Town didn't just go for it on the likes of the Beeb website? Go for what exactly when you don't have the ball? We seemed to get forward pretty quickly when we had it for the most part, though we also gave it straight back a lot too with clearances to nobody as we'd everyone back a lot of the time. We were a lick of paint and some wayward shots off gettting at least one goal but Nicholls' saves often kept us in it when Citeh could have scored a bag-full.

The Cup we've actually got a chance of winning comes up again next week.

Exeter lost 2:1 at Stevenage so they'll also be looking to put another W in their results list.



Last weekend in the League, our noisy neighbours from Manningham won at Cardiff to go top (though they got a right battering in Newcastle on Wednesday, even if they scored the goal of the night). Cardiff finally dropped out of the top two to 4th as a result of losing the final unbeaten record in the division. Stevenage moved up to 2nd with their win, Lincoln went 3rd with a good win over Luton Town, Town moved a point above Barnsley but Doncaster dropped to 7th after losing at home to The Wombles. Stockport's win at Rotherham put them and The Wombles level on 15 points.



In a set of results at the bottom of the table that would likely have drawn big odds on an Acca of any sorts, if you're into that kind of thing, Pish Posh, Blackpool, Reading, Port Vale and Wycombe all won and Burton got a point at ours. That all left Burton on the bottom and Rotherham below the trap door. I've still got some money in the Bank of Joe but I can't remember when I last tried to lose any of it.

Table

Exeter are grabbing mid-table mediocrity with both hands at the moment. Their League season results so far being LWLWLWLLL. They are in 16th place 7 points and 11 places behind Town, who moved up to 5th with last weekends draw, thanks to Barnsalee losing in the umpteenth minute of added time at Blackpool.



Musical Interlude

My first bash at an Exeter thread so looking at all things Wes' Country. The lead singer of Coldplay, who also manages Rangers on his day off (have you seen how they are playing? It can't be a full time job) is apparently a big fan. Not that I'm one to normally kiss and cuddle up to things on a big screen for that sort of thing, it'll do for a start.

Glasto last year - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8k36aAYRoY

Thom York of Radiohead attended the University of Exeter. Wonder what he did when he wan't studying? Was he a Creep?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtXOzMVCSw4

Born in a small boat on the south coast in Dover, but raised in Ashill Devon, Josh Stone has burst a few ear drums with some of her lung busters. You might have heard someone else sing this one. PS, he turns up soon after the start, stage right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bPCz_rY...sU&index=5

What the hell, another Coldun from from Glasto - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM-94LhhQTs

The Sack Race

You may have noticed there's been a few since my last thread. Like Lardan buses they are ...

Nuno Santo as good as advertised his own vacancy when he said he'd fallen out with the, er, most volatile? Chairman in European Football at Forest. He was quickly replaced by Spurs first "Champion of Anything in Donkeys Years Manager", The Angel of the Southern Hemisphere, Ange Postecoglou. Will the trophy he wins in his 2nd season be another European Trophy, an English Cup, or The Chumpionship? Watch this space.

The revolving door at Bramall Lane that saw Chris Wilder sacked in the Summer to be replaced by Ruben Selles kept revolving. The guy that took Hull City from a Play-off place the previous season to damned near getting relegated last season carried on where he left off. 6 spins of the revolving door and only 1 goal to show for it, Chris Wilder is back again. Though even he admits he's got a harder job to do with the squad than he thought he'd have to.

Mike Dodds couldn't keep up the pace with Wycombe that Gareth Ainsworth and Matt Bloomfield had set before him. With them also dropping from Play-off's to the League One relegation zone, he's been thanked for his contribution to the club. Former Town manager Michael Duff Duff was appointed the same day.

Finally (well, never say never) after a start that's only seen them with one win, one draw and 3 goals, leaving them 24th in League Two, Michael Flynn has also been thanked for his contribution to the fortunes of Duff Duff's former side Cheltenham Town. They've still to appoint a replacement with at least 3 of the above being available.

Innies and Outies

Exeter have brought in 12 new players including 2 for undisclosed fees from Sligo Rovers and Rangers B - so likely a bit more than a bag of balls and some training kit but not much more. They've also signed 4 on free transfers and 6 players on loan.



Amongst those going in through the out door was Jay Bird who went to Salford for £100,000, 12 on free's and a few who are still out of work. One of those going out on a free is our formerly very own Pat Jones. He'd signed a 1 year contract with Exeter after leaving us due to constant hamstring problems, and still had them for the first 3rd of the season with Exeter. He then played most of the next 3rd before, twang, his hammy went again. No surprise they didn't offer him a new/extended deal. He's picked up a deal at National League North Chester, halfway through August so missed their 1st two games, but has played in the last 7 of their games and scored 3 goals, so good luck to him if he can keep the elastic bands in his legs in one piece.

Who's banging 'em in

With 4 goals to his name, Josh Magennis has more than any of our lot, however all their 9 League goals scored by their own players so far are listed. below. Wycombe helped them out with an own goal when they won there.



They can't all win

Sadfud are home to Blackpool, you just never know with Bruce do you? Stevenage go to Orient who are yet to replicate last season's charge up the division. Lincoln go to Pish Posh and Cardiff to Wigan. Barnsley are at home to Port Vale, Doncaster have a difficult one at Luton, the Wombles are home to Wycombe in an early kick-off and Stockport are home to Reading.



I don't see the bottom half dozen repeating last week's results, but in this division .... ?

Burton are home to Plymouth, Posh see above, Blackpool are in Yorkshire (see above), Rotherham go to Mansfield, Reading, see above, Port Vale also see above.

We've played 'em before

Town have a slight lead in a fixture where we've mostly met in the lower divisions. Town lost to them (and everyone else) at the end of last season but otherwise we've a good record in Sid James Park. We first met in the 75/76 season, when I left school and Town had made their way into the old 4th Division, (League Two for you kids). In 13 visits we've won 7, drawn 1 and lost 5. If I can't count someone will put me right. We've scored 3 or 4 goals on 4 occasions, with Exeter doing that 3 times, though one game was a 3-4 win for Town. Even the drawn game finished 2-2.



Next up?

Harrogate away in the (whatever it's called this season, it will be called something else next season) EFL Trophy and then Stockport for our only weekend home fixture next month.

Pressers

Grant and Joe Taylor get the grillings this week.

https://www.htafc.com/news/2025/septembe...ter-clash/

The views from the Roman Walls






Within the old Roman Walls, the streets of Exeter are as you might expect straight, narrow and at 90° to each other. Outside that it all looks a bit Greek to me. .