Exeter City v Plymouth Argyle - the build up + Q&A

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Countdown to Exeter City

Wednesday

Experienced referee Darren Drysdale is the man in the middle for the Devon Derby, so far this season he has shown 57 yellow cards and one red in 15 games. He was last in charge of an Argyle game in March last season for the 0-0 draw with Luton Town at Home Park.
He will be assisted on Saturday by Ravel Cheosiaua and Robert Dabbs while the fourth official is Geoffrey Russell.

According to Sky Bet Exeter are favourites to win at 21/20, an Argyle win has odds of 12/5 and the draw is also at 12/5.

Argyle have played at St James Park 50 times, winning 14 games, drawing 17 and losing 19.

The game is sold out for both home and away fans with Argyle fans snapping up all 1,152 tickets in just 90 minutes. A live beam back at the supporters bar at Home Park also sold out.

Exeter 1 - 3 Argyle, February 2015 .... You Tube match highlights

Pubs allowing Argyle fans:
The Imperial (Wetherspoons) open at 8am but not selling alcohol.
George's Meeting House (Wetherspoons) open at 8am but not selling alcohol.
Chevalier (Wetherspoons) selling alcohol from 9am.
St Anne's Well, open at 11am.
The Exonian, open at 11.30am.

Argyle centre-back Scott Wootton is suspended for the game after picking up five yellow cards.

Match preview

Pre-match information

The Green Taverners suite will now open at 8.45am on Saturday to allow fans to watch the rugby World Cup semi-final before watching the Exeter City game .... club website

Thursday



The Devon Derby double 2001/2002 .... You Tube

Exeter City fan Nick Hawker has kindly agreed to give Pasoti users an insight into his club with a Q&A...

Q: What are your thoughts on Exeter's season so far?
A: Wished you asked that two weeks ago!  This is a really tight league and we’re happy to be at the right end of it so no grumbles at all!  The last couple of games have been disappointing, though hopefully we’ll put them behind us shortly.

Q: What are your views on manager Matt Taylor?
A: He’s fantastic!  You tend to think if he wasn’t in the dugout he’d be on the Big Bank!

Q: Given the recent financial problems and ownership issues of lower league clubs are Exeter in a stable state at the moment and can you give a brief summary of how a Fan Trust owned-club operates??
A: We’re probably in a better state than most.  As a fan-owned Club we don’t allow the Club to get into debt - always living within our means.  That has it’s downside of course because without a wealthy backer it’s hard to chase success as aggressively as we’d like.  Over the years though, we’ve invested time, effort and money into our academy and we have sold on players for high fees that get invested wisely.  We like to think we earn our success but of course, we’re very conscious that we could face a lean spell - that’s why the lack of debt is so important.

Q: What are your expectations and predicted finishing position in League Two for this season?
A: We ought to make the play-offs.

Q: Without giving too much away what style of football and formation are Exeter likely to use against Argyle?
A: We’re a naturally attacking team so I don’t think you’ll see us sitting back at all.  Matt does like to surprise us from time to time though, so we’ll see on the day!

Q: Looking from afar what are your views on Plymouth Argyle? 
A: I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting to Simon Hallett in the summer and thought he was great!  Home Park is beginning to look really impressive and of course, you’re just starting to hit some form which I think everybody here expected you to.  It’s great to be playing you again!

Q: And finally do you have a prediction for the game?
A: It’s a derby game so the form book goes out of the window.  I’ll go 1-0 to ourselves.
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Devon and Cornwall police issue a statement regarding the match ..... D&C police

“Police are preparing to welcome several thousand football fans to Exeter for this game and are planning with our partners, including Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle football clubs, to deliver a safe and friendly community event.

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The weather forecast for the game is light rain, breezy and a temperature of 13. Heavy rain is expected during Saturday morning.

A guide to St James

Supporters coaches will now depart from Home Park at an earlier time of 10.30am .... club website

Centre-back Niall Canavan looks ahead to the Devon Derby .... club website

“If we win on Saturday, we go above them so, maybe that’s that little bit extra there, but I’m sure we don’t need any of that. The boys know what it means to the fans and the club."

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Midfielder Joe Edwards reveals his partner is due to give birth to twins ...

"If my phone goes off now it is my missus calling from the hospital, we are due twins any minute now.
"I have told her from minute one that there is one day you can't have them on and that's Saturday.
"It is looking more like it could be now, it's anytime now.

"It will be a fantastic weekend if we can round off with a victory and then hopefully the little'uns will be born not too many days after that and I can really celebrate them coming.
"I am sure they would understand if I missed it, to get the win over Exeter.
"Then I would explain later on in life that it was all about getting the three points in Exeter."

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Ryan Lowe talks about Saturday's game ....

"You have got to give them credit haven't you because they have been at the top of the league for a while.
"They got off to a flier and they were unbeaten in so many games.

"I think sometimes then the rivalry gets a little bit stronger because Argyle will be thinking that should be us.
"We know the differences. If we win we can overtake them and if they win they can claw their way from us.
"Matty has done a terrific job up there. It's a club that, without being disrespectful, it's not like an Argyle, you know what I mean?

"The expectations for us are massive, the expectations for them I wouldn't have thought are too massive."

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Friday

Exeter defender Aaron Martin talks about the game ....

“Every derby is obviously a huge game, especially for the fans and for the team as well. So everyone’s just looking to get stuck into it now and coming away with the three points.”
“Since the start of the season everybody’s been looking forward to this game and focusing on it. It’s obviously a huge game for everybody here so we’re just looking forward to it now.”
“It’s another game, everybody is going to forget about the last two games and really look forward to getting stuck in to this one on Saturday. I think the last two games have been a bit frustrating but we’ll put that behind us. Everybody has been training really well today and we’ll attack it again tomorrow and be ready for the game on Saturday.

“There’s still a long, long way to go yet in the season. It has been a little bump at the moment, we’ve had a really good start so we do need to get it back on track and hopefully we can do that this weekend.”
“Just getting everybody staying together, sticking together; learning from the mistakes that have happened and the last two games, and just putting that behind us now, and preparing for Saturday really.”
"It’s been a lot of travelling and it’s been a long week, but everyone feels fresh and everybody trained really well today, and tomorrow we’ll be at it again as well so everyone can’t wait to just get stuck in.
“The support here is amazing anyway, in every game all the fans have been absolutely brilliant, so I think Saturday everyone will be a bit livelier than they have been. Looking forward to seeing that and hearing that behind us, and most importantly winning the game.”

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Grecians manager Matt Taylor looks ahead to Saturday ...

"I don’t think there’ any such thing as ‘just another game’ when it’s a Devon Derby. It’s one where, when the fixtures come out at the start of the season, I think the fans and players alike look at it.
"It’s also a big game in terms of where we are in the league and our form this week where we want to put a few wrongs right and there is no better time to do it than in front of your home fans in a packed house at the Park.

"Just play your own game and be yourselves. We can’t be anyone else except Exeter City this weekend and that probably goes for the fans as well.
"They have to respect everyone at that stadium, they are there to watch a game of football and hopefully we will see two honest teams going at it and whoever comes out on top will have the bragging rights."

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All the info you need .... Match preview Turnstiles open at 11.30am.

Inside Exeter City
Ryan Lowe talks about the game ...

"We won't play the occasion. For me and my lads, we will make sure we just go about our business right. We will train as normal, we will do press as normal. We won't change nothing because there is no need to, it is just another game of football. I get if it is a play-off final or it is a game you need to win to get promoted but even that we'd still do the same stuff, it just gathers a bit of momentum.

"A local game means the lads can stay at home with the families like they have been doing for home games rather than travelling two, three, four hours away up the road to get in a hotel before the game. It won't change for us, it is just a normal Saturday afternoon, we will just leave normally, probably the same time the lads would probably leave to get to Home Park, we'd leave then. We are not going to change nothing, there will be one change in the team, maybe two. Other than that we are just about the same thing.

"Scotty Wotton has been magnificent but we have got Josh Grant and Will Aimson, so we will have a look at them two and see who the best fit will be and we will talk to them. You've seen George Cooper has come in for Danny Mayor. After getting a couple of yellow cards and the next thing you know, he has to sit out the game. Scotty is disappointed he is going to miss the game with suspension and if someone comes in and does a job then he might find himself in the same position. But for us, we have no worries at all. We have two terrific lads who are ready to stand in."

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Current form over last six matches in League Two: Exeter won 1, drawn 2, lost 3. Argyle won 3, drawn 2, lost 1.

Exeter 0 - 2 Argyle 2017 Matchday Moments .... You Tube

Match thread on Exeter fans forum ... Exeweb

Park Life ... Exeter club website

According to the Transfermarkt website the Exeter squad is valued at £3.69 million while the Argyle squad is worth £3.60 million.

Devon Derby Stats

Saturday



Exeter's season

The latest pre-match warning to fans by the club ... club website

Centre-back Niall Canavan talks about the Devon Derby ..

"I have seen bits and pieces, I have played in other derbies elsewhere, so I have some experience of them.
"Apparently this one is a little bit spicy. It's not something the boys should be fazed by, I think it is something you should relish and it's an opportunity to go out there and really put on a show for the pride of the shirt.
"People approach it differently. Some lads like to use that to get them going but I think it is a case of going there and doing your job to the best of your ability.
"It's about getting in their faces as all derby games seem to be, it is blood and thunder and I am sure there will be a few tackles.

"We have said that it is probably typical that we have won the two coming into it and they have lost the two.
"I think that tees it up quite nicely, if we win Saturday then we go above them.
"The boys know what it means to the fans and the club, we go there full of confidence and we will be looking to do our thing.

"They are the games you want to be involved in really, as I said, we have had a big week coming into this.
"Hopefully we get the result we want on Saturday and that leads us on, hopefully, to a prolonged run of results and that builds us towards Christmas time and the New Year and the new stand and it is all building to a positive season for us."

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Midfielder Joe Edwards also talks about the game ...

“I think with derbies, a lot of the time your physical state doesn’t really come into question because of the adrenaline that goes through. You always find that added little bit.
“I don’t think any of the boys will worry with how they feel physically. We’ve had two tough games in the week but with two wins that helps your mental side as well.

“We’re going into the game looking forward to it and, like I said, I don’t think you will be worried about how you feel with your legs.
“I think with derbies your form sort of goes out the window, but you would always want to be on a good run coming into it, which helps your mentality be right. Physically, both teams will have that same sort of adrenaline and they will be putting in the same effort.”

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Exeter will unveil two new mascots before the game, a lion and a lioness ....

Ryan Lowe talks more about the Devon Derby ... club website

“If we win, great. If we get a draw at Exeter, then it’s a good point. They’ve conceded some goals of late and we’ve scored plenty of goals, but that goes out of the window. It’s going to be two teams locking horns for three points."

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Exeter City have stated the St James Park pitch is fine and there are no plans for a pitch inspection.

The team to play Exeter