One of our Own Ed James has said it was an easy decision to sign a contract extension as a Grecian until 2028, with a club option of a further year.
Ed has been a Grecian for 14-years now, having joined as an eight-year-old and has patiently worked his way up through the ranks to feature in the first team at the heart of City’s defence.
Speaking about putting pen-to-paper, Ed added: "I'm really happy to sign. The club's moving in a good direction at the minute and I'm really happy to be a part of that and hopefully I'll keep developing as a player and as a person.
“As soon as the new deal was offer, it was never going to be a hard decision. I know this club inside out. I feel like it's the best place for me to keep developing as a player, so it wasn't a hard decision.
"It's been a long journey with plenty of ups and downs, and I feel like I'm moving in the right direction, so I just want to keep that momentum going and to keep pushing on.
“Exeter is my home and I’ve grown up here and lived here all my life. My family is down here. I’ve been at the club for so long that I feel like I've become a part of it. For me to be given the option to stay here for a couple more years and keep developing as a person. I wasn't going to turn that down. I'm really looking forward to it.
Manager Matt Taylor has shown great faith in Ed since his return to the club earlier in the year and handed Ed his full league debut against Doncaster Rovers at SJP in April – a match where Ed was named the sponsors man-of-the-match.
“Matt has put a lot of trust in me, especially since he came back last season. He's just told me to keep being myself and keep trusting in my ability, and that trust he has put into me has given me real confidence on the pitch and around the club. Being offered another contract as well is another sign of the club putting trust in me.”
Ed’s City journey is one of patience and working hard to force a chance for yourself to show what you are made of – something that Ed has grasped with both hands since making his full debut back in April.
“I’d probably say my understanding of the game has improved the most. I’ve played quite a few games in in the EFL now, so I feel like I'm starting to understand the game a little bit more and I’m going to keep learning in the games I play going forward.
“The likes of Jack Fitzwater and Pierce Sweeney have been great players to play alongside They both have a lot of games under their belt, so in training and games, what I'm trying to do is be a sponge and I'm trying to learn off them as much as I can.”
With City now fourteen league matches into the season, Ed wants to force his way back into the team and put on red and white as often as he can.
“I just want to play as many games as I can, and to get as many games under my belt as I can. I feel I feel like this squad's got a real good chance of doing something special this season, so I just want to be a part of that.
As One of our Own, Ed has a special link with the Exeter City faithful and thanked them for their incredible support.
“I'm really looking forward to keeping playing in front of the fans. The support they give us home and away is the best in the league – so you can't ask much more of them. And I'm really looking forward to keeping playing in front of them.”
Watch Ed's full interview below: