There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be in the frame for the top three

won, you’ve no idea why. Now I realise it’s because of the adrenaline; it’s the huge adrenaline spikes you get, twice a week from games, all year round and then… stop!

‘You do game after game all season, keep doing it, keep doing it and then go to a play-off final, lose and then get your best players saying they want to leave. Players who have been like your family saying they want to leave.

‘There’s three weeks of holiday, you want to see your kids and family. And I spend all day making decision, decision, decision and I can’t even make a decision about where to go on holiday because you’re so exhausted. You get irritable, can’t sleep. It takes about six to eight weeks to feel normal again. The doctors at the League Managers Association say that our adrenalin levels are similar to city traders.’

Pre-season never gives much of a clue. ‘Last year we won every preseason game, didn’t concede a goal and we were bottom of the League so this year we didn’t play any League sides for the first four weeks. I decided that we’re not going to play at home. We’ll enjoy it. We’re not going to put any pressure on them. From November to May, it was relentless. So all of July was no stress, as they had had enough of that last year.

‘I couldn’t just jump back after three weeks. I wanted to make sure we weren’t too clever. So we went back to coaching basics rather than try to add something on to what we had done last season. But if we had l ost the first two games, who knows?’

For now, Exeter are thriving, the only uncertainty being Tisdale’s future. When the Trust served notice last November, it meant ending the deal next summer. Negotiations are in hand now to persuade Tisdale to stay.

‘ I’m here this season, running down the contract and we’re in negotiations about the future,’ he says. ‘I’m open-minded and will do my best to do the best we can this year to give myself the best options. But it’s not just about me. I want to see a future for the next five years: investment, facilities.’

On the pitch they are heading in the right direction. ‘We’ve had a good start and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t challenge, be in the frame for the top three and see where we are come the spring.’

Finish in the top three, of course, and there will be no need to return to the loneliness of a Wembley play-off final.