Exeter City FC

Exeter City are back in action at St James Park on Boxing Day with a festive feast of football against Newport County in a 3pm kick-off.

The Grecians are in good form ahead of a hectic festive period and have lost just one of their last 11 matches in all competitions.

Ahead of the match, Exeter City midfilder Nicky Law was keen to highlight the challenge Newport will bring to St James Park, he said:"It is a difficult game and, I think, as difficult a game as you can get in this league. You have to match their physicality as much as you can and when you get the ball you have to use it wisely and if you get your chances then you need to take them because I am sure it will be a game of few chances.”

THE CONTEXT

City come into the match on the back of a remarkable 3-3 draw with Walsall at St James Park on Saturday. The Grecians are second in the league with 40 points from 22 games so far and are just 3 points behind league leaders Swindon Town.

Newport come into the match on the back of a 2-1 defeat against Morecambe on Saturday, and are winless in their last six league matches. They sit in thirteenth place in EFL Sky Bet League Two but have played only 20 matches so far, two less than most.

TICKET NEWS

The match is proving popular, and is a great way to spend Boxing Day with the family. There are roughly 40 seats left at St James Park (as of 11am on Monday, December 23), so we advise you book early to avoid missing out if you want to sit.

Tickets are on sale at advance prices until 1pm in person on Tuesday, December 24 so you can save time and money, and pick your seat in advance. Click here to book online.

MATCH DAY COVERAGE

As usual, we’ll have the match covered across our social media channels and we’ll have a post-match interview with manager Matt Taylor and a player as they reflect on the result. You can also tune into BBC Radio Devon to listen to commentary as well.

Over the coming days you will be able to watch short and extended highlights (extended if subscribed to iFollow) and the SJP 360 recap of the match.

Exeter City on social media

LAST LEAGUE MEETING

Newport County 1 Exeter City 1 | September 21, 2019 | League Two

Exeter City picked up a 1-1 draw against Newport County at Rodney Parade in Sky Bet League Two. Despite going ahead after 15 minutes through Lee Martin, City were pegged back by a Tristan Abrahams penalty in the second period and battled to take a point away from south Wales.

MATCH SPONSORS

Our match sponsors is AIMA and associate sponsor is CAP Ceilings & Partitions

We would like to thank our sponsors for their continued support and wish them a pleasant day at St James Park.

MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

Our award-winning match day programme returns this Saturday and as usual has a whole host of content for supporters of all ages. Inside we take a look back at ten of the best matches from the last decade.

Junior Grecians can take part in our quizzes and local journalists Matt Bamsey and Alan Richardson cast their eyes over the Grecians and the wider footballing world.

MASCOTS

You can read the mascot profiles in the match day programme which you can pick up in the stadium for £3.00 on the day. For mascot booking or information, please contact andy.gillard@ecfc.co.uk.

CLUB SHOP

The club shop will be open from 10:30am and closes once supporters have left SJP, giving you the opportunity to make some purchases ahead of the match including the popular new third kit! There is a great range for all City supporters including training wear, mugs, scarves and a selection of pocked money items for kids.

MATCHDAY ACTIVITIES

As ever, football at the Park isn't just about the 90 minutes on the pitch, we've got a whole host of opportunities and experiences to make your matchday extra special.

Family photo opportunity

Another extra service that has really taken off is photos of away and City families in the respective dugouts.  If you would like to record your visit with this 'Kodak moment; please ask at the Tombola stall at 1:50pm.

Announce the team and other activities in the Red Square Fan Zone

Don’t forget those special selfie and autograph opportunities as the players start to arrive around 12:30pm.

You can pick up some free player stickers, from the Ambassadors, the Information Point and the Tombola Stand. The player for this match will be former Newport defender Gary Warren.

Signed team sheets will be available for a donation to the Academy. Donations through match day activities currently stand at nearly £1200. On behalf of the Ambassador team Thank You very much for your support.

You can also take part in the Exeter City tombola where the first prize is a signed Exeter City football. All funds raised go directly to the academy to support the future of the club. There are TWO opportunities to pull out number 25 (Jake Taylor!) and win a signed match ball.

We will be asking a home supporter to announce the City side and a Newport County supporter to announce the away side at 2:05pm. If you would like to do this head to the Information Point before 2pm.

There will also be the Quiz, 'tell us a joke and make us laugh' and 'Play your Cards Right'.

East Devon Grecians will also be supplying a quiz sheet for a small donation to their funds. Every penny then earn is used to improve things at SJP and the Cliff Hill training Ground.

50/50 draw

Don't forget to take part the Supporters Club matchday 50/50 Draw at St James Park, with half the money going directly to the club, and half been given away to draw winners in prize money.

The team of sellers from the Supporters Club can be found in Red Square from 1:30pm and tour the stadium before the games kick off, selling draw tickets to supporters for 50p each.

FREE Face Painting

The face painters are back for the match to help you show your colours. Popular with children and seemingly as many adults, face painting will be available in Red Square from 1:30pm and subsequently around the ground. Don’t worry if you miss them pre-match they will be mobile around the ground during half-time.

Junior Grecians tickets

Junior Grecians members get access to free match tickets when purchased alongside a paying adult. There are two family friendly areas available at St James Park, section E in the IP Office Main Stand and a section of the Thatchers Big Bank which is identified by the white barriers).

Click here to find out more.

The Guard of Honour

We are very sorry but to the condition of the pitch this activity has regrettably been suspended for the Boxing Day match with Newport. For the next home match, subject to the weather, the Guard of Honour will be selected from the IP Office Stand. If you would like to reserves a flag for your child(ren) please email customerservices@exetercityfc.co.uk.

Junior Grecians Lounge

The Junior Grecians are the Official Junior Supporters Club of Exeter City FC. 

The room provides a safe comfortable environment for families to enjoy pre-match entertainment, such as a large screen TVs, Playstation consoles and Table Football, as well as the option to enjoy refreshments from the Zone’s very own kiosk.

A feature wall displaying a packed Big Bank also provides a photo-sharing opportunity using the #jgzone hashtag. There are activities and competitions to suit all junior age groups, from FIFA19 and Table Football tournaments to free Activity Packs for younger children.

The Zone also features a VIP party area and there are several party packages available to book throughout the season.

So, if you are visiting St James Park on a matchday with children, be sure to pop in to the family zone!

New for this season, is the Family Zone 2 in the Stagecoach Adam Stansfield Stand, the astroturfed area includes a photo wall opportunity, table football, and beanbags where children can gather to play games and relax before kick-off.

Matchday timetable

Take a look below to familiarise yourself with the key matchday timings here at St James Park.

For the Adults

BOTTLE BAR

On the Big Bank on Saturday?

We will again have the bottle bar in the triangle kiosk, with Carlsberg plastic bottles available at half-time for just £3.50

Make sure you visit the Centre Spot bar after the match, where pints of Thatchers, Carlesberg and Tribute and selected Ales at the FECRACE bar are just £3.

The late kick-off sees Manchester United take on Newcastle United in a 5:30pm kick-off, so why not stay at the Park and take advantage of the drinks offers.