Can Exeter push for Championship promotion next season?

Sport is a massive part of life in and around Exeter. Due to this, Exeter City have a passionate base of fans among residents and always attract decent-sized crowds to their games. While the club’s current status in League One is enough to keep supporters interested, everyone involved with it is naturally aiming for bigger things.

If promotion to the Championship can be achieved by the club, for example, then it would not only be a major source of pride but could also lead to even better things. Breaking into the Premier League is the dream every Exeter fan has and would not be out of the question should a Championship promotion occur.

This would not only mean Exeter fans could enjoy watching their side take on the best teams around in UK football but also bet on EPL games involving their club. An EPL push once in the Championship is also something keen sports bettors who follow Exeter could place a wager on to add more fun to proceedings.

Is a promotion push to the Championship likely next season?

Although it is very exciting to think about what playing in the Premier League could offer, this is something of a long-term goal. Exeter City first need to make their way out of League One and gain promotion to the Championship next season – but could this really happen?

The best place to start is looking at how the 2022/23 campaign has gone so far. At the moment, the side sit firmly in mid-table and this highlights the patchy season they have experienced. Although a run to the playoff spots is not yet out of the question, the amount of ground they have to make up on teams such as Bolton makes this very unlikely.

As a result, most fans have already written this year off and are looking forward to next season for a promotion bid to the Championship.

What do the side have to do for a serious promotion push next season?

Manager Gary Caldwell took over in October 2022 and will know his team by now. But what changes might he need to make going into the new campaign to aid any Championship promotion push?

One thing he will focus on is building more consistency into the team’s performances. In 2022/23, the side’s form has been faltering and they have been unable to build up a run of wins. In February 2023, for instance, they had two losses followed by one draw, one loss and a win. This kind of inconsistency has held the team back all year and Caldwell must find a way to get the players performing to their maximum abilities each week next season.

It is also likely that he will look to improve on the team’s form at St James Park. While it has not been terrible this year, it has not been great, either. Home form will be the key foundation for a serious promotion push next year and this makes it something that the manager cannot ignore.

Recruitment will help any promotion effort

While ongoing community activities run by Exeter City are key for the club to continue pushing on, results on the pitch are also vital to its long-term success. As for any side in League One looking to make a bid for the Championship next year, recruitment over summer 2023 will be vital.

Sensible recruitment in areas where the team is a little lacking will help Exeter come back stronger next year. This in turn will enable them to win more games and pick up more points for a promotion push in 2023/24.

But where might the manager look to strengthen? You would certainly think that bringing in some fresh attacking firepower could help them in any promotion bid. While Sam Nombe and Jevani Brown give the side real presence up front, there have not been many goals spread around the rest of the squad. Caldwell could well look to bring in new players who know where the goal is to rectify this in their next campaign.

The manager could also consider bring more creativity into the side. The majority of assists this season have also come from Brown and Nombe, and any potential Championship push next year would really benefit from extra creativity in the side.

Is a Championship bid on the cards for Exeter in 2023/24?

It may sound a little strange to be talking about promotion bids for next season when the current one is still under way. Exeter fans, though, realise that their league position, with so few games left to play, makes this a hot topic. If manager Gary Caldwell can sign the right players to help over summer and improve on the side’s consistency, then next season could be one for fans to remember.