Taylor remains hopeful that Grounds will stay with Exeter
EXETER City manager Matt Taylor remains hopeful that experienced defender Jonathan Grounds will stay at St James Park for next season.
The 34-year-old arrived in Devon last summer on a one-year deal, featuring 22 times and scoring three goals in his debut season.
The former Middlesbrough and Birmingham City man’s contract expires in June and while eight out-of-contract Grecians were not offered new deals at the end of the campaign, Grounds was. Negotiations over the contract remain ongoing, but the manager is hopeful that the defender will stay.
The left-sided player had spent his entire career before the promotion season with City on playing at League One or higher. And with Exeter having a relatively inexperienced squad at that level, Taylor feels the experience both on-and-off the pitch Grounds can offer would be useful.
“He adds something on the pitch which is control,” Taylor said of the former Swindon Town man. “He gets the ball where he wants it and we need it. And in terms of the rest of the group and the young backline, we need to offset some of that youth with a controlled head and experienced head and a sturdy head.
“I’d love to bring him back, and it is where the money can be freed up to offer him a contact which is realistic and recognising his contribution and worth. Hopefully we can bring him back and negotiations are ongoing at the moment.”
Of City’s contracted defenders, Pierce Sweeney, Alex Hartridge, Cheick Diabate and Alfie Pond have never played higher than League Two. Sam Stubbs featured five times for Fleetwood Town in League One prior to joining City, and while George Ray has clocked up nearly 100 games in the third tier, he ended the season out on loan at Leyton Orient and could depart in the summer.
With loanees Cameron Dawson and Padraig Amond having returned to parent clubs Sheffield Wednesday and Newport County respectively, Exeter’s squad while full of youth and vigour is lacking in seniority.
Other than goalkeeping coach Scott Brown, Tim Dieng is the oldest contracted player aged 30, and Jake Caprice the only other player over the age of 27.