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Exeter confirm appointment of ex-Wigan, Chesterfield, Partick manager as successor to Matt Taylor

Exeter City confirm the appointment of ex-Wigan, Chesterfield, Partick manager Gary Caldwell as successor to Matt Taylor.

Caldwell has been brought in on a “long-term contract” after the 40-year-old former Celtic and Scotland player was most recently assistant manager at Hibernian.

He guided Wigan to promotion to the Championship in 2016 and has also had spells in charge of Partick Thistle and Chesterfield and has plenty of work to do with the Grecians sitting eighth in League One, three points off the play-off places, after gaining automatic promotion under Taylor last season.

CLUB STATEMENT

Exeter City Football Club is pleased to announce Gary Caldwell as our new First Team Manager.

Gary, 40, joins the club on a long term contract. The former Celtic and Scotland defender, who was most recently assistant manager at Hibernian, will join the players and staff at the training ground today in preparation for tomorrow’s away game against Derby County.

Prior to his appointment at Hibs, Gary managed Partick Thistle and Chesterfield; these appointments followed a stint as manager of Wigan who he led to a successful promotion to the Championship.

In a joint statement, Nick Hawker, chair of Exeter City Supporters’ Trust, and Julian Tagg, club president, said the club was delighted that Gary had accepted the position.

“As a supporter-owned club, Exeter City is unique and it was vitally important that we chose the right person to continue our journey. The club is in a strong position, having been promoted to League One and made a great start to the campaign, which sees us in eighth position in the table. Gary brings a great deal of experience to our club and we’re excited and optimistic for the future.”

“We would also like to put on record our thanks to interim manager Kevin Nicholson and Jon Hill for stepping in to manage the team over the last couple of weeks.”

Caldwell said: “It feels amazing, to be honest. When the job became available it was something I was really interested in because of the club’s history and the time that managers get given here is something that is unique.

“The whole process from first interview all the way through to when they called to offer me the job, they have been thoroughly professional – they are good honest people – and I’m genuinely thoroughly excited to be at the club and can’t wait to meet the player, get on the grass and get started.

“It’s a big move to Devon, but this is an exciting part of it and I’m looking forward to meeting people in the community and being part of the community and embrace all that is Exeter City.

“It is a great thing that the supporters are very much a part of running the football club and i’m looking forward to meeting them and understanding what their ambitions and plans are for the football club, and I then have to do all I can to make that a reality.

“I’ve spent most of my games as a manager in this division. I understand this league and how difficult it is – there is such a wide range of clubs – but it is a very competitive and with the right organisation and structure and work ethic, then you can achieve success in this league.

“I’ve been very lucky in my career that the clubs I’ve been at and the people I’ve worked with have been fantastic, and that’s the thing for me, you can never achieve success on your own, you need good people around you and you need togetherness.”

This is what fans said as Exeter confirm appointment of the ex-Wigan, Chesterfield, Partick manager as successor to Matt Taylor…

@NonnyWills: Welcome!! 👋

@KSearle75: Welcome Gary. Good to have you on board. UTC.

@ryangreenaway: Sceptical about this, but then was the same about Taylor coming in. Get behind him and the lads and let’s see what he can do. I presume he must have interviewed well and demonstrated the values that are important to the club.

@94Lewis: Can he still play?

@sumsECFC: Not as enamoured initially about this appointment, but as ever he’ll get my backing and I have faith in our custodians that they’ve come to the right decision based on what they’ve seen. Hopefully he’s learnt from previous experiences and can kick on with us. UTC

@CFCTommy7: All the best lads, potentially the worst manager we’ve ever had at Chesterfield.

@adamliddicoat: Appointment made, let’s kick on 👍

@joehellierecfc: Welcome sir, to the world’s greatest football club

@ecfcwayne83: Underwhelming is an understatement. The guy has had one good managerial season in his career and two spent fighting relegation. Hope it goes well but can’t help but feel the board had better options on the table. Maybe he was the cheap option…

@MarkLin25893915: Bore off give him a chance

@Venetia68: Welcome to City Gary. Think no matter what anyone’s opinions are, we should keep them to ourselves and give the guy a good time to settle. Things won’t happen overnight and his past history means nothing. All I care about is what happens next to our beloved club. #UTC

@Nathan_j25: Good luck lads, you’ll need it

@CfcLex: Terrible appointment

@CasualGrecian68: I’ll get behind him (of course I will) but I can’t help think that everything we stand for and have done successfully for years will go down the pan with a different style of play, this will have to go down to the youth team also which is what this club is built on… #ECFC

@CFC_JAY91: You couldn’t of picked a worse manager. I struggle to call him that. Worst one I’ve seen at Chesterfield. Good luck lads.

@Hilly3012: This is an absolute disaster for Exeter. Caldwell is a hideously bad manager. Good luck. You’re going to need it.

@Latics_WN6: Good luck Gary. #wafc legend and I really feel there is something in there that he can get his sides playing good football.

@ASJD30: This is quite simply, unbelievable! Must be a case of ‘who you know’

@tompcfc: Huge part of the decline of my club and others yet gets a job in league 1 🤣 He must smash his interviews 🙃 I’ve never seen a manager with less of a football brain than him…Twat. Be fun playing Exeter in league 2 next season though 📉

@Jbunter7: Going to back him, but quite underwhelming from the board given there were some promising candidates. At least we have someone in place now. #ECFC

@sercombe_chris: Get on Gary lad. Twitter says it’s a bad move so all known logic confirms this will work out well. Looking forward to seeing how he gets us playing. UTC!

@jaggo2210: Good luck @OfficialECFC you’re going to need it. I give it til the end of season at best.

@ryan_smales: Gary Caldwells Red & White army 🔴⚪️ Roll on Derby away tomorrow 😍 #UTC #ECFC

@rosscmcg: This has just made my Monday. Exeter officials obviously done their due diligence. Easter Island Head back in the game

@MichaelWilcox82: Not sure you’ll be delighted in a couple of months 🤦🏻‍♂️😂

@jensonecfc: regardless of what you think let’s just back the man and get right behind him

@lstevens1997: Start of a new era. Buckle up, let’s go #ecfc

@A_Davison97: Not a great track record but I hope he can prove himself. Good core to work with. Let’s get behind him and the boys and keep pushing 👊

@andynugent76: Genuinely baffles me how this guy continues to get managerial jobs. Absolute nightmare for any fan seeing him get unveiled as their new manager. Nae luck Exeter

@matthew_land: Underwhelming to say the least #ECFC

@JohnBridger_: Nice easy week to get himself bedded in 😂 #ECFC

@RogersJordan99: Will get behind the manager but this is extremely underwhelming from the club

@RyanLeworthy84:
🎶 Here we go, oh!
We’ve Gary Caldwell!
And I like it,
I like it,
I like it,
I like it,
I la-la-like it,
La-la, like it,
Here we go, oh!
We’ve got Gary Caldwell! #ecfc 🎶

@quid4trolley: feeling very sorry for fans of Exeter City, upon reading that village idiot Gary Caldwell has been handed the manager’s job. quite simply the most incompetent man in professional football. but he’s in work for the moment, so i’m sure he’s laughing! good luck Gary!

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