Exeter City: Ins and Outs
On their way in?
Having not paid a significant sum for a player for many a year and manager Paul Tisdale’s fondness for a settled squad I think we can rule out a plethora of star arrivals and a few tweaks here and there sounds far more likely.
Our six forwards have played musical chairs this season with the majority of them being given a chance with Adam Stansfield being handed the staring role as the central striker on most occasions. His statistics of six goals in 22 appearances masks the worryingly high number of guilt-edged chances and one-on-ones he has missed and his ability to harry and harass defenders has helped him keep his place in the side despite his woeful form in front of goal. With five strikers already on the books, signing a sixth might be pushing it but with Richard Logan mysteriously out of favour and Stansfield woefully out of form I would ideally like to see a proven goal scorer join the ranks.
We have been linked with Hereford striker Steve Guinan which, after seeing a lot of Hereford matches last year, would be an awful signing for the club. Tisdale is far more likely to go for a player on a free transfer or from the lower leagues. He could do much worse than enquire about FC United’s Kyle Wilson, the club have said they would let him move to a league club and with 22 goals in 24 appearances this season he could be just the clinical forward we are looking for.
We may also see some defensive cover pursued in the window. This could be the offer of a longer deal to Fred Murray, who is currently at the club on a short-term basis and has impressed when called into action, or another mystery signing. One of the main themes of Tisdale’s signings is that, with the exception of one or two (Rob Edwards, Marcus Stewart etc) they are plucked from obscurity and definitely not household names.
Just look at Neil Saunders, Matt Taylor, Ryan Harley and Ben Watson. So we shouldn’t be expecting any big names to be gracing St James Park in January, but being an Exeter City fan is full of surprises at the moment so you just never know.
The Exit Door
Creative midfielders are not two-a-penny in League Two, a sad fact that means the vultures are circling overhead waiting to pounce on Exeter’s playmaker Ryan Harley. Signed from Western Super Mare in Spring 2008, he made an instant impact and forced his way into the team , played a vital role in the club’s promotion. Two footed and with fantastic vision, Harley has his admirers but here’s hoping his recent injury and slight dip in form has shaken potential suitors off his case!
Another player under close scrutiny from visiting scouts is 21-year-old Exeter youth product Dan Seaborne. The defender broke into the side at the start of last season and made the centre back position his own as he captained the Grecians to the Play Off Final win over Cambridge. Seaborne has been linked with a variety of clubs in recent months, most notably Crystal Palace and Portsmouth. In fact many fans suggested he was on the brink of deadline day move to the South Coast but the deal could not be completed in time. Contracted past the end of this season, any suitors will be asked to pay a hefty for Seaborne. Let’s hope it puts them off.
Dean Moxey is another home-grown talent who is receiving admiring glances. Arguably the club’s most consistent performers in recent weeks, Moxey stepped into the left-back slot vacated by Wolves-bound George Friend, and made it his own. Notable mentions also go to Matt Gill and Matt Taylor who are two of our most consistent performers and could easily come under the spotlight in January.
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