Manager Gary Caldwell has given his reaction as the club have published the retained list after the conclusion of the 24/25 Sky Bet League One Season.
Departing the club at the end of their contracts are Cheick Diabate, Vincent Harper, Ben Purrington, Angus MacDonald, Shaun MacDonald and youngsters Mitch Beardmore, Gabe Billington and Max Edgecombe, and Gary thanked them for their efforts in red and white:
"I spoke to players the middle of last week, which is obviously why there were some changes in the matchday squad for Mansfield. I felt like it was best to let them know we were clear on what we wanted to do. So the quicker we could tell the players so that they could then enjoy the end of season awards and enjoy kind of the last few days with our teammates we thought was important from a kind of human side of it.
"it's never easy. It's always difficult because these players give everything and they want to try their very best but sometimes for different reasons, it just doesn't work out.
"Now we are looking to recruit and what we need to bring in to improve the squad and to make it strong and better for next season."
Cheick Diabate leaves City having played a huge role in the team that was promoted back to League One four years ago, but has found game time hard to come by in recent times.
"Cheick was a difficult one because any Academy player, especially someone who's loved by the supporters and had such a successful period in terms of the promotion from League Two is difficult. But he struggled for game time. We sent him out on loan and he obviously came back and had a difficult period kind of January when the squad was changing, and we wish him the very best.
"We hope his career goes on from here because whenever one of our own leaves us, we always want them to do well and be successful. So we wish Cheick all the best.
Vincent Harper, Ben Purrington, Angus MacDonald, Shaun MacDonald all depart the club with our best wishes after big contributions in red and white.
"They haven't played as much as they would have liked this year, especially Ben and Vinny and we feel like we have to look to try and get better and to try and improve in those areas. Angus, for me, was a really, really difficult one. He has been exceptional since he came to the club. He's done everything we asked this season.
"We just felt like with the players we had already signed at the club to bring another defender into that group of a similar profile to the ones that we have wasn't the right thing to do. So he was by far the toughest and I thank him for everything he has done because since he's been at the club, he has really delivered and helped in the second half of the season with some of the defensive performances we've had. Again, we wish them all the best and thank them for everything they've done at the club."
The young trio of Mitch Beardmore, Gabe Billington and Max Edgecombe depart SJP and will be supported with the next stage of their career.
"We spoke to the players and always with young players it's really hard. And all three of them, I thought, took it with great maturity. I thought the way they spoke of their time at Exeter was really clear, how much they loved it and how much they loved being part of this football club. And as we said to them when they left, they will always be part of this football club and we will do anything we can to try and help them in whatever they go on to do next. So, yeah, that wasn't an easy day, but it's part of the job and it's probably my least favourite part of the job.
New contracts have been offered to Caleb Watts, Jake Richards, Pedro Borges and Harry Lee and Frankie Phillips. Speaking about these, Gary said:
"We have made as good offers as we can to these players. Ultimately it's up to these players and their agents should they decide to take it. We, you know, we've shown we all of them really the care we give them, the time we put into these players and you know, the contract offers, we've shown how much we want to keep them there. Now it's down to them and their agents to make that decision.
The club have triggered the option to keep Jay Bird and Josh Magennis for a second season in red and white.
"We've triggered those options. Josh's option is in his favour so hopefully the big man puts pen to paper on that soon. Jay is someone that has came from part-time football at Arbroath and took time to get going. But in the second-half of the season since he's been out on loan at Rochdale, he's really shown his quality there, scored goals there. It's important he comes back pre-season and shows the gains from that time he spent on loan and shows his desire and hunger to get in our team on a more regular basis.
Gary has also triggered the clause in Johnly Yfeko's loan from Rangers to make that a permanent move on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
"I think when we saw him start the season everyone was amazed that we had that clause and he's got another two-years at the club but obviously the two injuries he's had the big setbacks this year that we've not seen enough of them.
"I spoke to Johnly today and said he has every tool at his disposal to be a top, top player now he has to make sure he stays on the pitch next year. He's professional, he's consistent with his work because his ceiling is huge for what he can achieve in his career and we're delighted to sign him this summer."
Demetri Mitchell, Yanic Wildshut, Pat Jones and Kevin McDonald have been invited to join the group for pre-season and Gary explained how that will work.
"Some of them had clauses where we could offer new contracts but they're all injured at the minute or coming back from injury in Yanic's case. We felt like a kind of duty of care for those players to provide a pre-season for them, should they want it. We get to see where they are physically. If somebody comes in for them at any moment, they can obviously go.
"They're not contracted to us in any way, but it gives us a chance to see them, to look at them, to see where they are. And should we want to sign them at that moment, we can. But obviously other clubs can take them as well. But we felt like for the four players it was important to give them that, but also what they give us in terms of their quality and their characters around the place will be really important as well."
Pro contracts have been offered to Liam Oakes, Kieran Wilson and George Birch, who will join up with the first team in pre-season.
"We are always hopeful of that next batch of young players coming through. Oakes obviously came on for the last little bit on Saturday and made appearances this year, which is great. George hasn't spent as much time with us, and Kieran only now and again he's featured in the Vertu Trophy.
"It's a big step up to first team football to first team pre-season. So it's a big summer for them to make sure they come in ready to hit the ground running with that as well."
Gary also thanked the loanees who have departed the club and returned to their parent clubs.
On Joe Whitworth: "Credit to Kev Miller on bringing Joe to the club. We didn't think we could do it again after Vil (Sinisalo). We've done it again. I don't know how he keeps doing it and finding these little gems. I've just spoke to Joe and he is a top, top guy, top, top goalkeeper and we'll have an amazing career ahead of him. So we thanked him for, you know, what he's done this season.
"He's loved every minute of it and, yeah, we'll have to find another gem next season. But Kev has shown so far, he's very good at it.
On Alex Hartridge: "He's done exactly what we needed him to do. I thought by far he played his best games in an Exeter City shirt. I think he had a period where he was top, not just in his defending, but in the way he passed the ball out for defence. He captained the team a few times. I think he's matured a lot in his time that he's moved away in the six months he spent away at Wycombe Wanderers and I thought he's been outstanding."
On Ryan Trevitt: "I thought he took a couple of games to get going, then he was incredible for us again in that midfield in a period where again, we had to win some big games and had important moments where Ryan Trevitt, for me, as a top quality player, I seen him at Brentford last week when I went there and he's trying to get back from his injury and hopefully next year his career kicks on at Brentford or wherever he goes next, potentially the championship. But whenever you can get players of the quality of Ryan Trevitt, then that is a huge boost. And again, I thought he was exceptional once he got his fitness and got going."
On Joel Colwill: "I thought he was our best player on Saturday. His understanding of the role and his frustration at not scoring was evident. But a top young player, great kid, great character, made the step up and came into a team that was struggling when he came in and it was very difficult for him. So I'm sure he'll have learned a lot. Whilst he'll be disappointed probably at his numbers, he can be really proud of what he did. He showed a great maturity At a time when maybe he was in and out the team and his training standards never dropped."
On Tony Yogane: "I touched base with Brentford when I was there about Tony. He, for me has matured a lot as a person. I sometimes think with these loans, we just look at the player and the football side of it, but there's also a human side to it and a maturity side to it where the player is moving away for the first time. They're maybe having to live on their own for the first time. Big T's had cooking lessons. I hear he's getting better at that!"
To see the kind of young boy that came and now how much he's matured and grown is great. But as a player, I think he has so much to offer. I think he has amazing 1v1 skills. He knows there's areas of his game he has to improve, but I think he's a player with a big future as well."
Plans are already in place for the 25/26 League One season, with City having 14 contracted pros in place.
"It's going to be a busy one. I think we will look to try and get a squad about 25. I felt like second half of the season, the squad has been a little bit big at times when injured players have come back. So we'll look for a squad of 25. So it shows you there's, you know, a lot of players to bring in. And as is always the case, we have to be patient. That isn't going to happen tomorrow.
"We do have targets. We are trying to speak to people, but, you know, people are still in play-off games, people are going on holiday. So we'll try and do that over the course of the summer and get the very best players we can to improve the team and give the team the best chance to be successful again next season."
Watch Gary's interview: