Captain of Exeter City, Jack Fitzwater, keenly looks forward to Monday night's Devon Derby as the season kicks off with Carabao Cup action at Home Park.
Speaking a few days after the Grecians' final pre-season game of the campaign against Bristol City, Jack summarised the success of the pre-season calendar this season: "I think we're in a in a good place, it's obviously been a tough few weeks in pre-season and as the games have progressed we've got better and better. There's been more of an understanding of how the gaffer wants us to play with a lot of younger players and new players coming into the club."
"On Saturday I think you what we could be and what we can become, and we can get even better. There's loads of things to improve, but there's a lot of positive signs, and you could see a lot of relationships starting to start to take place on the pitch, which was great."
City's 2026/27 season gets underway on Monday with a trip to Home Park to face the old enemy, an opportunity Jack and the team are excited for: "I can't wait to lead the boys out down there, it's one of those games that you look forward to. It's going to be a special game under the lights on Sky Sports, so we'll be ready to go with a game plan. It's one game we're really, really looking forward to."
Now in his fourth season and having witnessed two Devon Derbys in his time in red & white, Jack recognises the significance of these games for everybody involved with the club: "It's going to be massive. You're going to need to have calm heads, but you're gonna have that fire in your belly. I think once that first whistle goes, I think boys have got to realise the game is not going to be perfect. People are going to make mistakes."
"It's going to be 100 mile an hour, and it's going to be one of one of them games where whoever handles the emotions the best and gets the foot on the ball and starts taking their chances; that's who's going to win the game."
Hear more from Jack below on Grecian+