Below we look at what you should know about The Grecians ahead of the fixture.

Recent Background

Exeter have been in League One for the past four seasons after being promoted from League Two in 2022 after being out of the third tier for nearly ten years – Their promotion season saw then manager Matt Taylor’s squad win 23 wins 15 draws and eight losses to secure second place.

Taylor would continue to manage Exeter for a further 11 league games into the 22/23 League One season before being snapped up by Rotherham United who had just been promoted to the Championship. He helped them secure another season by the skin of their teeth before being sacked 16 games into the 23/24 season after a poor run of form.

At Exeter City, Gary Caldwell would be brought in from the Newcastle United academy coaching staff to help maintain the club’s survival in the third tier. In his first season he secured 14th place for The Grecians, ten points above the relegation zone. The following season they went one better and secured 13th place in League One, 17 points above the relegation zone establishing themselves as a League One team.

In their third season things took a turn as they tumbled back down the League One table and flirted with the relegation zone. They would finish the season in 16th with 56 points just ten points above Crawley Town in the relegation zone.

At the time the squad had lost important players, such as Reading academy graduate defender Zak Jules (Rotherham), midfielder Tom Carroll, Alex Hartridge to Wycombe (Burton Albion), Will Aimson (Wigan).

This season Exeter City have been a team in-form, though they have lost 12 games they have only drawn three and won 11 and sit only six points behind the top six. The Grecians started the season terribly having lost six out of their first ten games, but bounced back into form in October.

Jayden Wareham (Image: ©Jason Dawson)

New arrivals and departures

Exeter had a busy summer transfer market with many important incomings and outgoings.

The main talking point with the Royals will be The Grecians’ signing of striker Jayden Wareham on a free transfer after his contract ran out with Reading. Since joining Exeter he has scored 13 goals across all competitions – he has been a star signing for Caldwell’s side.

Left-back Danny Andrew joined on a free transfer from Stockport County, he has made 15 appearances in the league so far. Another defender joined in Luca Woodhouse on a free transfer from Wycombe Wanderers, he also has only made 13 appearances in the league.

Former Aston Villa academy midfielder Jake Doyle-Hayes joined The Grecians from Irish outfit Sligo Rovers for an undisclosed fee. So far this season he has made 19 appearances in the league and registered an assist.

Another purchase for Exeter was Johnly Yfeko from Rangers for an undisclosed fee on a two-year deal. The 22-year-old has only made seven appearances in the league so far, but looks promising for The Grecians.

There were many departures in the summer for Exeter with Jay Bird leaving the club to join Salford City for an undisclosed fee. In total 12 players left the club as on a free transfer in the summer with many going to League One and League Two sides.

The Grecians have only made one signing in January, with winger Timur Tutierov joining on loan from Premier League side Sunderland.

Exeter City v Reading FC. Sky Bet League One 25/26 (Image: ©Jason Dawson)

Key Players

Joe Whitworth has been the key man between the sticks for Exeter, on loan from Crystal Palace until the end of the season he has kept nine clean sheets and only conceded 24 goals in the league. Statistically he has prevented the most goals out of any goalkeeper in League One with 4.41 goals prevented.

Gary Caldwell has preferred lining up Exeter in a 3-4-1-2 – Luca Woodhouse, Jack Fitzwater and former Royal Pierce Sweeney have been preferred in the backline recently. With the help of rotational defenders the squad have helped keep nine clean sheets, only just behind Cardiff City and Luton Town. They are also joint for the least conceded goals, 24, so far this season with Stevenage.

Exeter will be difficult to breakdown as they deploy strength with pace to cover each lane of attack – though they play a back-three they often deploy their right-wing back Ilmari Niskanen as a fourth defensive man moving to a back four. Niskanen has already made 51 tackles this season and has been key in Exeter’s defensive resilience.

Daniel Kyerewaa, Kamari Doyle and Jack Marriott will have a lot of work to do to break through and find opportunities for fast-breaks to catch the backline out.

Brentford loanee Ethan Brierley has been the key man in midfield for Exeter having played nearly every game this season. His passing and recoveries have been key in Caldwell’s side’s movement and chance creation through the midfield, he is often paired with either Jake Doyle-Hayes or Jack McMillan who play similar roles to Brierly – The battle between Reading’s Lewis Wing and Charlie Savage and Exeter’s midfield will be key to the success of either team in creating dangerous passages of attacking play.

Jack Aitchison and Reece Cole currently switch as starting 10s with five goals and five assists between them. Cole plays more of a shadow striker role as he is used to get on the front-foot and get shots off on goal, whilst Aitchison becomes the playmaker higher-up the midfield. Wing and Savage’s ability to shut them down will be vital to nullifying balls into Exeter’s striker pairing, whilst Paudie O’Connor and Benn Ward/Jeriel Dorsett/Finley Burns’ ability to close down and block any shots will also make the difference.

As mentioned earlier former Reading striker Jayden Wareham has become a star for Caldwell having scored 10 goals in the league already, with four goals in the last five league games. The backlines ability to shut him down and keeping his pace at bay will make the difference.

Most of Wareham’s shots have come from the right side and the majority from inside the box or just on the edge of the six-yard box. Haydon Roberts and the left-centre back will have a lot of work on their hands to keep the striker at bay.

Carlos Mendes, who is on loan from Bolton Wanderers, has recently been deployed alongside Wareham however player a versatile deeper role where he drops behind Wareham and plays as a supporting wide option. He has been sharing the role with incoming winger Timur Tuterov and West Brom loanee Akeel Higgins.

Young forward Sonny Cox has also been given minutes in the role.

Head to Head

The two sides have met 88 times, with the first back in 1920/1921 in the old English Division 3.

Reading has won 50 games whilst Exeter have managed 23 with 15 draws between them.

The two faced each other earlier this season in October, with Reading being under the stewardship of Noel Hunt. The game ended in a 1-1 draw with Wareham cancelling out Jack Marriott’s opener.

Odds

Reading are 23/20 to win, meanwhile Barnsley are 21/10 to win.

A draw is 23/10.