Exeter City manager Matt Taylor has indicated that the club may have one of the lowest budgets in League Two for the upcoming season.
Taylor returned to the helm on Thursday after serving as interim manager since March.
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The fan-owned club was relegated from League One this season due to financial struggles, and the club plans to rely more on its academy players in the fourth tier.
In addition, they are expected to sell some of their more established players, including this season’s top scorer, Jayden Wareham, who has been linked with potential transfers.
“It’s a modest budget; it’s definitely a low budget,” Taylor stated on BBC Radio Devon.
“But the great thing about Exeter City is that things can change—whether it’s June 1st, July 31st, or even later, adjustments are likely to happen.”
“What’s important for our supporters to know is that the club isn’t holding back funds.
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“They are providing us with the best budget possible at this point in time, as they always have.”
“Our fans need to understand that if there were more funds available, the club would prioritize allocating that money to the budget.”
Taylor added that the club plans to undergo a ‘reset’ both on and off the field to recover from financial losses.
The Exeter City Supporters’ Trust lent approximately £600,000 to the club this season to address overspending from the previous campaign.
This financial situation implies that Exeter is unlikely to be a contender for promotion next season, but Taylor is optimistic that the groundwork laid now will yield benefits in the future.
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“The reset and refocus will require us to work within a limited budget, ensuring our young players are given pathways, opportunities, and a clear vision of their futures with Exeter City,” he explained.
“While this has occurred in the past, there will now be an increased emphasis on it, as it adds value to our club—whether by developing sellable assets or enhancing our on-field performance.”
“Since we’ve been owned by supporters, we’ve depended on this model without wealthy benefactors or a chairman pouring money into the club.”
“Our financial backing has traditionally come from player sales and development, a strategy that has served us well.”
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“This approach is one I believe in and I think our supporters share that faith.”
“We aim to return to this model with greater effectiveness than ever before.”