EXETER CITY 2020/21 RETAINED LIST ANNOUNCED: RANDELL WILLIAMS AND JAKE TAYLOR OFFERED NEW DEALS

Featured Image Credit: Grimsby Town

Exeter City have today announced their 20/21 retained list, with five players set to depart St James Park.

Four players futures are yet to be decided, as contract talks are set to take place in regards to their next move.

Lewis Ward, Jonny Maxted, Tom Parkes, Nicky Ajose and Alex Fisher are the senior pros that have been released by Exeter City.

Captain Jake Taylor and Randell Williams have been offered contracts, but manager Matt Taylor expects they will both leave the club in the coming weeks.

Regular centre-back Pierce Sweeney and Lewis Page have also been offered new deals as their current contracts are set to expire.

This leaves the Grecians without any senior goalkeepers at this current time, with Ward and Maxted leaving on a free, and their number one Jokull Andresson, heading back to Reading.

Both goalkeepers joined in the 2019/20 season, with Ward making 28 appearances for Exeter before making the move to Portsmouth on loan in 2021.

Maxted made 26 appearances for the Grecians, gaining the number one shirt after Ward broke his hand in 2019, but injuries meant the arrival of Andresson and the Icelander’s form kept Maxted on the bench for the rest of the season.

Attacking options Alex Fisher and Nicky Ajose never really got going in an Exeter shirt, mainly being limited to substitute appearances and cup starts.

The release of centre-back Tom Parkes may surprise some Exeter fans, as he was a regular throughout the 2019/20 season, and the start of the 20/21 season, but injuries and the form of both Pierce Sweeney and Alex Hartridge meant that the former Carlisle man struggled to break into the team.

Randell Williams and Jake Taylor are expected to leave despite being offered new deals, which is a blow to the Grecians as when fit, both have been mainstays in an Exeter side that have challenged for the play-offs.

Williams arrived from Watford on a free transfer in January 2019, and wowed Exeter fans with his pace and delivery from wing back.

Jake Taylor and Pierce Sweeney are the only senior pros remaining from Paul Tisdale’s time in charge, and if they were to depart it would mean that all of the first team squad has either been brought in through transfer, or the youth academy by Matt Taylor.

On loan winger Robbie Willmott will also be returning to parent club Newport County.

Club player of the season Matt Jay is one of four star players for the club to be retained alongside: Ryan Bowman, Archie Collins and Joel Randall.

Matt Taylor has spoken about how big of a summer this is for Exeter, with him pointing out the need for ‘difference makers’ in the upcoming transfer window.

SEE FULL LIST BELOW:

RELEASED:

• Lewis Ward

• Jonny Maxted

• Tom Parkes

• Alex Fisher

• Nicky Ajose

CONTRACTS OFFERED:

• Jake Taylor

• Randell Williams

• Lewis Page

• Pierce Sweeney

RETURNING TO PARENT CLUB:

• Jokull Andresson

• Robbie Willmott

YOUNG PROS RELEASED:

• Noah Smerdon

• Lewis Wilson

• Louis Morison

• Will Dean

CONTRACTED SENIOR PROS FOR 2021-22:

• Jake Caprice

• Sam Stubbs

• Rory McArdle

• Nigel Atangana

• Matt Jay

• Ryan Bowman

CONTRACTED U23s FOR 2021-22:

• Josh Key

• Cheick Diabate

• Jordan Dyer

• Alex Hartridge

• Harry Kite

• Archie Collins

• Joel Randall

• Jack Sparkes

• Ben Seymour

U18s SIGNED PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS:

• Jack Arthur

• Jack Veale

• Nelson Iseguan

• Ellis Johnson

• Alfie Pond

Article By: Nathan Smith and Ollie Barefoot