Sky Bet League One
Matchday 21 of 46
Cardiff City Stadium
Friday, December 26th, 2025 - 3:00pm KO
TICKET INFORMATION
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KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | KEY STAFF
Club Chair: Richard Pym
Vice Chair: Laurence Overend
General Manager: Clive Harrison
First Team Manager: Gary Caldwell
Assistant Manager: Kevin Nicholson
First Team Coach: David Perkins
First Team Goalkeeping Coach: Kevin Miller
After a 14-year playing career that took in stints at Newcastle United, Hibernian, Celtic and Wigan Athletic, the 55-time Scotland capped Caldwell began his managerial career with the latter of those four clubs in 2015. Two years later he would spend a brief time at Chesterfield and then a season with Partick Thistle, before becoming Exeter City manager in October 2022.
The Grecians finished the 2022/23 campaign in 14th place in League One, a place higher the following year and most recently 16th at the end of the 2024/25 season. Ahead of this year’s Boxing Day clash, Exeter sit 20th in the division, outside the bottom three on goal difference only.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | SEASON SO FAR
Josh Magennis is a name that stands out amongst Exeter City’s 2025/26 squad list.
Having begun his playing career as a goalkeeper at Cardiff City, the Northern Irishman, now 35, made 10 Bluebirds appearances and scored once, before moving on to enjoy a solid career with Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, Charlton Athletic, Bolton Wanderers, Hull City, Wigan Athletic and now Exeter City. Over a hundred career league goals have accompanied this, with 86 international caps. This season, he’s appeared in 21 League and Cup fixtures for the Grecians, scoring six times.
Forward Jayden Wareham leads the way in the scoring stakes thus far with nine goals in all competitions, the most recent of which coming against Barnsley in last Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Barnsley. Goalkeeper Joe Whitworth and midfielders Ilmari Niskanen and Jack McMillan have featured in all 20 of Exeter’s League One games thus far this term.
2025/26 Squad
GK | Joe Whitworth, Jack Bycroft, Frankie Phillips.
DEF | Jack McMillan, Ryan Rydel, Ed Turns, Jack Fitzwater, Johnly Yfeko, Sil Swinkels, Luca Woodhouse, Daniel Andrew, Pierce Sweeney, Liam Oakes, Ed James.
MID | Ethan Brierley, Ed Francis, Reece Cole, Ilmari Niskanen, Kevin McDonald, Jake Doyle-Hayes, Tom Dean, Pedro Borges, George Birch, Charlie Cummins.
FOR | Carlos Mendes Gomes, Jayden Wareham, Jack Aitchison, Andrew Oluwabori, Akeel Higgins, Sonny Cox, Josh Magennis, Kieran Wilson.
IN DAYS GONE BY
01/01/01 | Cardiff City 6-1 Exeter City
The scoresheet read like a veritable ‘who’s who’ of early noughties Cardiff City heroes, as Alan Cork’s Bluebirds kicked off 2001 with a bang at Ninian Park.
Scott Young opened the scoring against the Grecians midway through the first half, before five second half goals - all from different players - completed the rout.
Gavin Gordon notched first just after the restart before Andy Legg made it 3-0 after an hour’s play. Jason Bowen scored three minutes after his mate Legg, before the late Matt Brazier scored City’s fifth, three minutes after that.
An Andy Jordan own goal eleven minutes from time disrupted the rhythm a little, only for Paul Brayson to complete proceedings in style, three minutes from time.
The win shot City back up to third in the old Division Three standings and they would be promoted at the end of the season as runners-up to Brighton & Hove Albion. Exeter finished the term in 19th spot.
CARDIFF CITY TV OPTIONS
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