Exeter captain Sweeney targets League One survival

Captain Pierce Sweeney says if Exeter City can avoid relegation from League One it will be among the biggest achievements in his time at the club.

The Grecians are two points from safety going into the final game of the season at home to play-off hopefuls Bradford City.

Exeter must win the game and hope Leyton Orient fail to beat Burton Albion if they are to have a fifth successive season in the third tier.

Sweeney, 31, is Exeter's longest-serving player and is in his testimonial year after almost a decade at the club in which he has made 435 appearances and scored 24 goals.

He was part of the side that won promotion from League Two in 2022, having reached three play-off finals.

"It'd be a big achievement for us players, considering where we've been in the last 16 or 17 games, it'd be right up there," said Sweeney.

"Every year is a fight for this football club and this team to stay in this league and we've done unbelievably well for the last four seasons, bar the last six months I'd say."

Exeter went on a 15-game winless run that saw them fall from 10th place towards the end of January to the drop zone by last month.

Their form has picked up in recent weeks - they have lost just one of their past five games, although the last three of those matches have ended in draws - as they try to save themselves from relegation.

"If the worst does happen we've all got to take some sort of responsibility for that," Sweeney told BBC Radio Devon.

"I know I'll definitely stand there and take it on the chin, as will Matty (Taylor, Exeter City interim manager), as will other senior players.

"But I do fancy us."

He added: "We've got a really big chance on Saturday to recover from that, albeit we do need a result elsewhere.

"But we need to take care of our own business to give ourselves the best possible chance of being a League One football club next year.

"I feel like the way we've trained this week we're right up for the challenge and hopefully we catch Bradford cold.

"Hopefully we come out of the blocks firing and I'm hoping on Saturday that St James Park is celebrating, not down in the dumps."