“We've real clarity of how we're going to win a game of football. Like I said, I think they're a very, very good team. But that doesn't mean to say we can't beat them."
09:41, 12 Dec 2025
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As far as things go for Exeter City, the last week has as in Gary Caldwell’s own words been ‘probably as good as it gets’.
Two home wins, two clean sheets, and a FA Cup third round draw away to Premier League giants Manchester City. Not bad for a few days’ work.
And that has given the Grecians boss the best 15 minutes of the week and what the squad work for. But in football, if you rest, if you look back, if you don't keep wanting to do more and progress, then it can slap you in the face very quickly, as he added.
“Winning football matches is hard,” he said. “I think we work tremendously hard, the players, staff, in the preparation to win and the work we put in on the training pitch and the meeting in rooms, in our offices, and when you win, that relief, and that is the word for it, is relief, it's nothing more.
“The pure relief at winning is those, what would it be, five minutes. We walk around the pitch, we have a couple of minutes in our office, then we speak to the players and have a picture, and then after that, it's gone. It's those 15 minutes for me are the best 15 minutes of the week and everything you work for.”
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Gary Caldwell, Manager of Exeter City during the Sky Bet League 1 Match between Exeter City and AFC Wimbledon at St James Park, Devon on 9 December 2025. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
On Saturday, Exeter face a tough trip to Bolton Wanderers as they look to keep their good run going where City will be hoping for another 15 minutes of fame as the old saying goes. But the Trotters, sitting fifth in the table, unbeaten at home this season, will be difficult opponents, with Caldwell saying they are one of the best teams in the division – although Swindon Town did put four past them in the FA Cup last weekend to end an eight game unbeaten streak.
“They are a team I've watched a couple of times live when I've been at home and I watched them against Stockport and Bradford and then against Man City U21s,” Caldwell said. “I think they're one of the best, if not the best team in the league. It’s a huge task but one we are taking on in a good place mentally with confidence, and we'll go there and try and win.
“We've real clarity of how we're going to win a game of football. Like I said, I think they're a very, very good team. But that doesn't mean to say we can't beat them.
“We will find ways of how to beat them and it's up to the players to take that information and do carry that out over the course of the game, knowing that within the course of the game, there's mistakes, there's things that can change and the players have to be ready, mentally ready, for anything to adapt and go and get a massive away victory.”
The Grecians won at the Toughsheet Community Stadium last season when unfancied to do so, and are capable of winning on the road, despite the record this season. It is only two wins from nine in the league – a 1-0 at Wycombe via an own goal, and then 1-0 at Lincoln with a stoppage-time winner – but performances have been better than results suggest, as City should have won at Leyton Orient and Bradford on their last two travels.
Jack Fitzwater will miss the trip this weekend after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season and thus has to serve a suspension. Saturday is the last game before the cut-off is extended to 10 bookings, with Jayden Wareham the only man who has to walk the tightrope on Saturday on four yellows.
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(Image: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
Pierce Sweeney and Jack Aitchison didn’t train on Thursday with niggles, but Reece Cole did return after his minor calf injury and could be in contention to travel.
“This is what a three game week does to you,” he added. “It stretches your squad to the limit, and that's why I said, we need the injured players back to give us as many options as we can.”
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Danny Andrew is moving closer to returning from his calf injury, but is probably a couple of weeks away from returning. Ryan Rydel and Carlos Mendes Gomes will both feature on Tuesday in the U21 Premier League Cup tie against West Bromwich Albion as they are nearing fitness again with neither having featured for three months after their injury issues.
Obviously the trip to the Etihad is in the back of City’s mind – but with that still being a month away – the focus is fully on League One action until then and climbing the table from the 20 th spot Exeter sit in at the moment.
“I stressed and the big emphasis we've put on the players is the league position has to be better when we go to the Etihad,” Caldwell added. “We have to focus on these massive league games and picking up points in these games before we go there and there’s a lot to focus on first.”