Not the Setanta Shield!

After an absence of six years, Exeter City return to the Carling Cup with an enticing home tie against Southampton.

Vital Quotes:

Southampton forward David McGoldrick – the scorer of the Saints` goal in their 2-1 opening day defeat at Cardiff – said after that early setback, “We are definitely down”. In the opinion of Vital Exeter, young David has gone a bit early in predicting his side`s relegation?

Actually, we think he meant down depressed and not down relegated. McGoldrick also told the Daily Echo: “We’ve got to keep our heads up at Exeter and put in a good performance and hopefully we will get through to the next round.’

Exeter City Team News:

We’re predicting that Tis will stick with the same eleven who turned things around up at Darlo. This time, though, we’ll surely see Manny Panther and Craig McAllister getting a run-out, even if it is off the bench.

Player to watch: Paul Jones

City may not be a non-league giant-killer anymore, but there’s still a fair bit of difference between League Two new-boys Exeter City and Championship club Southampton. We think City keeper Paul Jones will have to be at his best if City are to get a win.

Southampton Team News:

Michael Svensson will definitely miss the game. There may well be a good number of changes from Saturday’s side, and possibly a start for ex-Greeny Paul Wotton (a sub at Ninian Park).

Player to watch: Stern John

In our non-league days, we didn’t see too many strikers with 65 international goals to their name!

Anorak Corner

City boss Paul Tisdale played 18 times in six years at Southampton.

Steve Basham is also an ex-Saint, making 19 of his 20 appearances as a sub.

It is over 50 years since City last played Southampton. We lost 6-0 at The Dell in Division Three South in 1958.

Match Prediction:

In 2003, when City were bankrupt and newly relegated to the Conference, Southampton turned in a decent performance in the FA Cup Final. It’s worth stopping and thinking about that for a moment.

Just being on the same pitch as them will do for us. We think City 1 Southampton 3.

Next Fixtures:

It’s Shrewsbury at St James Park on Saturday 16 August.