Exeter must ignore off-field issues - Caldwell

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell says the playing staff must try to ignore the off-field issues affecting the League One club.

The Grecians are looking at making redundancies after financial problems caused by an overspend last season.

The Exeter City Supporters' Trust - the fan group that owns the club - loaned City £200,000 last month, on top of £400,000 in the summer, to keep them afloat.

The Grecians sit one place and one point above the League One relegation places.

But with Exeter in FA Cup action at home to Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday, they could drop into the bottom four if Devon rivals Plymouth Argyle beat Bradford City in their rearranged game.

"There is a lot of noise, but we have to bring the positivity by performing on the pitch and by winning games of football," Caldwell told BBC Radio Devon.

"I think as footballers, or the football department, we have to sit in that bubble and stay away from all of that, focus on process and what we need to do to be the best we can be, to be ready to win games.

"I can honestly say I haven't noticed a difference in anyone. The work ethic of everyone on the staff and the players has been incredible from day one at this football club and still remains that today.

"That's what we have to focus on. We have to focus on doing our job, winning games of football and keeping the positivity in the club."

The financial issues mean Caldwell will have no extra funds to bolster his squad in January, although the City boss says he may be able to make some additions.

"That doesn't mean to say we can't sign anyone," he added.

"That means we have to be clever, smart and do something with the squad to find ways to maybe change whatever we feel like we need to change to be successful.

"The club has always tried to support me in transfer windows and increased every window up until the summer.

"But even when we've done that it's been difficult. I remember back to January where we were on the really bad run, when we went 13 games without winning.

"It was a really difficult winter period and the January we had was really successful, but we had some money in that window - Carlisle blew us out the water with what they did in that window and they got relegated.

"I remember saying at the time to the board members that spending money doesn't guarantee you get success - it gives you more opportunity and more choices, but it doesn't guarantee success.

"We had money, but nowhere near what other teams around us at that time had, and we spent it wisely and we had a really successful period.

"So again, whatever happens in January, it's about us being creative, innovative and finding ways to increase the quality within the group, increase the competition.

"But also improve the group that we have, and I think we've always done that really well in my time here and we'll continue to try to do that."