Whilst other clubs in the South West have opted for major
surgery of their squads and – in some cases – decided on a change of manager,
Exeter City have opted for a nip and tuck approach under Paul Tisdale.
Whilst Liam Sercombe and Scot Bennett have flown the
Grecians nest - signing for Oxford United and Notts County respectively,
goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik, winger Lee Holmes and striker Will Hoskins arrived at
St James Park.
Last time Olejnik plied his trade in Devon was with Torquay
United in the 2011-12 season, when he kept 23 clean sheets in a campaign which
saw the Gulls reach the League Two Play-offs. His performances also earned him
a place in the League Two PFA team of the year.
Wide man Holmes joins from Preston North End in a deal that
sees him make his loan move last season permanent, and Hoskins will be looking
to jumpstart a career that has stalled in recent years due to injury.
Midfielder Manny Oyeleke has also joined from Brentford,
whilst central defender Troy Brown signed from Cheltenham Town.
Elsewhere in the Grecians squad, striker Tom Nichols has now
emerged as the standard bearer for the Grecians’ youth set-up following the
summer departures of Sercombe and Bennett.
Sercombe’s decision to join Oxford was particularly
significant, as he was the last player in the City squad to have been inherited
by Tisdale in 2006.
The money generated from the sale of Matt Grimes to Swansea
City has been invested wisely by the Grecians, and it is hoped by many that it
will help to aid a possible promotion push.
Whether the Grecians are able to do this may depend on how
prolific they are in front of goal. Should Nichols and Hoskins establish a
30-40 goal partnership between them, then the Grecians could be amongst the
leading contenders in the division.
City will start their 2015-16 campaign at home to Yeovil
Town on the date of the anniversary of the death of Adam Stansfield, who served
both clubs. Significantly Stansfield also found the target for the Grecians in
the last meeting between the two sides before his death in 2010.
Player to Watch: Will
Hoskins
Will Hoskins has been
transferred for over £1million in a career that has seen him appear for
Rotherham United, Watford, Bristol Rovers and Brighton and Hove Albion amongst
others.
However, in recent
years, injuries have hampered his progress in recent years and he will be
looking to kick-start his career with the Grecians and pass some of his
experience onto the likes of City’s young forward roster that includes Tom
Nichols, Jamie Reid and Ollie Watkins.
In: Manny Oyeleke
(Brentford), Bobby Olejnik (York City), Troy Brown (Cheltenham Town), Will
Hoskins (Oxford United)
Out: Liam Sercombe
(Oxford United), Scot Bennett (Notts County), Pat Baldwin (Weymouth Town), Connor
Riley-Lowe (Truro City loan)
