Exeter City under-18s coach Chad Gribble says his youngsters are excited ahead of their FA Youth Cup tie with Plymouth Argyle at St James Park.
The match will see the young Grecians take on the fellow Devon side as both look to progress to the second round of the competition.
Ahead of the fixture, where fans can attend by purchasing tickets on the gate, Chad said: “First and foremost, we’re looking forward to it, the FA Youth Cup has great tradition for under-18s players.
“It’s a tradition that we’ve always enjoyed being a part of in the past and we’re looking forward to being a part of it again.”
But if the Grecians are to remain in the competition, they will need to fend off a Plymouth side who they beat 1-0 on the first day of the season back in August.
But despite winning when the sides last met, his players will be well aware of the threat that Argyle will pose at St James Park with a match in the cup a different kind of affair.
He continued: “Plymouth are in our league, but the Youth Cup is a completely different competition. Plymouth had a good run in the competition last year, so it’s certainly going to be a challenging game and it’s a derby game, which is never easy, but we’re looking forward to the challenge."
With game time in a stadium environment hard to come by for young players, Chad believes that the opportunity to play at St James Park in front of supporters will give his players the chance to continue their development as they look to use the experience as a learning tool.
“We see the games as an opportunity," explained Chad, "It’s an opportunity to put our young players in a different environment in a different competition, and it’s an opportunity for supporters to see the young players that the football club have coming through. Every win in every round gives you the chance to showcase yourself."
“We’ve had some games in recent years at the ground where the support has been fantastic, and we appreciate it and thank the fans for coming out to see the young players that we are working hard on a daily basis. Our players are excited to play in front of the fans and showcase all the hard work that we do week in week out to try and improve.”