Exeter City are delighted to announce that once more we will be entering the Premier League Cup.
This season City will take on Bristol City, Reading and Norwich City both home and away, with all three home matches taking place at St James Park.
- Monday, September 28: vs Norwich City - 7pm (H)
- Monday, October 12: vs Bristol City - 7pm (A)
- Monday, November 2: vs Reading - 7pm (H)
- Monday, November 16: vs Norwich City - 7pm (A)
- Monday, November 23: vs Reading - 7pm (A)
- Monday, December 7: vs Bristol City - 7pm (H)
The Premier League Cup has been a fantastic competition for City's younger professionals and academy players and given them experience playing against higher category opposition and in stadiums in front of fans.
Last season City faced West Brom, Luton Town and Brentford and were eliminated at the group stage despite some strong performances.
Speaking about our participation, Manager Matt Taylor said: "The competition provides great experience, and not just for the ones in and around the first team. There's probably a bracket below that will go out on loan, but this competition gives us a chance to see them in front of our own eyes, and within our remits and within our workings.
"We've got a lot of players with bright futures at the club, but who need game time and need exposure. The fixtures are always competitive and always well supported from our fans, always great games for our fans to see what the future holds for this football club. And I always think these competitions are a good marker for what's to come.
"We have to understand that where the club is right now in terms of a reset and a refocus, there's a bigger picture which we're building towards and our young players are at the heart of that.
"That's the club's strategy and vision, and competitions like this will give us a better indication of where our young players are at and what's needed for the next few weeks, months, years to get them closer to the first team.
"We're looking forward to this campaign and we hope it's not just six games. We hope it's more than that and we go into the knockout stages. But a fantastic opportunity for the club to show what we're all about, and it will give some of these young players their first experience of even playing in front of supporters at SJP."
Competition Format
This year's competition is made up of a four-team group stage, followed by a 16-team knockout stage. Each team plays their group-stage opponents twice, once home and once away.
The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage which will consist of a Round of 16, Quarter Final, Semi Final and Final.
If a knockout stage game ends level after 90 minutes, they go to extra-time and then penalties.