Two minute guide to: Exeter City
We take a quick look ahead to Saturday’s League Two opponents Exeter City with another of our brief two minute guides.
Man in charge
The impressive Paul Tisdale has been in charge of Exeter since 2006. After retiring as a player, he started off as coach of Team Bath before joining Exeter. In his second season in charge he lead the side to promotion to the Football League and a year later took the side into League One. He’s been in charge for 325 games, winning 126, losing 110 and drawing 89.
Man to watch
Veteran Jamie Cureton is level pegging with Vale’s Tom Pope at the top of the League Two scoring charts. Cureton certainly seems to enjoy things at St James Park. After lean spells with Barnsley and Shrewsbury, he joined the Grecians in 2010 and netted 20 goals. He then moved on to Leyton Orient where again he experienced a lean spell before moving back to Exeter on loan. He signed a permanent deal in the summer and has netted nine goals in ten league starts.
Last time we met
It was back in March 2009 when the sides last met. Exeter were reduced to ten men after Danny Seaborne was sent off, but won the game 1-0 thanks to a Luke Prosser (pictured) own-goal. Current Valiants John McCombe and Louis Dodds were both in the Vale starting line-up.
Overall record
Vale have the advantage with 19 wins compared to Exeter’s 14. There have been 10 draws. However, the Valiants have to go back to 1969 for their last win at St James Park.
Featured connection
Richard Duffy will be facing his former side. The defender joined Vale on a free transfer in the summer after making 128 appearances for the Grecians.
Other connections
Other players to appear for both sides include George Pilkington, Chris Banks (pictured), Arjan van Heusden, Darren Hughes, Mark Chamberlain, Bert Carberry, Ted Calland and Billy Kellock.
Team news
Rob Taylor has recovered from a virus and may slot into the team as left-back. That would see captain Doug Loft move into central midfield with Sam Morsy, Ryan Burge and Chris Shuker battling it out to partner the skipper.
Exeter’s Scot Bennett is out but Alan Gow is ready to return and keeper Rhys Evans should keep his place
In numbers
- Rob Taylor (pictured) could make his 100th start for the Valiants.
- Adam Yates could make his 200th Football League start.
- Tom Pope could become the quickest Vale player to reach ten goals in a season since Tom Nolan in 1933.
Pre-match quotes
“Port Vale is a good test for us. I’m sure they’ll be a tough nut to crack. But it’ll certainly go a long way to proving where we are as a team.”
– Paul Tisdale
“They’ve got a lot of experience in their team, Jamie Cureton, Matt Oakley, Tommy Doherty, Danny Coles and Pat Baldwin at the back. always liable to turn defenders. If we can keep him quiet, we’re halfway to getting a result.”
– Micky Adams
Trivia
St James Park was originally owned by a local Baroness. She used the land to graze pigs who were subsequently fattened up for slaughter and the proceeds donated to the poor.
When the newly-formed Exeter City took over the land, they had to agree to the ruling that “no menageries, shows, circuses or steam roundabouts” were to be held. Sadly, Exeter broke their own rules on no “menageries” and “circuses” in 1990, when the Grecians played hosts to Alan Ball’s Stoke City side.
The “Big Bank” terrace is currently the largest capacity standing terrace in the Football League with a capacity of just under 4,000.