Exeter City have unveiled their newest captain of the club, opting to elect homegrown talent Matt Jay for the role.

Jay, who netted 18 goals in 44 appearances last season, has made exactly 100 appearances for the Grecians so far in his career, having made his first appearance as a youngster in 2013.

The 25-year-old has endured numerous loan spells with Weston-super-Mare, Hayes & Yeading United and Truro City, but established himself as a regular in the Exeter squad in the 2017/18 season.

Grecians manager Matt Taylor made the decision, replacing the departed Jake Taylor who joined Stevenage last month, but gave Jay the chance to don the captaincy throughout pre-season, something which Taylor was impressed with.

Last season helped make the decision too, with Jay earning himself a place in the Sky Bet League Two team of the season whilst picking up a number of club awards, including Players' Player and Fans' Player of the Season accolades.

Taylor commented on the decision to elect homegrown ace Jay, telling the Grecians' website: “He’s still a young player really, but he has been here a long time. His attitude – he had to wait for his opportunity and then seize it. Last season he was player of the season by an absolute mile and he is a huge influence in the changing room as well. I feel he can handle the role well.

“This is also a result of his upbringing. What a great character he is, and credit has to go to his family for that.”

The verdict

This comes across as a sensible and smart decision from the manager and club, with Jay a fan favourite at St. James' Park. The striker has established himself as a regular in the first team and proved himself in pre-season by leading the team out and showing captaincy attributes. Not only does it help with him being a homegrown talent, but it aligns a connection between fans and club that was waning last season.