Exeter City's oldest ever player shows value in helping teenage stars
On a night where seven teenagers were on the pitch at full-time and stole the show, it was a man at the other end of the spectrum who broke a record. exeter-city-fc>Exeter City have a new oldest ever player after coach David Perkins came on during the second half of the 2-0 Bristol Street Motors Trophy victory over Tottenham Hotspur U21s.
Pedro Borges, Jake Richards, Ed James, Theo Cutler, Liam Oakes, Kieran Wilson and Louis Cayless were all on the pitch at full-time – five of whom are eligible for the U18s – and more than matched the Premier League academy outfit.
But at the age of 42 years and 94 days, Perkins took the record of oldest ever player away from Matt Oakley, who was a youthful 39 years, 7 months and 28 days when he made his final appearance for the club. And with Player Development Coach Dan Green giving him an 8.5/10 for his performance, he clearly impressed the rest of the coaching staff.
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Perkins – who has made over 700 senior appearances – had appeared in pre-season alongside several of the younger players. With three teenagers starting for City, and four more coming on off the bench in the victory, manager Gary Caldwell wanted the experienced head of Perkins on the pitch to help them, with the coach making what was a first team debut.
“Coaching takes many forms and we saw the value of having a coach in the set up to help the players through what would be difficult moments,” Green said. “We are always looking at ways we can perform and develop our players, and you can’t underestimate what he did for the young players.”
Perkins’ most notable contribution was to flatten one of the teenage Spurs players within moments of coming on. But he controlled the game in the middle of the park and helped the teenagers to play their natural game.
“It was quite unique,” 17-year-old Jake Richards, who scored the second goal, said. “I know top clubs have older players in the U21s and it is good to have a coach in the team to teach you through the game.
“It was really good and good to get minutes as I have not had many recently, so it was good and a really good test for us and we came away and did the job. The first goal gave us good momentum to go and get the win.”
That first goal came in the 55 th minute as City’s pressure eventually told. Pedro Borges headed an Ed Francis corner back across goal, and Millenic Alli bundled the ball home from close range for his third goal of the season.
Richards got the second which sealed the win himself in stoppage-time. The teenager smashed home a free-kick from 25 yards in off the crossbar for a first senior goal and could celebrate in front of the Big Bank.
“I won the foul and Pedro said he would shoot,” he said. “So I took it off him and I saw the keeper to one side so shot and it went into the net,” he added of his goal.
“It was a dream come through. Growing up as a City fan I always wanted to celebrate in front of the Big Bank and to do it with a free-kick was really good.”
City top the group with six points from two games and are through to the knockout stages with a game to spare. Spurs in second have two from two, with Bristol Rovers on one from one, and Swindon zero from one.
“We went into the game with three aims,” Green added. “To win the game, build momentum, and for there to be performances that build squad depth – and we got all three of them tonight.”