Exeter cup thrashing 'won't define season' - Caldwell

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell insisted his side's season "will not be defined" by their record-equalling 10-1 FA Cup loss at Manchester City.

The defeat was the first time the Grecians have conceded 10 goals in a competitive game.

It equalled a club-record nine-goal margin of defeat - 9-0 against Northampton Town in a league game in 1958 and against Reading in an EFL Trophy game in 2023.

"Their behaviours throughout were relentless, their attitude and the respect they showed us I thought was outstanding, and they did what Man City should do to us," Caldwell told BBC Radio Devon.

"That didn't drop off at 4-0, 5-0, 6-0, 7-0, they kept going and we can take a lot from this game in terms of the behaviours we try and coach into the players every day and the behaviours we try and instil.

"The team can take a lot from that, because that was a really humbling experience.

"It's an experience that I think could be positive once you analyse it in the cold light of day, and ultimately our season will not be defined by this.

"Our season will be defined by the next 22 league games."

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola started with the likes of Erling Haaland and new signing Antoine Semenyo and they raced into a 4-0 lead by half-time.

They added six more after the break as Exeter were unable to live with a side that has won every major title in English and European football in recent years.

"Sometimes the badge on the front and the name on the back can change your behaviours and instead of stepping forward you take a half-step back," added Caldwell.

"I'm sure some players will look back and think 'I could have done this or I could have done that'.

"As long as they learned from it and as long as they take it into the next 22 league games then it can be a really good experience."

Exeter 'cannot get too down' over 'embarrassing result'

Exeter wide player Ilmari Niskanen had a chance to score when the Grecians were 3-0 down, but could not convert.

The Finland international has been one of the club's best players this season and went into the game in fine form.

He said it was difficult to compete with such a strong side when they are in such rampant form.

"It is a big, big disappointment. An embarrassing result overall. But at the same time we cannot go too down," he told BBC Radio Devon.

"We have to give them a lot of credit as one of the best, if not the best, team in the whole world.

"They just kept going relentlessly. There are so many things we needed to do better in the game and we gave away way too many cheap goals and way too many chances."

'Absolutely fantastic' Exeter fans

Exeter sold 7,800 tickets for the game and their fans made most of the noise, even when their team were eight or nine goals down towards the end of the match.

Niskanen says he and all the players and staff are appreciative of the support, especially as the journey from the West Country to Manchester was made more difficult by Storm Goretti.

Train services to and from the South West have been badly affected, while some road conditions for fans heading north had been treacherous.

"A big, big thank you for every single one of them," he said.

"They kept on singing throughout the game. It mustn't have been easy for them seeing goal after goal going in.

"But they kept on supporting us, even after the final whistle, they're still there - they're still applauding us, which was absolutely fantastic.

"They gave us so much energy, as they do every single week, but especially today when we came out to warm up and seeing them having the full side there was fantastic.

"We as a team are so disappointed that we couldn't give them much to cheer about today."