Exeter City manager Matt Taylor spoke to the press ahead of the One Of Our Own Cup.
"It's been fantastic to see [academy players coming through into the first team]. Fantastic to witness the way they've played, the way they've conducted themselves as young adults in a pretty brutal environment that is League Two. It's been a credit to themselves as individuals, it's been a credit to the families involved. Huge credit must go to our academy and the work they've done in terms of their development and the progression of these young players".
"What a fantastic reflection on what we are as a football club: to go through the season with a host of young players, not only making their debuts, but consistently playing at our level of football has been a hell of an experience for them; and one which has put them in a really strong position going into next season".
'It's also generated more interest in ourselves as a football club: we're constantly getting phone calls and recognition in relation to what our young players have done. We hope we can keep some of them long enough for our fans to come back into the stadiums and and witness them first-hand and see them play, because you speak to our supporters and there's still some players playing within our first team who our fans have never actually seen play live".
"All we can do is make sure these young players are on that pitch hopefully at the start of next season where the fans are back in the park supporting us".
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"The Junior Grecians experience, I think it's second to none. You look at what they get to do on a matchday and the experience they get to have. It's not just watching a 90-minute game of football, it's about the whole aspect of the day: the introduction to the ground at the stadium tours, meeting the players and getting an idea of what we stand for as a club at Exeter City. We hope when they come back they can do it safely first and foremost.
"The players are exactly the same [as fans], they're desperate to play in front of their home fans and they've come through the academy and they've supported this football club as well; so they've probably been in those Junior Grecians positions themselves and watched the first team play on numerous occasions".
"Now it's their turn to represent the club and they're doing it in a fantastic manner. They're looking forward to the moment that they get to run out in front of, hopefully, a full house at the park and some of the Junior Grecians will be present in relation to that".
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"People always say about why Exeter City is so special: it's the people first and foremost. The people are the fans and the people are the community and they are part of the city. Anything the Club can do in helping or in aid to the public is absolutely key".
"The work we do charity wise and community wise is second to none. It's absolutely fantastic and we've got some really good people in lead roles. Any sort of exposure or publicity in relation to the bits and pieces we do needs to be emphasised and needs to be drilled home into what we do and what more we can do. I'm sure there's a lot of people in need of help and assistance, and we can hopefully provide that as a football club".
"It helps ourselves in terms of a fanbase, it improves our reputation as what we are as a football club. When you're owned by the Trust and owned by the fans themselves: it's basically [like] you're owned by the city and you're owned by the community; and you have to play a huge part in that. We feel it's an area we do really well at Exeter City".
Have you got your virtual match ticket?
This weekend's One of Our Own Cup virtual match has been designed by the Supporters' Trust to achieve the following aims:
Test the club's brand-new ticketing system ahead of the 2021/22 season
Provide a once in a lifetime engagement opportunity for some of our youngest supporters
Raise vital funds for Exeter City Community Trust & Exeter Community Initiatives
Create the "One of Our Own" supporters prize draw, which includes some money can't buy prizes
If you would like to support one or more of these initiatives, then please click here to buy your prize draw 'match' ticket
If you would like to learn more before making your purchase, please click here
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