How Exeter City hit the jackpot with Reading FC transfer - it has given them highs and lows | OneFootball

Pierce Sweeney has been a stalwart of Exeter City for 10 years and he's had his ups and downs, but his signing must go down as one of their best ever.

Eamonn Dolan left a big impression on Exeter City, but one of his lasting legacies is still shining bright down in Devon.

The Galway-born former pro's career on the pitch was cut short by cancer, but those in charge at Exeter in the 1990s made an uncharacteristically-wise decision to keep him around the club.

When he was forced to hang up his boots, he was offered the chance to move behind the scenes at St James Park, eventually culminating in him becoming manager during the tremulous early 2000s.

His passion and enthusiasm endeared him to the City faithful at a time that was particularly bleak, and it was a big loss when he departed to join Reading to take a job as their academy manager.

Eamonn Dolan key in Pierce Sweeney joining Exeter City

Despite Dolan leaving Devon for the Madejski way back in 2002, his legacy lives on in Exeter in the shape of club legend and fellow Irishman Pierce Sweeney.

The defender is enjoying his testimonial season at St James Park and is closing in on 400 appearances for the club he joined as a 22-year-old on trial from Reading back in 2016.

Dolan had a big part in the move and no doubt he'd be delighted to see Sweeney keep the fire burning.

It's been a rollercoaster ride for Sweeney, and he's seen and done pretty much everything with the Grecians.

His first season in Devon's capital coincided with one of Exeter's most talented teams ever, with the likes of Ollie Watkins, Ryan Harley and David Wheeler firing City to the play-off final, only to suffer heartbreak at the hands of Blackpool.

That was the first of three Wembley losses in four years as Coventry City and Northampton Town also sprayed the champagne at the final whistle as Sweeney and his teammates watched on.

It was no surprise, then, that the long-swerving Sweeney probably celebrated harder than anyone in EX4 as City finally got out of League Two into League One at the 10th time of asking in 2022 as Matt Jay fired home to seal a 2-1 win and promotion against Barrow on a balmy spring night.

It could have been so different for Sweeney though, and he actually left Exeter in one of the more bizarre transfers in the history of the club.

It was announced in the summer of 2021 that the Dubliner was not going to sign a new deal with City and that he was moving up the M5 to join Swindon Town.

However, the 31-year-old's time at the County Ground was short-lived. He ripped up his contract citing personal reasons and on the 8th of July, eight days after being unveiled as a Robin, he was confirmed as rejoining Exeter.

It all adds to Sweeney's unique story, and he'll be raring to make up for lost time after missing a chunk of 2024/25 with injury.

As well as rock-solid defensive displays, he's got a touch of class going forward as well and has flung in many a tempting cross or a dinked ball down the line during his decade in Devon.

Pierce Sweeney has matured into a leader

He'd faced plenty of adversity while at Exeter, but he's come through it all and is a worthy and impressive club captain these days.

Many thought he should have been named captain when Gary Caldwell came in and froze out Jay, but the armband was handed to Will Aimson in a baffling move.

It didn't go down well with supporters but, like too many before him, the Irish right back has outstayed Aimson and is rightly the man in possession now.

He's very much the elder statesman of St James Park these days, and he's matured into the role, advising the likes of Watkins and Jay Stansfield on their big moves to Brentford and Birmingham City respectively.

While he's guided others on their career paths, his big switch to Swindon didn't work out for a number of reasons, but all at Exeter are glad that patch of grass was not greener and that Dolan-assisted deal has to go down as one of the Grecians' best ever.