Exeter City captain Pierce Sweeney remains unsure of whether he will continue at the club beyond this season following their relegation to League Two.

The Grecians were handed a gutwrenching ticket into the fourth tier on the final day, having lost to Bradford City at home, compounded with the knowledge that a win would have guaranteed survival due to Leyton Orient‘s draw with Burton Albion.

Defender Waits For Offer

One of the most pressing issues for Exeter over the coming weeks is determining who should remain with the club next season and who will be released come the publication of their upcoming retained list.

Among those waiting for their future to be decided is club captain Pierce Sweeney, who is on the verge of leaving Devon after a decade of service if an agreement cannot be reached between player and club.

Speaking to Devon Live following the loss to the Bantams, the Irishman discussed his future and what factors will come into play as to whether he sticks around at St. James Park.

“I’ve been here a long time. I know how the club works. “We’ve had conversations about what the club intends on doing. But yeah it’s not really about me. I think, listen, players come and go with the football club which is always here.

“You know, whether the club wants me here, I don’t know what vision they have. I don’t know where they want to go. There are conversations to be had, not just on Monday, but for a couple of weeks.

“We’ll have to wait and see what happens. I love this club to bits and the people in it and I’ve got a really strong affinity with the club. We’ll have conversations and if it is my time to go, I hope I’ve left big shoes to fill behind me.

“As a professional, it all depends on my family. I’ve got two young kids there today, causing carnage in the stands. So they’re my first priority. So yeah, and we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

Financial Worries Mean Tough Decisions

Relegation and the cuts in budget that come along with that fate mean that Exeter City will have a lot of tough decisions to make over the coming months.

The first of those will be the players themselves, and given interim manager Matt Taylor’s previous comments on that front, many players that the club would like to keep around will instead have to be released.

Pierce Sweeney might unfortunately be one of those to be put on the block, which would be a sad end to what has been an outstanding spell at the club, which has stretched to over 400 appearances.

The former Reading man definitely has a lot to give still, and his experience and leadership qualities will be crucial to Exeter finding its feet back in League Two and giving them a shot at an immediate promotion on a tight budget.