Paul looks forward to U21 tie
First-team manager Paul Tisdale feels that Tuesday night’s Under-21 Premier League Cup quarter-final tie against Burnley has a huge gravity for Exeter City, and is calling on the Grecian faithful to come and support the club’s young starlets.
In a season when plenty of youngsters have established themselves as first-team players at St James Park, passage to the final eight of this nationwide competition has created a few shockwaves. Crystal Palace, Southampton and Blackburn Rovers have already been put to the sword and only the Clarets stand in the way of a semi-final tie.
Paul revealed that the players have been looking forward to the game ever since the draw was made – and he is hoping that the supporters come and give their backing to the team en masse.
“It’s a big game,” said Tis. “I have to make a decision on Matt Grimes and Scot Bennett after their exertions against Burton. Our players that are involved are really, really excited about it and I’m hoping we’ll get over 1,000 people to come and watch at the Park.
“It’s a game that could put us into the semi-final of a national competition, so it’s a big game. I’m viewing this as if it was a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy game or a standard first team game because it is a big game for the club.”
Danny Butterfield got a run-out in the second-round tie against his former club Southampton as one of City’s overage players, in order to get some competitive minutes under his belt.
With Matt Oakley having been involved in the last two matchday squads against Oxford United and Burton Albion, Tis admits he is debating whether to make the experienced midfielder available for selection against Burnley.
He continued: “We haven’t decided yet [on Oakley] – ordinarily it’d be yes, but it’s a case of do you want to change the team because they’ve done so well. We’ll see.”