Exeter City set for ‘drastic’ squad cuts after relegation from League One

Exeter City will face a “drastic” cut to their squad following the club’s relegation from League One, according to interim manager Matt Taylor.

The financially-troubled fan-owned club’s four-season stay in the third tier ended after a 2-1 loss at home to Bradford City.

A run of one win in their final 20 games saw the Grecians drop from 10th place in January to the relegation zone in May.

Many of the club’s experienced players, such as Pierce Sweeney, Josh Magennis, Ilmari Niskanen, Jack McMillan, Danny Andrew and Reece Cole, are out of contract this summer.

Off the field, the club needed loans of around £600,000 from the Exeter City Supporter’s Trust and also made off-field redundancies after an overspend in the 2024-25 season.

“I think it’s the most simple retained list because we can’t afford to offer the contracts needed to get these players to commit to Exeter City,” Taylor told BBC Radio Devon.

“That’s no reflection on anyone else, especially not the players – that needs to be said and needs to be put on record.

“It will look quite drastic in terms of the numbers who are leaving us, but that is just circumstance and that is where we are right now in terms of committed costs.

“The six loans go back naturally, and we wish them all the best and thank them for their service, but there are players who will unfortunately leave us who, in a different moment in time, we would have liked to keep.”