Exeter City Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Irish midfielder Jake Doyle-Hayes from League of Ireland side Sligo Rovers for an undisclosed fee, subject to EFL and international clearance.
The 26-year-old joins as the club’s 1931 Fund player – part funded by supporters – and brings with him a career that spans England, Scotland and Ireland.
A product of the Aston Villa academy, having made his first team debut for the Villains in 2017, Doyle-Hayes made 42 appearances over two loan spells with Cheltenham Town and Cambridge United in League Two between 2018 and 2020.
Doyle-Hayes moved to Scotland at the end of 2020 to St Mirren, making 30 appearances before the end of the 2020/21 season, before he earned a move to Hibernian that summer.
He signed a two year contract with the Edinburgh club and further extended that deal for another year six months later after a successful first half of the 2021/22 campaign. He made a total of 69 appearances for the club over four seasons before he departed for Sligo in February of this year on a short term contract.
Manager Gary Caldwell said: “Jake is a player I worked with at Hibs who is a technically good midfield player as a six or an eight.
“He had huge potential as a youngster and having worked with him, and knowing his character, it is a signing that feels a little easier. He is a really good player and will add lots of competition into the midfield.”
1931 Fund
As the 1931 Fund player, a proportion of Doyle-Hayes wages are paid for by a contribution by a group of supporters who each pay into the fund.
- Just over £200,000 invested in Number 31s since James Norwood made his debut at Leeds United.
- Pierce Sweeney among previous Number 31s.
- Special connection between fans and Our Man on the Pitch in the No.31
- Our members, many of whom are Exeter Exiles, pay £19 per month into the fund to make this little investment in ECFC.
1931 Fund organiser Alan Crockford said: "We're delighted to once again play our part in helping to bring a new signing to our wonderful football club.
"It's a very timely signing, coming just a few days after the testimonial for one of our first Number 31s, Pierce Sweeney. We're really proud of Sweenz, and of everyone who has worn our famous shirt with pride.
"Many of our members are Exeter Exiles who don't get to SJP so often but really want to support the club as best they can.
"We know it's really a drop in the ocean, but we're determined to do our bit, and we hope that this demonstration of fans taking responsibility and helping where they can is a useful reminder of why Exeter City is significantly different from pretty much every other club. Of course it is so very special to so many of us."
Anyone interested in joining the 1931 Fund and paying £19 every month to help fund City's number 31 should email Alan at 1931fund@gmail.com.
If you would like to sponsor Jake for the 2025/26 season, please get in touch with our commercial team via: commercial@ecfc.co.uk.