Exeter City could be the place where Stockport County & Bolton Wanderers transfer regret builds | OneFootball

Exeter City signed Danny Andrew and Carlos Mendes Gomes on deadline day and both can show their former sides what they're missing at St James Park.

The Exeter City roller coaster rumbles on and, after a strong week, how long can the Grecians stay on a high for this time?

Following Saturday's comfortable 3-0 home win over a very poor Peterborough United side, who remain rooted at the foot of the League One table, Gary Caldwell was able to add three players on deadline day with a mix of pace, experience and potential.

City themselves are up to 11th after three wins and three defeats so far and the results have mirrored their performances on the pitch with abject showings followed by encouraging ones.

The general view is that City have had a good summer window topped off with a strong final day and no major unexpected departures along the way.

Danny Andrew was the first through the door on Monday, with the 34-year-old left-sided player bringing quality and experience to St James Park.

He arrived on a free transfer after playing seven games for Stockport County this campaign, grabbing an assist in one of his five League One appearances, with many fans' comments on his departure wondering why he wasn't signed on for the season.

Youngster Akeel Higgins was next in, joining on loan from West Bromwich Albion, with the 20-year-old predominantly playing as a left-winger for the Baggies' youth team.

Carlos Mendes Gomes was then revealed after the window had closed, again on a season-long loan from Bolton Wanderers.

It feels like Higgins will be a bit-part impact player off the bench, but Andrew and Mendes Gomes could prove to be very shrewd signings for the Grecians over the next 10 months.

Andrew's arrival is a bit strange, purely because he had featured a lot for County this term and joined on a free at the end of his one-month deal which expired on August 31st.

The fact that he can play left-sided centre back as well as left back or left wing-back brings great versatility, but may also indicate that Sil Swinkels' knee injury might be worse than feared, while Johnly Yfeko is still absent after missing most of last season.

One of his key skills is his dead-ball prowess from corners and free-kicks, which is never a bad weapon to have, especially with two right-footers, Reece Cole and Jake Doyle-Hayes, taking the lion's share of the corners this season.

He's played hundreds of games at League One level and is a solid addition to a relatively inexperienced team.

Andrew spoke of feeling wanted at Exeter after talking with Caldwell and, with that confidence and the security of a proper contract, he can put in some solid performances for his new side while maybe chipping in with a few goals and assists as well.

Carlos Mendes Gomes can bring the X Factor to Exeter City

Most City fans were pretty excited about the arrival of Mendes Gomes, though his numbers over the last few seasons do leave a little to be desired.

He's played just 37 games for the Trotters since joining in 2023, starting only 12, though he picked up a long-term Achilles injury in February 2024 which has seriously hampered his chances at the Toughsheet and restricted him to just four goals and two assists.

Given City's ability to rehabilitate players, it's a great chance for him to have a good season and put himself out there with his Bolton contract set to expire next summer.

There's definitely a player in there, and he's had a couple of standout seasons, firstly at Morecambe in 2020/21 (54 games, 16 goals, six assists) and then with Fleetwood Town in 2022/23 (37 games, nine goals, three assists).

It's a little unclear at the moment how Mendes Gomes and Higgins will fit into City's starting XI, with Caldwell preferring to line up almost exclusively with three centre backs and wing backs, but the Grecians' chief has shown more flexibility this season than previously, with two up top on a couple of occasions.

He does try to mix things up in game but perhaps there could be another change of plan in the pipeline with two wingers arriving on deadline day.

Mendes Gomes has had injury worries over the last few years but, if he can stay fit and play a lot, he should bring a huge amount to City's attacking play and show Bolton what they're missing as he probably plots his next move in the summer.