‘Exeter deserve more praise for top season’

EXETER City manager Matt Taylor insists his squad haven’t received the credit they deserve this season. The Grecians have clinched promotion from League Two and have the title in their sights as they lead Forest Green Rovers by a point.

But despite their success this year, Tim Dieng was the only Exeter player to make the team of the year.

Taylor, right, whose side will look to clinch the title at home against Port Vale today, told Devon Live: “We go under the radar. We go under the radar partly because we live in the South West of England and it is a long way for people to come and watch this team play and a long way for camera crews to lug all their equipment to come down and film us play.

“Our strength has been the team this year. I still think some of those players deserve more recognition than they got. We were delighted for Tim, it was absolutely fantastic and a fair reflection on his season, but I think it’s fair comment to say two or three others – if not more – could have been in some of those teams of the year.

“They certainly deserve more recognition than they have had, but that is what we are as a football club. We have always been seen as this club that promotes young players and gives them the opportunity, sells them on and doesn’t get the right success on the pitch.

“But finally, after six years of trying, we have had that success on the pitch and hopefully the recognition will keep coming.

“What is it that everyone says, the league table doesn’t lie after a 46 game season?

“We are in a position now that we want to keep for after the last game of the season.

“Forest Green have had a lot of publicity – and rightly so, they have been so good for so long this season – and we have been playing for second place.

“We’ve not been on Sky TV all season, and not many will have watched them apart from opposing fans and our own fans, which is a real shame.”