The Game
Exeter City v Argyle. St James’ Park. Thursday, 23 October. 8pm. Sky Bet League One.
The Opposition
Exeter are 19th in League One, with 13 points with 13 games. They are above Argyle on goal difference, but the Grecians have played a game more.
City’s first six games fell into a pattern of loss-win-loss-win-loss-win. Defeat in the opening game of the season at Doncaster Rovers was followed by a convincing home win over Blackpool. A home loss against Mansfield Town came before a 1-0 win at Wycombe Wanderers, then defeat on the road at Northampton Town preceded a 3-0 win over Peterborough United.
September was then a month to forget; Exeter lost all four league games – to Rotherham United, Port Vale, Stevenage and Huddersfield Town - scoring just one goal in the process.
They bounced back with a late winner at high-flying Lincoln City, but have subsequently drawn 1-1 at home to Reading, and then lost 1-0 at Stockport County.
The Gaffer
Gary Caldwell was a central defender in his playing days, which began at Newcastle United, and included loans to several clubs, including Hibernian and Coventry City. It was with the former that he signed in 2004, and his form at Easter Road attracted the attention of Scottish giants Celtic.
Caldwell played over 150 times for Celtic, winning two titles, then spent the rest of his career at Wigan Athletic, where he crossed over with a young Tom Cleverley, who was on loan with Wigan in 2010/11. Caldwell also received 55 caps for Scotland.
After retiring, he joined the Wigan coaching staff, and was quickly made manager in April 2015. He led the Latics to League One promotion in his first full season, but was sacked less than three months into the new season.
His next job was a disastrous stint with Chesterfield, with whom he won three games out of 29. A year with Partick Thistle was marginally better, but he was sacked in September 2019, and then spent three years working in support roles at Newcastle, Manchester City and Hibernian.
He got the Exeter job in October 2022; his second game as boss was the Devon Derby at Home Park, which Argyle won 4-2. Exeter have finished the three seasons with Caldwell at the helm in 14th, 13th and 16th place.
The Squad
Jack Fitzwater (below) has played all 13 of Exeter’s league games, in the heart of their defence. Relatively inexperienced for a 28-year-old, Fitzwater spent many years at first club West Bromwich Albion, never breaking through, but having many loans out, including several with Walsall. In 2020, he went to Livingston, where he played 107 times, signing for Exeter in 2023.
Jack McMillan has also started every game this season, in a wide variety of positions. Playing along the backline, or in midfield, the 27-year-old Scotsman has used his versatility to great effect. McMillan signed for Exeter in 2024, having spent his career to that point north of the border, at Motherwell, Livingston and Partick Thistle, where he played under Gary Caldwell.
McMillan started the last game, away to Stockport County, in the middle of midfield, alongside Ethan Brierley.Rochdale-born Brierley came through at his hometown club, then signed for Brentford in 2023. The 21-year-old has yet to play for the Bees, but signed for Exeter on loan this season to get experience.
Previous Meetings
The last time the two Devon rivals met was in the 2022/23 season. At Home Park, a tremendous encounter saw Argyle win 4-2. Exeter took the lead twice, but Argyle equalised via Morgan Whittaker in the first half, and a glorious Bali Mumba strike in the second. Substitute Ryan Hardie then put the Pilgrims in front, and added another to pull the Greens clear.
Later that season, with six games remaining of a campaign in which Argyle would ultimately win League One, the Pilgrims ground out a 1-0 win at St James’ Park, with Matt Butcher’s heavily deflected goal the difference on the day.
A Strip for the Trip
Argyle will be wearing their green home kit for the game.
Argyle TV
Argyle TV’s coverage will begin with the Pre-Match Show, with Charlie Price and Katie Middleton. Then, there follows commentary from Rob McNichol and former Argyle midfielder Chris Hargreaves, live from St James Park.
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