Who are the Best Players to have Played for Exeter City?
Founded in 1901, Exeter City have bounced around the lower leagues and non-league football throughout their existence.
They are currently plying their trade in League One and will be hoping to mount a sustained bid for the play-offs during the second half of the campaign. Despite failing to play above the third tier of English football during their history, Exeter have had plenty of talented players represent the club.
Read on as we look at some of the best players to play for Exeter, starting with a player who has gone on to play in the Premier League and represent Wales.
Ethan Ampadu
The Ampadu family name is synonymous with Exeter, with father and son Kwame and Ethan both representing the club. Ethan became the youngest player ever to play for the Grecians aged 15 but was subsequently signed by Premier League outfit Chelsea for just £1.3 million.
He has since had loan spells with RB Leipzig, Sheffield United, Venezia and Spezia and was part of the Wales squad for the Qatar world cup. Most world cup football betting sites were not so hopeful for their chances, giving them 350/1 odds to be the winners. Unfortunately, they fulfilled these predictions by exiting the tournament at the group stages.
Ollie Watkins
Watkins came to prominence during the 2015/16 season, netting nine goals in 22 appearances including a memorable double against Devon rivals Plymouth Argyle.
He helped Exeter reach the League Two play-off final the following year, and subsequently secured a big money move to Brentford. After impressing with the Bees, Watkins signed for Aston Villa for a club record £28 million in 2020 and has since earned seven caps with the England national team.
Jamie Cureton
Cureton appeared to be a fading force when he joined Exeter in 2010, but he finished the campaign with 17 league goals as City just missed the play-offs. After a disappointing season with Leyton Orient, the striker returned to Exeter in 2012 and netted an impressive 21 goals in 42 appearances.
He was the scourge of the bookmakers that season and is rightly viewed as one of the best players to represent the club.
Arnold Mitchell
Mitchell made his debut for Exeter in 1952 and subsequently made 516 appearances – the most any player has ever made for the club.
He was noted for his team ethic and is best known for captaining the side that won promotion for the first time in the club's history in 1964.
After ending his City career in 1966, Mitchell signed for Taunton Town but was forced to quit football after suffering a broken fibula.
Matt Grimes
The Devon-born midfielder progressed through the club’s academy before making his League Two debut against AFC Wimbledon in August 2013. Grimes won Exeter's player of the season award at the end of the campaign and was heavily linked with several Premier League clubs.
He eventually signed for Swansea City in January 2015, and has since had loan spells with Blackburn Rovers, Leeds United and Northampton Town before establishing himself with the Welsh club.
Cliff Bastin
Bastin started his career with Exeter, making his senior debut as a 16-year-old in 1928. He netted six goals in 17 appearances before being snapped up by Arsenal.
He went on to establish himself as a first team regular with the Gunners over the next few years, helping the club win five league titles and two FA Cups. Bastin's impressive tally of 178 goals made him Arsenal's all-time top goalscorer until 1997, when his total was finally surpassed by Ian Wright. Thierry Henry has since surpassed them both.
Jamie Mackie
After joining Exeter in August 2005, Mackie went to make almost 100 appearances for the club before joining local rivals Plymouth for an initial fee of £145,000.
He signed for Queens Park Rangers in May 2010 and enjoyed a successful first half of the campaign before suffering a bad leg break in an FA Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers.
Mackie returned to action with QPR, and has since played for Nottingham Forest, Reading, QPR again and Oxford United before retiring in 2020.
Noel Blake
Better known for his impressive spells with Birmingham City and Portsmouth, Blake spent the latter part of his career with the Grecians. He joined Exeter from Dundee United in 1995, becoming player/assistant manager under Peter Fox before replacing him in a caretaker capacity in January 2000.
The club continued to struggle under Blake, and he was eventually sacked in September 2001. Blake subsequently worked as a coach within the England youth set-up.
