Exeter Express and Echo Latest Stories Feed

Exeter City' boss Paul Tisdale has been linked to yet another manager job, this time at Portsmouth. The longest serving manager in the football League is currently third favourite for the job, with odds of just 4/1 with Bet Victor. Tis is favourite behind former Crawley Town manager Richard Barker and current Oxford United boss Chris Wilder. Both managers are at 1/1 for the job. It was reported on Tuesday that Oxford United have given League Two rivals Portsmouth permission to speak to manager Chris Wilder. Tisdale was orignally at 40/1 but his odds dropped dramatically yesterday morning. Just last week Tisdale was linked to both Bristol City and Crawley Town. Former Portsmouth manager Guy Whittingham was sacked from Portsmouth in late November. Whittingham initially took charge of the Hampshire club on a temporary basis on November 7, 2012, following the departure of Michael Appleton to Blackpool. Exeter lost 3-2 to Portsmouth when they played them in November. Click the link above to read Tisdale's thoughts after the match.

Paul Tisdale third favourite for next Portsmouth manager

Congratulations to Brian Winton, the latest winner of our weekly Facebook cover photo competition. Once again the standard was very high, with images being submitted on Facebook, Twitter and via email. Brian's image of the suspension bridge at Exeter Quay was sent in via email. We'll now begin our search for next week's lucky photographer, so get involved by uploading them in your own online gallery here, post them on our Facebook page, tweet us, or email us eephotos@expressandecho.co.uk The only rule is your photo must be of Exeter or the surrounding area. Click here for a gallery of other entries.

WINNER: Photo of the week - week 7

Police have confirmed that a 32-year-old Exeter woman was airlifted to hospital this morning with a serious arm injury after her car overturned on the M5 near Cullompton. The woman's car overturned in the middle lane on the northbound carriageway near junction 28 at Cullompton at around 6.30am this morning, trapping her inside. Police have described her injuries as non life threatening but potentially life changing. She was airlifted to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth by the Devon Air Ambulance at around 8am. There have been huge delays on the M5 in both directions at Exeter with the northbound carriageway closed at junction 29 at Exeter. At 8.50am a police spokesperson said they expected the northbound carriageway to reopen within the hour. The southbound carriageway of the M5 near Cullompton was also closed for a short time to allow the air ambulance to land but is now open and traffic is moving slowly. The incident involved a blue Renault Clio. A police spokesperson said a Mercedes Sprinter van, registered to Stockton-on-Tees, also needed assistance following the incident but was not directly involved in the crash itself. No other vehicles were involved and there were no other casualties. Speaking to the Echo at around 8.30am, Ian Creek, 33, marketing director for Rokk Media Ltd from Alphington said he has been at a standstill about half-a-mile from the Cullompton junction for around and hour and 20 minutes. "I just hope everyone's alright," he said. "The northbound carriageway has been at a standstill the whole time and the southbound carriage was shut for around 20 minutes to allow the air ambulance to land. We saw it land about five to eight and then take off around 20 minutes later. "Everyone's just sat in their cars with their engines off." Motorists are advised to find an alternative route from Exeter to Cullompton for the time being. Traffic is being routed around the junction and back on again, on M5 northbound between J29, A30 (Exeter) and J28, A373 (Cullompton Services).Full updates as we have them

Update: Police confirm a 32 year old Exeter woman has been airlifted to hospital after M5 crash

Exeter is to get superfast mobile broadband 4G in time for Christmas, it was announced last niiht. Network provider EE will bring speeds five times faster than 3G technology when it exapnds the 4G service to Plymouth for the first time. EE is the only 4G mobile network available in Devon. Lisa Perez, Regional Manager for the West Country, EE, said: "The arrival of 4G mobile in Exeter is great news for our customers. 4G from EE is like having fibre broadband to your mobile phone, and allows customers to access the content they care about without the frustration of pages being slow to load, or apps not connecting." Olaf Swantee, Chief Executive Officer, EE, said: "From online banking and mobile shopping, to streaming music and using maps, 4G is enabling us to do more of our favourite things quickly and easily on the go. Smartphones and tablets on 4GEE are going to be a very popular present this Christmas as people across the UK continue to embrace mobile living and we make the superfast service available in even more places."

Emouth Community College student Oliver Bridge retained his youth world title and finished fourth in the men's overall rankings at the KiteRace World Championships in China. Representing Great Britain, the 16-year-old fought off the challenge from 159 other competitors from more than 40 countries to finish top of the youth sector and fourth-quickest overall. Steph Bridge managed to bag herself second place in the women's division behind American Erika Heineken. It has been a superb year for Oliver, who has dominated kiteracing in England and Europe having already become men's European champion this summer in Italy. He is now in Australia preparing for the Oceanic Championships. Oliver could also find himself competing in Exmouth next year after a bid to see the GB National KiteRace Championships held there in 2014 was recently submitted.

UNDER-15s Pinhoe Gladiators 5 Kentisbeare 0 Pinhoe Gladiators kept their unbeaten run in the league going with a handsome win against Kentisbeare Colts. The Gladiators were 3-0 up at half-time and scored two more in the second half. Goal scorers were birthday boy Jack Hooper (2), Keane Linstead (2) and Conor Thompson. UNDER-14s pinhoe spears 10 sidmouth warriors 0 Morgan Cullen netted a hat-trick as Pinhoe Spears hammered Sidmouth Warriors. They scored five times in each half, with Bradley Edwardson scoring twice in the opening period to go with two from Cullen and one from Sam Webber. Jamie Vaughan-Ryall, Will Dean, Connor Densham, Jonny Farnsworh and Cullen were on target after the break, with goalkeeper Connor Radford named man of the match. Hooe Rovers 0 Pinhoe Spears 3 Spears made it through to the quarter-finals of the Devon Cup with a comfortable win at Hooe Rovers. Connor Densham put Spears 1-0 up at the break, finishing off a George Coombes cross. Will Dean and Bradley Edwardson completed the scoring, with Josh Hawkesby the star man. UNDER-12s Central Rovers 4 Okehampton 0 Central Rovers breezed Okehampton, with the foundation for victory built by the solid performances of defenders Josh Drew and Dan Brooks. Harry Meadows scored the opener before Luca Pym was fouled in the box for Lucas Coveney to score from the penalty spot. Rory Gillen and Will Fox both scored after strong running from midfield. Central City 3 Broadclyst 3 James Venton hit the equaliser as Central City held league leaders Broadclyst to a thrilling draw. Will Carah made some outstanding saves in goal to keep City in it, with Cameron Bastyan superb in midfield, scoring one and making one for Alex Rowe. A corner from Alex Kotsogiannis fell for Venton to secure a share of the points. UNDER-10s Heavitree Social 5 City Raiders 0 Heavitree Social were not at their best but still saw off local rivals City Raiders. Kye Stewart and Kian Brown both scored twice, with Kian's cousin Lewis Brown finishing things off. HEAVITREE SOCIAL 2 WHIPTON YOUTH 0 Birthday boy and top goalscorer Kye Stewart scored twice as Heavitree Social beat Whipton Youth. Heavitree United 3 City Raiders 0 Michael Judd led the way with two goals and Ollie Blackmore also scored as Heavitree United's good form continued with a solid win over City Raiders. HEAVITREE UNITED 4 WHIPTON YOUTH 0 Heavitree United made it two wins from two on the day with victory over Whipton. Michael Judd grabbed his second brace of the day, with Kalil Traore and Bayley Pearce-Mariner also netting.

Tiverton Town assistant manager Mo Hopkins says it is difficult to estimate just how important the clash with high-flying North Leigh will be on Saturday. Tivvy head into the fixture in eighth spot following their 1-1 draw away to Evesham United on Saturday. North Leigh sit in second, just one point behind leaders Cirencester Town and 11 points ahead of the Yellows having played one game more. But with less than half the season gone – and with a number of other teams impressing in the division this term – Hopkins is unsure how significant Saturday's fixture will prove in the long run. "It is difficult to say how important the game is," said Hopkins. "You have got seven or eight teams that are up there at the top – including us – having been fairly consistent. "But then you also have Cirencester, North Leigh and Paulton who have been that bit more consistent than everyone else. "If we can stay in touch then someone else will drop points along the way and hopefully we can pick some up and nip in there. "After our recent loss in the cup – which was no discredit to us because we gave them a run for their money – we are still getting ourselves back on track again slightly. "We look forward to every game though and we are still getting more comfortable with each other as time goes by." Tivvy's hopes should be boosted by the return of striker Max Kowal, who is recovering from a foot injury sustained against Bridgwater Town. But the Yellows were indebted to another attacking player on Saturday to salvage a point, with substitute Dan Malsom curling home an 88th-minute 25-yard equaliser against Evesham. With manager John Clarkson back in Spain, Hopkins took over the reins, and his side made a bright start. But they lacked the ruthlessness which punctuated their 3-1 disposal of Bridgwater, and the hosts took full advantage by opening the scoring via a Richard Mansell header from a corner after 30 minutes. Tivvy bossed the possession but lacked composure, and it looked like it was going to cost them before Malsom's fine individual effort. And the winger came in for praise from Hopkins for helping the Yellows leave with a well-earned point. "I think the boys are disappointed because that is three points we could have had in the bag," said Hopkins, who is expected to resume his role as assistant manager at the weekend with Clarkson set to return to the bench. "No matter which stat you look at, it is scoring more goals than the opposition which matters most. "We are a bit disappointed to come away with just a point but that might not be too bad in the grand scheme of things. We never looked like getting the three points in all honesty. "We were by far the better side in terms of general play but we never really actually looked like getting anything more out of the game. We put everything into it but we just lacked a bit of composure at times. "However, Sam Malsom came on and scored a fine 25-yarder after cutting back inside. "It was just like he has done in a number of games he has played in, so he really helped us get our point."

Tiverton Town's Hopkins plays down North Leigh clash

Safety concerns have been raised about traffic on Exeter High Street after two accidents involving buses occurred within hours of each other. A man was taken to hospital following a collision with a bus outside NatWest bank at around midday yesterday. A young female cyclist then escaped with minor injuries after her bike was involved in a crash with a bus near the Queen Street junction at around 6.30pm. City centre manager John Harvey expressed his sympathy with those affected by the incidents. "The two incidents were clearly unfortunate and my thought are with those involved," he said. Tens of thousands of people pass down the High Street each day, and numbers tend to increase in the run-up to Christmas Mr Harvey continued: "It may be useful to debate different arrangements for different parts of the High Street. For example, the section from M&S to Athena is narrower than elsewhere. "But the reality is that considering the number of pedestrians, buses and cyclists, accidents are very rare. And while there are clearly strong opinions on both sides about buses, we should be very cautious and shouldn't rush into making any changes." The incidents prompted people to call for buses to be prohibited from travelling on the street, while others came-out in defence of them. Steve Taylor wrote on Facebook: "One day a child will be hit by a bus on this street. It's ridiculous that we have buses squeezing up and down this narrow street packed with pedestrians just to keep Stagecoach happy." Sandra Martin, a Subway sign holder, said: "The bus drivers have got great patience. Some people are [ignorant] about the right of way. I've seen one accident where an old man went under a bus and many other near misses." Others criticised pedestrians for apparently treating the area as if they were its sole users. Talasi May wrote on Facebook: "Surprised something like this hasn't happened sooner and regularly, so many people just walk out onto the high street without looking acting like it's still a pathway." Richard Horsefall, an AA sales representative, said: "Once when I was at the top of Bedford Street a bus went into a lady who walked into the road and he was very upset. But in my opinion it wasn't the bus driver who was at fault, it was the pedestrian." Stagecoach defended the presence of its vehicles on the High Street, saying it is "essential" they remain allowed to use the area for accessibility. A Stagecoach spokesman said: "Exeter High Street, like many city centres, is an extremely busy shared space with a mix of buses, pedestrians and cyclists. "Our drivers therefore receive extensive training on how to navigate it and are limited to a 10mph speed limit. Consequently, incidents involving pedestrians and cyclists are very rare and have, in fact, declined year on year. "We believe it's essential for buses to remain in Exeter High Street in order to provide a quality service for those who work and shop in the immediate area, as well as maintaining accessibility for older customers, mothers with young children and wheelchair users." The High Street is a categorised as a 'pedestrian zone', but buses and cyclists allowed access at all times and some loading vehicles allowed overnight. A Devon County Council spokesman said: "We are continually working with bus companies, such as Stagecoach, and with cyclists to ensure the High Street is as safe as possible for everyone."VOTE NOWResults will be announced on our website on Monday See what others are saying on our Facebook page:

Post by Express & Echo.

Vote now: Should buses and cyclists be banned on Exeter High Street?

PROP Brett Sturgess thinks Exeter Chiefs are close to getting results against the sides at the top of the table following their loss at Bath. Despite tries from locks Damian Welch and Damian Welch in either half, the boot of George Ford saw Bath to a 21-16 success. For once, Gareth Steenson was outshone from the kicking tee as he missed three attempts on goal while Ford landed all six penalty attempts and a drop goal. "For the first time since we have been in the Premiership, we went to the Rec and attacked the game from the start," Sturgess said. "Last year we gave Bath too much of a head start when we played them at their place, and we came good towards the end of the match. "This year we went there and played with intent, and tried to run the ball and play our game. We got a couple of tries, but we just missed out once again. "We are nearly there and nearly getting the results against the top sides." After their 35-17 loss at Bath in the LV= Cup two weeks earlier, Exeter were keen to make a better start and they opened the scoring with a penalty from Steenson. Ford replied before Matt Jess put Welch on a powerful charge that saw him beat three players on a run to the line. Steenson missed the conversion but Ford landed two more penalties to give Bath a 9-8 half-time lead, despite Exeter having dominated of the play. Ford's extended the lead with his fourth penalty, but Mumm won a footrace to his own kick ahead to dot down. Ford and Steenson traded blows for the rest of the match but Bath came through to win.

Brett Sturgess: Exeter Chiefs are nearly there

'WE are still on an upward curve,' was the message from Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale as he assessed the club's first four months of the season. City take a break from competitive action this weekend following a disappointing run of eight games without victory. However, despite only two points from a possible 15 in the league during November, Tisdale was taking the positives from the club's start to the season including the emergence of some of the younger players. "The most logical way to asses the first four months of the season is by where we sit in the league," he said. "We are mid-table, we had a very good first three months and then we have had a very poor November, but I think the essence of our team is very positive. "We have got some improvements to make, but I think we are well-placed to do that. "That is the simplistic way to look at it, the more in depth view would be to look at the emergence of the younger players, which is what is a large factor at Exeter City in terms of how we assess progress. "It speaks for itself really, with the under-21s having a good season. "Players like Matt Grimes are also starting to establish himself in the first team, Tom Nichols, Matt Jay and other young players are coming through. "I would say it looks very bright. So again we have to judge things on a few different levels. "One being the league status and recent results and the other being the health and the strength of the club. And I think the underlying curve is still upwards, thankfully." City are not in action this weekend as one of the four defeats they suffered in November was in the FA Cup to Peterborough and the second round matches take place this Saturday. Tisdale admits they have a few things to work on as he bids to halt the club's slide down the League Two table but there are a few areas he wants to focus on ahead of a game away at in-form Accrington on December 14. "There are literal dozens of things you can concentrate on," he said. "One thing I would say is I don't think we have to focus on motivation or fitness. "The players are very focussed on being the best they can be and being part of a good team. "What we have to do us make sure players understand their jobs and we have to look at the way the team functions and the patterns we play to, when we have the ball and when we don't. "It is about team understanding, match-understanding. Where the players stand, where they run to, where they get on the ball. "Just the basics that when it all works it looks so simple, but when it doesn't work it can be factor in our function, so we will spend some time on that." Tisdale also added that despite the club, slipping to 11th in the table there was plenty to be positive about as they enter an exciting month of fixtures through December. "Things can change very quickly and it is not lost at all," said Tisdale. "It is about understanding why you win and understanding why you lose. "You can't always change those things, but I think if your analytics are correct and rationale and you apply them at the right time then you can move forward in your performances and the decisions you make. "Hopefully we have got a clear picture of what we need to do going forward and I don't think we are unhealthy at all, but of course we have to produce the performance to produce the results to get us back in the running which is what our target will be. I don't see that as impossible. "It is going to be a really good month leading up to that very hectic festive period when we have got four games over Christmas and New Year. "We need bodies fit and well, part of our strategy has to be to have everybody at full pace when it comes to those matches. "We have got an opportunity to work on some team play and then have a really busy festive period so it is a excitement month ahead for us."

'We are still on an upward curve,' says Tisdale after in-depth review of Exeter City's season

TOULON have been dealt a blow on the eve of Saturday's trip to Exeter Chiefs with the news that former England prop Andrew Sheridan could be forced to retire. The 34-year-old injured his neck during the 15-9 win against Perpignan at the end of last month. And Toulon boss Bernard Laporte admits the former Bristol and Sale player may have to call time on his career. "Andrew is out for a month and possibly forever," said Laporte. "He has always had a problem between his neck and his shoulder. The surgeon has told him that it's not necessary to have a new operation. "He will now have a month of complete rest and if the pain doesn't go away, then he will have to stop playing rugby." Sheridan's absence was keenly felt last weekend as Toulon struggled up front and crashed to a 23-0 defeat in Paris against Stade Français, their heaviest loss of the season. Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal criticised his side's scrum after the defeat, slamming it as the worst in the Top 14. And France centre Mathieu Bastareaud admitted they did not deserve to beat their hosts. "23-0 – there is nothing more to say," said Bastareaud. "Big congratulations to Stade Français, they played very well. "Our opponents were very aggressive, they showed us what rugby really is. We tried, but we failed, we were heckled. "The way we played today, we couldn't possibly win the match." Laporte chose to rest some of his frontline players for the match, with the likes of England legend Jonny Wilkinson and former London Irish duo Delon and Steffon Armitage not making the trip to Paris at all. However, the strength of Toulon's squad was still evident as the likes of World Cup winners Bryan Habana, Bakkies Botha and Ali Williams featured, as did the likes of Michael Claassens, Frédéric Michalak, Martin Castrogiovanni, Carl Hayman, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell and Johann van Niekerk. Laporte has more depth to call on than most coaches, but needs a much improved display against Exeter, especially after five successive away defeats.

Toulon prop Andrew Sheridan may have to retire

Disappointing as it was not to beat Bury on Saturday, a 2-2 draw and a second successive game without defeat was another step in the right direction. What's more, as we had done against Wycombe four days earlier, we created plenty of chances – which is something we weren't always doing a few weeks ago – so you'd like to think that if we haven't quite turned the corner yet we're at least on the way to doing so. That aside, I thought the performances of David Wheeler and Tom Nichols were further grounds for optimism. David has been in fantastic form since he got back in the starting line-up a week ago and it was great to see him grab his first goal for the club. And I was even more chuffed to see my old mate Tom Nichols get his name on the scoresheet. When Tom scored the winning goal against Chesterfield in August 2011, I don't suppose there were too many people – least of all Tom – who thought it'd be more than two years before he added to his tally. I think it's fair to say things haven't always gone to plan for him in that time but he's got his head down, worked hard and, as I said a week or two ago, appears set to reap the rewards for his dedication and commitment. Certainly, he made a real impact off the bench on Saturday – he'd have had his name on the scoresheet even sooner were it not for a great stop from the Bury keeper – and if he carries on performing as he is at the minute he will make it hard for Tis to leave him out of the starting line-up. While there were undoubtedly a few positives to take from Saturday's game, I don't think Ronnie Jepson's side were any great shakes and had we not all but gifted them their two goals then we could easily have been celebrating our first win in eight games. Conceding soft goals has been a feature of too many of our performances this season and it's something we have to eliminate. Artur Krysiak has been one of our outstanding performers so far this season, but he was disappointed he let Dan Nardiello's 15th-minute effort squirm beyond his grasp and at half-time apologised to the rest of the team for his gaffe. In fairness to Artur, it ought to be pointed out he went on to make a string of good saves and was easily back in credit come the end of the game. The second Bury goal, which came from a corner, was even more disappointing; defending set-pieces is something we've been working particularly hard on at the Cat & Fiddle over recent weeks and we went into the game determined not to be undone by another one. Much has been made of the reaction of some sections of the crowd to the substitution of David Wheeler, which prompted chants of 'You don't know what you're doing!' As I said earlier, David had a great game on Saturday and I'm sure his substitution was no reflection whatsoever on his performance. Rather, Tis was intent on winning the game and thought that a change in personnel and formation would increase our chances of doing so. And, while hindsight is a wonderful thing, in light of what happened in the final 20 or so minutes it's hard to argue with that. We got the equaliser we were looking for and from thereon in looked much the more likely of the two sides to grab all three points. I thought Nards showed some real class when he declined the opportunity to celebrate his opener. He'd had a couple fairly mediocre years before Tis brought him to Exeter and gave him the opportunity to rebuild his career and, I guess, his reaction to his goal was an acknowledgement of that. Having come up through the youth ranks at St James's Park, it's hard for me to imagine playing for any other club, let alone lining up against Exeter, but I'd like to think that if I ever found myself in Nards' situation my response would be very similar. While we'd have loved to have been involved in the FA Cup on Saturday, we thought we might as well make the most of our free weekend and, with that in mind, myself and the rest of the squad are heading to Cardiff for our Christmas shindig. I'm sure there will be one or two people who suggest our time might be better spent on the training pitch but, take it from me, there's been no let up at the Cat & Fiddle this week and just occasionally you need to relax and let your hair down. Everyone's going to be in fancy dress and I've narrowed it down to either Scooby-Doo or Captain America; John O'Flynn is going to be Jigsaw from the horror flick Saw and Jake Gosling, Jacob Jagger Kane, Jimmy Keohane and Tom Nichols are threatening to dress as the Teletubbies. It promises to be quite an occasion!

Liam Sercombe: Tis' substitutions helped us get a result

ROB Baxter thinks Exeter Chiefs' games against Saracens and Bath in the last fortnight have been perfect preparation to return to the Heineken Cup. European champions Toulon – with their squad packed full of international superstars – head to Sandy Park this Saturday for the Pool Two clash. It is a game that should test Exeter to the limit, with Toulon only losing the lead in the French Top 14 league on Saturday after a weakened squad lost at Stade Français. But while opposite number Bernard Laporte rested players for the game against the Chiefs, Baxter thinks his side's tough matches in recent weeks will have the players battle-hardened ready for this weekend's eagerly-anticipated clash. The Sandy Park head coach said: "I think it's probably the better way to go into it having had some tough challenges because the Heineken Cup tends to be a step up in intensity and you have to get an awful lot right. "All I know is that we really look forward to our Heineken Cup games. I think the European games have brought the best out of us all through our time in the Premiership. "We have to make sure it brings out the best in everything we do again. I have no doubt it will, I think it will be a fantastic occasion. "The game's been sold out for a long time now, it's a game our supporters have been eyeing up since the start of the season, and everything makes it a really big fixture." The match sold out within 36 hours of tickets going on sale last month, with the final few hundred tickets that were returned by sponsors being snapped up on Monday morning. Baxter hopes his players embrace the magnitude of the match as far as the supporters are concerned, but he knows they will have to be at their best to get anything out of the game. "We're going to take it for what it is," he said. "It's a very big game to be part of, we've worked extremely hard to be involved in games like this. "That will be the message to the players. To work as hard as they have for such a long time, when they get to games like this is not the time to worry about how you're going to play, it's the time to go out there and give it everything and show what a good player you are and what a good side we are. "I am pretty confident it'll bring out the best in us, but to will have to if we are going to be competitive on the day." This season is Exeter's second foray into the Heineken Cup, having played defending champions Leinster and French giants Clermont Auvergne last term. Baxter thinks the games against those sides will leave his players better prepared to face Toulon this weekend, and back in the south of France next Saturday. "As you go along through the European games you learn an awful lot," he said. "You learn about the intensity you have to have but you also learn the little bits and pieces that opposition teams do. "I don't think we could have had a better pool for our first time in the Heineken Cup, with Clermont and Leinster in there. "It should make us better prepared than we were this time last year just because we've got a group of players who have got more experience of what's coming at the weekend. "As Tommy Hayes has said for a long time, just playing in a game of rugby doesn't mean much unless you make sure you understand the experience you're getting and you actually stop and reflect on it. You get right into the thick of it – if the game's going on around you it won't do you much good. "That's the approach we've got to have on Saturday. We've got to be right in the thick of it right from the start – when we do that we're competitive against anybody." With no fresh injury concerns from last weekend, Baxter has a full squad to select from for the clash against the Chiefs' star-studded opponents.

Exeter Chiefs v Toulon: Match preview

PROPS are a funny bunch. Not so tall, with a bull head that attaches directly to their shoulders and no discernible neck. They are, however, very big strong men who spend a lot of time nose-to-nose battling against similarly shaped blokes indulging in the black arts that few understand or properly appreciate. Studies show the pressure down the back of a tighthead prop in a top-level scrum is equivalent to nigh-on two tonnes and yet these gentlemen of the front row love it! I spent much of my playing career with my head on props' hips and my hand between their legs – binding in the scrum before you get any ideas! Mine was an intimate association with props – I know them better than most. However, even after many years, I too find their trade puzzling and something of a mystery to us lesser mortals. Props don't like running very much. They choose to spend hours obsessing over scrum angles and how a tiny tweak here and there can make a quarter inch of difference which, in their book, is the winning edge. I'm constantly reminded that a small gain in the front row can translate to yards for a winger and am advised not to question this logic. Indeed, quite often I've known props be less concerned about the result and more about how their scrums went. As players lament a loss, it's not uncommon for the front rowers en masse to pronounce "scrum went forward, two hooks against the head" as if to abdicate themselves from the fact the game was not won! However, after the game last weekend, I too can feel myself entering into the musing and reasoning normally reserved for the front row. Two of my brethren from the second row union went above and beyond the call of duty! Now of course, the second row of the team is invariably populated by more intelligent, better looking and, to put it simply, superior folk to those in the front row. As a line back from the coal face, we also have a better perspective on the game than the props! This being the case, I know for a fact that after the result on Saturday Dean Mumm and Damian Welch will have been feeling the hurt at yet another narrow loss to that mob off the M4. Nevertheless, I also know that they both will have a slither of a thought "I scored a scorcher" and neither of them would be wrong. Looking at the tries and the pace shown from 'Mean Dean' was blistering. Having been the recipient of the nickname Slug in my playing days (due to a complete lack of speed and natural athletic ability) it was breathtaking to see our captain out-pace Premiership wingers over 40 yards to dot down his sixth try of the season. There is little doubt in my mind that the spur that drove him to such a feat was the bet of the century with yours truly! Even more sparkling was the score by Damian Welch that showed not just the pace of Dean but the poise of Matt Jess and the brute strength of Dave Ewers. Receiving the ball on the 10-yard line with not much looking to be on, Damian switched on the class to score one of the tries of the season that was reminiscent of dreams I used to have in my playing days. Sadly these two fantastic moments were not enough for the win as the dead eye of George Ford and, yet again, a few dubious penalties saw Bath scrape another W over our Chiefs. This was by far our closest result away from home against the men of Somerset and it's fair to say the cliché that the best team lost pretty much summed up the attitude of all but the most fervent Bath supporter. On a similar note, Exmouth were right to feel aggrieved at the result in the far east against Cambridge. Having shipped a few scores in the first half, the team wrenched the momentum back in a swing that saw three quick-fire scores to get right back in the mix. With the Cambridge coaches, reserves and crowd holding their breath and biting their nails, the The Mighty Muff laid siege to their line. Only a series of scrum penalties awarded to the men in heliotrope prevented a score. In the event, some rotten luck and a chance interception try against the run of play denied the Cockles the losing bonus point that was well deserved. Indeed, such was the quality of Exmouth's effort that this could have been an unlikely victory on the road. Playing in the Exmouth pack, I am surrounded by guys who are all at least 10 years younger than yours truly. I see them slowly developing into a proficient tight unit. With half the games still to play in the National League season, I have no doubt that Exmouth are close to turning a corner. A win this weekend in the derby with Launceston could ease the Cockles out of the danger zone. On the subject of the cockles, I must share one of the funniest moments in my time so far with Exmouth. Following a long bus journey, the guys assembled in the car park of the hotel for a stretch when head coach Jon Hill went down like he'd been shot. It transpired that five hours on the bus had aggravated an old injury rendering him bowed and waddling like a duck for the rest of the weekend. Following his pre-match briefing I didn't know whether to growl at his words of inspiration or quack! Last week the Bentley family joined the pilgrimage to East Devon as we moved from the city to our new house. With the help of Chiefs sponsor Eddy Hall and his crew, we've moved to a new house in Cranbrook that, all being well, my family will now call home for many years to come. I would like to thank Josh, Steve, and Graham for all their help alongside two slightly more familiar faces for their patience and forbearance in what was a pretty hectic day. Next month sees former Chiefs take on a gargantuan challenge as they attempt to row 1,000,000 metres each in aid of charity. Sam Blythe and Shane Kingsland, now professional personal trainers, aim to row a marathon a day for the month! Rather them than me. They're keen for all to share the adventure on www.janurow.org. This is a great opportunity to share Christmas gains while helping others less fortunate. And finally, to a massive weekend with the visit of European champions Toulon to Sandy Park. The eyes of millions throughout the UK, Europe and the rugby world in general will be focused on our Devon club and our Exeter home. Win, lose or draw, enjoy the moment and celebrate the achievement. Come on you Chiefs! Until the next time, stay safe and enjoy your rugby.

Chris Bentley: Mumm and Welch went beyond the call of duty

IT is fair to say that attitudes have changed to the Heineken Cup since it started in 1995. Back then, no English sides took part and it wasn't seen as much more than a bit of a novelty. Roll forward 18 years and the amount of interest generated for a regular pool game with qualification still too far away to make the match decisive shows how far it has come. Tickets for Exeter Chiefs' home date with Toulon sold out in record time. Less than 36 hours after they went on sale, the 'sold out' signs were put up at Sandy Park. Luck plays a part in most sports, and the Chiefs have been luckier than most in terms of who they have been drawn with in their first two seasons in the Heineken Cup. Having defending champions Leinster and Clermont Auvergne, who were beaten by the Irish province in the semi-finals the year before, made for a special first experience of the competition for Rob Baxter's men. So to get the reigning European kings at Sandy Park for the second time in a calendar year is a remarkable stroke of good fortune. Obviously it is not just the past success of Bernard Laporte's side that caused thousands of fans to snap up tickets as soon as they were available for purchase. One look at the squad list assembled by owner Mourad Boudjellal's fortune shows you why it is such a big draw for rugby fans in general, not just Chiefs followers. They have household names and legends of the game from such notable rugby strongholds as France, England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, as well as the not-insignificant forces of Italy and Argentina. But Leinster's squad wasn't too shabby either – with Ireland internationals and British & Irish Lions galore – and the Chiefs gave them two very close, hard-fought battles last term, almost drawing on their competition debut in Dublin. The same sort of effort will be required if Rob Baxter's men are to take something from Saturday lunchtime's game. But there is no reason to suggest they cannot do just that and claim a prized scalp. Defensively they have been on top of their game in the last couple of weeks as Saracens and Bath – first and third in the Aviva Premiership – managed just one try against Exeter between them. The Chiefs have also shown they can still turn it on in attack, controlling possession for long periods in both matches. And, considering how strong Bath have been in the set-piece this season, Exeter fared very well in the scrums and line-outs. Toulon themselves were a shadow of the side that won the Heineken Cup last season in Saturday's defeat at Stade Français, and if Laporte named Frédéric Michalak at fly-half instead of Jonny Wilkinson it would certainly improve the Chiefs' chances of success no end this weekend! But with a slating from the club's owners still ringing in their ears, you can be sure the galacticos who make the trip to Devon will be keen to put in a much better showing. That makes it a mouthwatering prospect for everyone fortunate enough to have a ticket for the contest. It is not the biggest game in Exeter's history – none of this would be possible without the Championship final against Bristol, and until they win a trophy in the top flight that will remain the most momentous match in the club's past. However, a victory would send a message throughout the continent that the Chiefs are now a force to be reckoned with. One final thought: four years ago today (Thursday), Exeter travelled to Doncaster for a Championship match and won a dire game 14-9. It's been some journey since then.

Exeter Chiefs opinion: Bring on the big guns

Striker Tom Nichols says he has improved a lot as a footballer of the past few months having netted Exeter City's equaliser against Bury on Saturday. It was the 20-year-old's first goal for the club this season, but not his first in Grecian colours as he netted for City in their 2-1 win over Chesterfield on the eve of his 18th birthday in August 2011. Since that goal though Nichols has found first team opportunities hard to come by, hardly featuring for the club at all last season and only making a handful of substitute appearances this. However, Nichols says he has improved a lot in the last few months and is now targeting a run in the team. "I was really pleased to get a goal, it has been a while," said Nichols, who reflecting on his previous spell in the first team added. "I came into the team very young and I was a bit naive. But I have been brought back out of the team and haven't been back for a few years, but a lot of hard work has gone in on the training ground. "Robbo (Edwards) has done a lot of work with me and I would say these last few months I have improved more than in the last two years. I have really focused on the things I need to be good at whereas before, I was just playing free, which wasn't the right thing to do. "I am pleased with how I am doing at the moment. "I pride myself on being in the right places, being in and around the box and I have always scored goals – ever since a young age. "I seem to have that knack of being in the right place which is a good thing to have, but that alone won't get me in the team, as the manager has said to me. "I have to work on other side's of my game and I have done that, so I can do both side's, which is good." Nichols first team chances could be helped by the fact that John O'Flynn limped off injured at the end of the first half against Bury. The City youngster said he hoped his fellow striker partner was alright, but would be there to step in if needed. "Hopefully Flynny's injury is nothing serious, but I have been patient and I have been playing well for a few months now, I just need the opportunity," he said. "Hopefully – although I hope he hasn't hurt himself – the opportunity is there, because I know I am going to take it. "We have a couple of weeks now where we don't have a game, so I will keep working hard and hopefully, I will be in the starting team for the next game. "I definitely feel I am as close as I have ever been. I feel ready to play now and if I keep coming on and scoring, then he will have to play me." Nichols is not the only youngster to break into the first team recently, with Matt Grimes and Matt Jay also making starts for the club. Nichols admits there are a lot of players like him all keen to get into the team. "I like playing with Grimesy a lot, what a great player he is," said Nichols. "I have played with him for a few years, but there is a great group of young lads here and a lot of them are ready to play. "Some of them aren't even on the bench – the likes of Jake Gosling and Jordan Moore-Taylor can play – and they just have to wait for their opportunity as well."

Improving Tom Nichols targeting run in the Exeter City side

MIDFIELDER Matt Gill insists Exeter City's performances have not been that bad – and believes they will start climbing the League Two table if they can cut out their silly mistakes. The Grecians, who are not in action this Saturday, have not won any of their last eight senior games and were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw at home to relegation-threatened Bury last time out. However Gill, who joined the club on loan from Bristol Rovers in late October, and made his first appearance in City's last victory, 4-0 against Scunthorpe, says there are positives to take from the recent displays. He pointed to the fact that the side showed great character in coming from behind twice to get a share of the spoils against Bury. However, he added that they also need to stop giving away silly goals. "Since I have been here the lads have responded really well to being behind," said the popular 33-year-old, who is in his second spell at the club. "I think it is important now that we build on that and not have to go behind to respond. "If we can get out of the traps early in games and take the lead, I can see us going on and winning games, and comfortably. "It is just the case at the minute that one or two things are going against us and we are conceding. "It would be quite easy with a few young lads, and even the senior lads, to get their heads down when you go behind twice in a game, but against Bury they didn't. The lads responded really well and that is the positive to take from the game." Asked if the winless run was starting to get to the players ahead of their next match at Accrington Stanley on December 14, Gill said: "It is something we want to put right, but I wouldn't say it was playing on anyone's mind. "People talk about the pressure that brings, but we have got an opportunity every week to cope with that pressure and get three points. "We would have liked that to happen against Bury. That wasn't the case, but we have put in a battling performance and got a point. "We will keep our heads up and take that into the Accrington game. "It is a positive dressing room, the lads have played some good stuff since I have been at the club. "It is just those one or two occasions in games when we concede that set us back in games and performances, but the response the lads are showing from going behind in games is brilliant." Gill also added that not having a match this Saturday could be a benefit to the side as they look to work on a few defensive aspects of their game ahead of a tough series of fixtures in December, which sees City face high-flying Chesterfield at home either side of trips to Accrington and Cheltenham. "We will be able to do some work that we would not ordinarily be able to do before," said Gill. "Defending is as a team for me, it is not a certain unit – it is the whole 11. "So I'm sure Tis is going to nail the whole 11 down on how he wants us to defend and help us to stop conceding. "Tis has told us we will be in for a lot of training and it needs to be done. It is an opportunity almost, having the spare week. "I'm sure the lads will get their teeth stuck into that and be ready to go for the Accrington game."

Matt Gill confident Exeter City can climb table

IAN Whitten hopes Exeter Chiefs can start to force their way into the latter stages of competitions after signing a new two-year deal with the club. The two-cap Ireland international is midway through his second campaign with the Chiefs, scoring two tries in 34 appearances. He follows hooker Jack Yeandle in extending his current deal until the end of the 2015/16 campaign. The news comes on the eve of Exeter's clash with European superpowers Toulon, with the Chiefs top of their Heineken Cup pool on tries scored ahead of the French outfit. Whitten, 26, hopes the Sandy Park outfit can start to get in the mix at the end of that competition as well as the Aviva Premiership in the coming years. "My target for the future is to be successful with the Chiefs and I want the club to start pushing into semi-finals and latter stages of competitions," he said. "You can see we are improving year on year, so hopefully over the next two years we can move onto that next level. "I want to be ambitious with the team and contribute to Exeter doing well." Whitten, who joined the Chiefs from Ulster in 2012, said he did not need much persuasion from head coach Rob Baxter to sign his new deal. He can see good times ahead for the Sandy Park outfit. "It was an easy decision for me," he said. "I feel I am doing well, I'm improving as a player and like where the club is going. "The systems in place here are good ones, and I like the way we play, so I can only see success for the club and I want to be part of that." Baxter thinks the Irishman is underrated as a player as he has filled in on the wing and in the centre during his time with Exeter. The head coach said Whitten has become more of a threat this season, as he showed with his try in the Heineken Cup match against Cardiff Blues. Baxter said: "I think there's a bit of a misconception with Whitts as he has done a very solid job for us but we're starting to see a bit more than that come through now. "He's had a few games this season when he's really had a cutting edge with his pace and his power. "We think he's improving all the time as a rugby player and decision maker and he's a good guy as well, he fits in very well in the environment here and is a popular guy among the rest of the squad. All those things add up to being important qualities for us. "We're delighted he's signed on, we're delighted we're going to be working with him for the next couple of years and we think we'll see a good deal of improvement from a guy who's already a very good player." Whitten has started four games in the centre this season and four on the wing, but Baxter intends to use him more in the midfield from now on. "I think we see him more as a centre, we're looking to get the majority of his game time in the midfield now," he said. "I think that's where he's really going to push through. "He's done very well for us in the last couple of years as we've pushed up towards the top half of the league and we're confident that at his age, ability and work ethic he'll be one of the guys who will keep Exeter improving in the future." As for Saturday's game with Toulon, Whitten thinks the Chiefs will benefit from last year's Heineken Cup exploits. "I think having had a couple of years in Europe we are getting better and we are getting used to the bigger occasions," he said. "We have a big one on Saturday. It's great for the club and I'm delighted to be part of it."

Ian Whitten pens new Exeter Chiefs deal

Quarrels wouldn't last that long if the fault were only on one side. That should perhaps be the conclusion to an article about the row that has erupted over Exeter City captain Danny Coles' tweets following Exeter City's 2-2 draw with Bury on Saturday. But there has been a lot of insults, opinions and counter opinions issued on the subject already – 19 pages and counting on Exeweb and plenty more retweets and replies – therefore I thought I'd get to the point quickly. For those that have not come across the row, that has now been dubbed Cole-gate, you are obviously not aware of Twitter or indeed the internet, but I will run through a quick summary. In the 72nd minute of Exeter City's game with Bury on Saturday, with the Grecians trailing 2-1, manager Paul Tisdale substituted Danny Coles and David Wheeler for Arron Davies and Tom Nichols. Coles' substitution brought cheers from the crowd, while Wheeler's departure was accompanied by boos and chants of 'you don't know what your doing' directed at the City boss. Tisdale reacted by sarcastically applauding the crowd, while Coles took to Twitter later that day to label the fans chants as embarrassing. I have to say it was not nice to hear the fans cheer Coles' substitution. I think even Coles will admit that he had one of his worst games in a City shirt, but Tisdale had recognised that an elected to take him off instead of his cenrtal defensive partner Scot Bennett. I get the sense that there is a section of the St James's Park crowd who don't want to see Coles in the starting XI and perhaps that was their motive for cheering the substitution. But Coles is a big part of the side and had a large part to play in the club's excellent defensive run in February and March last season, which saw them keep seven clean sheets in 11 games. Surely the fans should just want to see their skipper to return to the same form he showed last campaign? Their part in Cole-gate won't have helped that. As for Coles' taking to Twitter, and Tisdale applauding the fans, I think they were ill-advised moves also. You could argue that Tisdale applauding the fans was a heat of the moment thing. Frustrated by the scoreline and angered by the fans' refusal to back the team and instead have a go at him, he reacted. Coles took to Twitter after the match, but I still think this is a heat of the moment action. He arguably took a bigger brunt of the criticism than his manager, it can't be nice for any player to hear cheers go up when he gets substituted. Would he have still been angered by that two or three hours later? I think so. But should either have reacted the way they did? No. I think it is fair to say Tisdale and Coles just want the fans to get behind the team and get rid of the negativity that is currently around St James's Park. But unfortunately negativity breeds negativity. Fans cheering Coles and booing Tisdale brought a negative response from both player and manager. Their responses in turn have produced lots of negative reactions from supporters who no doubt feel alienated by the club. This in turn will probably lead to a much more negative atmosphere when the club approach their match with Chesterfield at St James's Park on Friday, December 20. It is a lose-lose situation for City. In fact the only people to benefit are Chesterfield, who will no doubt be relishing the trip to Exeter. It is therefore fair to say nobody comes out of Cole-gate looking whiter than white.

OPINION: Nobody comes out of Cole-gate saga whiter than white

The multi-million pound redevelopment of Sandy Park will begin early in the New Year after a bond issue raised enough investment to fund the work, Exeter Rugby Club officials have announced. After months of behind the scenes activity, including raising in excess of £7.5m through the Exeter Chiefs 2020 Bond, the green light has now been given for the planned works to begin. Earlier this year the Chiefs unveiled their ambitious, long-term plans to transform Sandy Park into a state-of-the-art stadium that would not only see the ground capacity double to 20,600 but also involve the building of three new grandstands, a 1,000-seater auditorium, as well as expanding the conference and banqueting facilities. To kick-start the first phase of that development, Exeter Rugby Group in August launched the Chiefs 2020 Bond, which was open to private and corporate investors to raise the initial target of £7.5m. This week that target was reached. Exeter Rugby Group chairman Tony Rowe said: "These are very exciting times for the club – both on and off the field – and the instigation of these works demonstrates that we are continuing to build for what we hope will be a hugely successful future. "I am delighted that so many people share the same vision and passion that I have for the club and for Sandy Park. Like anything, it will take time and a lot of effort by plenty of people, but I can assure everyone that everything will be carried out in the right manner and at the right time, thus ensuring that whilst we look to build off the field, we remain a competitive force on the field both in the Premiership and in Europe. "For us to progress, as we want to, it's essential every cog is in place and that nothing is done to jeopardise our long-term goals. Our vision for the future remains as strong as ever and this week's news is the next step in our journey." Helping to guide Exeter Rugby Group through the whole Bond issue have been corporate finance experts Isca Ventures, Prydis Wealth Ltd and Michelmores LLP – all of whom have been praised by Rowe for their "outstanding" contribution. "Without the help of our experts at Isca Ventures, Prydis and Michelmores, I do not believe we would have got to this stage," added Rowe. "It has been there vast knowledge and experience that has proved invaluable in helping to move the whole project forward." Phase One of the development will see conference and banqueting facilities in the West Grandstand enlarged to span the full length of the pitch, creating a venue capable of hosting more than 1,000 delegates. Additional seating will replace the current North West and South West terraces at either end of the grandstand; whilst the car park will also be enlarged and the main pitch re-laid. "We were delighted to play a leading role in putting the Exeter Chiefs 2020 Bond together and providing corporate finance support through-out this transaction," said Mark Champion, partner at Isca Ventures LLP. "We needed to come up with an instrument that would suit all the stakeholders of Exeter Rugby Group Plc and be attractive to potential investors, with a corporate bond being a logical choice. The response from members, supporters and investors has been fantastic and we are pleased the board were able to exceed their fundraising target. We have no doubt the expanded Sandy Park conference centre and rugby stadium will serve the region well for years to come." James Priday, director at Prydis Wealth, added: "Prydis were both excited and humbled when asked by the club to advise on the regulatory compliance of the investment proposition. "We think it's fantastic that the money was raised in such a way that allowed members and fans to participate in the Chiefs' future. We are thrilled that the target was met and exceeded, showing not only the success of the investment structure, but also the genuine support that exists for the club. I personally can't wait to see the completed stadium." Michelmores associate Stephen Morse said: "We are thrilled to have worked with the Chiefs on their 2020 Bond issue. We are very lucky to have top-flight rugby being played on our doorstep, and it's great to have played a key role in something that will both help the club go from strength to strength and give a huge boost to business in the region."

Green light for Sandy Park expansion as Exeter Chiefs bond hits target