2023/24 Opponents In Focus: Exeter City – Blog

The 24 teams that will take part in Sky Bet League One in the 2023/24 season were confirmed at the end of May.

Here, dcfc.co.uk will take a look at each one in focus ahead of the new campaign getting underway at the start of August.

In this instalment, we examine Gary Caldwell’s Exeter City a little closer.

Fact File

Established: 1901

Nickname: The Grecians

Home: St James Park (8,720 capacity)

Manager: Gary Caldwell

2022/23 finish: 14th (Sky Bet League One)

Club History

Founded in 1901, Exeter City began playing their home games at St.James Park where they remain to this day.

In 1914 they toured South America and became the first side to play a national team from Brazil. Due to this, well known Brazilian outfit Fluminense remain a partner club with the Grecians.

The club didn’t win their first league title until the 1989/90 season, gaining promotion as Fourth Division champions under the late Terry Cooper.

After 83 years in the EFL, Exeter were relegated in 2003 and spent five years in the Conference before achieving promotion back to the league via the play-offs in 2008 under Paul Tisdale.

Last season was their first year back in Sky Bet League One for a decade, ultimately finishing safely in 14th under Gary Caldwell after Matt Taylor left to take over at Rotherham United following Paul Warne’s move to the Rams.

Played For Both

Dean Moxey

Left-back Dean Moxey had two spells at Exeter, first beginning his career there in 2003. He remained until 2009 before returning once again in 2017 for three more years.

Sandwiched between those two spells were two seasons with the Rams where he made 58 appearances between 2009 and 2011 before being sold to Crystal Palace.

He is well renowned as a club legend for the Grecians having made 163 appearances on the south coast and was with Torquay United last season.

Arnold Mitchell

Another massive club legend for the Grecians is the late Arnold Mitchell, whose professional career kicked off with the Rams in 1949.

He only remained for one season in Derbsyhire, a contrast to the 14 years he spent on the south coast with Exeter City between 1952 and 1966.

Lee Holmes

Attacking midfielder Holmes is a product of the Derby County Academy and famously appeared for the Under-18s side when he was just 14-years-old.

Despite the early promise, he went on to make only 52 first team appearances for the Rams before leaving for Southampton in 2008. Upon making his senior bow in 2002, he was Derby’s youngest-ever player at 15 years and 268 days until Mason Bennett beat that record in 2011.

In 2012 he moved to Preston North End and during his time there had a loan spell with Exeter and then made that move permanent in 2015.

He made 137 appearances for the Grecians, more than any other club in his career, and scored 14 goals whilst providing 25 assists across a five-year spell.

2022/23Season

Exeter’s first campaign back in England’s third tier was a turbulent one that saw them lose promotion winning manager Matt Taylor to Championship outfit Rotherham United after just two months.

He was replaced by former Wigan Athletic, Chesterfield and Partick Thistle manager Gary Caldwell soon after but after the early disruption things smoothed out.

The Grecians ultimately finished 14th in the league in their first year back, a highly respectable finish for the team after a less than ideal start to the campaign.

Record Against The Rams

Last season’s meetings between the Rams and the Grecians were just the fourth and fifth competitive matches ever between the two – and the first ever in league action.

Prior to last year, the previous meeting between Exeter and Derby came back in 1993 in the League Cup, a match which the Rams were 2-0 victors in.

The first ever match between the two was nearly a century ago and it was the only FA Cup tie the two have ever played in versus each other. A 3-2 victory for the Grecians in 1931 cementing their one and only victory over the Rams.

Gary Caldwell’s first game in charge for Exeter City last season was a trip to Pride Park Stadium in a frustrating game that ended 0-0 but Warne’s men grabbed the bragging rights in the reverse fixture as a David McGoldrick double handed the Rams the points in a 2-1 win.