The Grecians have picked up 13 points from 21 since the draw was made - and now attention turns to Man City
11:46, 05 Jan 2026
Goal celebrations for Jayden Wareham of Exeter City after scoring the opening goal during the Sky Bet League 1 match between AFC Wimbledon and Exeter City at The Cherry Red Records Stadium, London on 29 December 2025 (Photo: Alan Stanford/PPAUK)
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Goal celebrations for Jayden Wareham of Exeter City after scoring the opening goal during the Sky Bet League 1 match between AFC Wimbledon and Exeter City at The Cherry Red Records Stadium, London on 29 December 2025 (Photo: Alan Stanford/PPAUK)(Image: Alan Stanford/PPAUK)
It has been a month since Exeter City were handed an FA Cup third round tie away to Premier League giants Manchester City.
But only now can the attention fully turn to that trip to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday after the regulation business and the hectic festive fixture schedule has passed.
The Grecians were 20 th in League One when ball 61 was pulled out of the hat to face Pep Guardiala’s side. And with a tough looking run of fixtures on paper, City fans would perhaps have been fearful of what kind of form and set of results they’d have travelled to Manchester on.
In 2016 when the Grecians were handed a third round tie with Liverpool, City lost all four league games between the draw taking place and that memorable Friday night at St James Park. But this time Gary Caldwell’s charges have had no such let up.
Four wins, a draw, and two narrow losses away to the biggest clubs in the league in Bolton Wanderers and Cardiff City, both of which City played well in, have not only seen Exeter not head north in the bottom four, but have actually climbed the table to 14 th place.
Exeter City huddle during the Sky Bet League 1 Match between Exeter City and Luton Town at St James Park, Devon on 1 January 2026. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
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Exeter City huddle during the Sky Bet League 1 Match between Exeter City and Luton Town at St James Park, Devon on 1 January 2026. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK(Image: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
The thoughts of the Man City trip have been in the back of players' minds as they have focused on the League One action. But now, all focus turns to the FA Cup and trying to cause what would probably be one of the biggest upsets in the famous competition’s history.
“I think the manager's the perfect person really to prepare the players for this game,” assistant coach Dan Green said following the 2-2 draw at Huddersfield Town on Sunday.
“Having come up against Man City in his career, he knows what these games look and feel like, and we will again sit down, we'll make sure that we have a plan to go and nullify their threats, the many threats they haven't and hopefully hurt them with our threats, and we'll pick a team that we feel gives us the best opportunity to do that.”
Caldwell has form against Manchester City in the FA Cup. The Scot was club captain and a substitute in 2013 when Wigan Athletic stunned the Citizens in the final to lift the trophy. And then he was part of the squad the following season when they knocked them out in the fifth round.
Caldwell spent a few months in 2021 working with the Citizens as their loans coach, looking after the young players. But he also knows how to beat them in the FA Cup having already done so.”
Gary Caldwell, Manager of Exeter City applauds fans following draw in the EFL League One match between Huddersfield Town and Exeter City at The Accu Stadium on 4 January 2026 in Huddersfield, England (Photo by Steve Taylor/PPAUK)
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Gary Caldwell, Manager of Exeter City applauds fans following draw in the EFL League One match between Huddersfield Town and Exeter City at The Accu Stadium on 4 January 2026 in Huddersfield, England (Photo by Steve Taylor/PPAUK)(Image: Steve Taylor/PPAUK)
“It’s a team I know how to beat in the FA Cup as well as we managed to do that back in 2013 with Wigan in the final and the following year as well, so maybe lightning can strike again,” Caldwell said after the draw was made.
“We just said there in the changing room, it's brilliant for everyone, staff, players, everyone and the fans,” Reece Cole said after the Huddersfield tie. “So it's one we're looking forward to, but it's not one that we're going to be taking our foot off the pedal for.
“It's a game of football. We've got to go there and try and win. I always say it's 11 against 11 and the FA Cup has a lot of history for upsets, so hopefully we can go there and cause an upset.
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“Obviously, it's going to be really tough against one of the best teams in the world, but we're going to do our utmost to make sure that we go there and really put on a performance with the fans that are travelling and obviously for ourselves as well.”