Is League One the Pinnacle for Exeter City Football Club?

David Banks
Authored by David Banks
Posted Thursday, December 26, 2019 - 3:53pm

As the 2019/20 season moves into the second half, Exeter City are once again looking like they can challenge for promotion from League Two back up to League One. They were relegated from the third tier back in 2012 and since then they have been trying hard to get back up there. Is this where the club belongs, and once they are there, will there ever be the chance for them to progress further? 

It may be a little pessimistic to say, but it is unlikely that Exeter City will ever have the crowds and financial backing to make it up to the Championship, and if they do, staying there will be an almighty task. For inspiration though, they only have to look at a team like Luton, who have worked their way up from being a Conference team to a team in the Championship this year, with their 10,000 seater stadium. 

Exeter have spent 47 seasons in the third tier of English football, the most for any team who has never played in the top two divisions. They have felt comfortable at that level in the past, but always failed to make the next move, and with football becoming more and more about money, that looks even less likely now. 

With a small stadium and fan ownership, Exeter would struggle to cope with the likes of Ipswich and Sunderland in League One, let along the giants that end up in the Championship. But that doesn’t mean the situation is bad, being a steady, well-run League One club that can survive in that league year after year is quite an achievement, and one the city should be proud of. 

Of course, before the club can become that, they have to get there first, and this season looks as though it will be their best chance in recent years. The bookmakers listed at newbettingsites.uk are taking bets on who will be promoted from League Two, and Exeter are currently right up there with the favourites. Fans are excited about this, and the football betting sites are also taking note and pricing them up as though they have a great chance of doing it, either automatically or through the playoffs. 

If the club doesn’t make it up this year, then they will have further chances in the future to do so, they have an excellent base and foundation to build on and are better than most in League Two. However, it would be great to see them get there this season, and a real lift for the city. A recent game against Walsall saw the club fight back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3, showing the fighting spirit and belief currently within this team.

Then it is all about staying there and establishing themselves as a genuine League One club. This is going to take a lot of work, but the club arrive in the best financial shape they have been in for a long time, with people that care about the club making the decisions and living within their means. This is a recipe for success, and hopefully the result of that is a stable, successful League One club that continues to thrive and prosper at that level. 

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