Fans helped seal career-defining transfer that has led to testimonial – but I wish I could have done more with Ireland
In 2016, the ex-Bray Wanderers defender, 30, had come to the end of a four-year stay at
5
Pierce Sweeney will have his Exeter City testimonial on Saturday
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
5
He signed for Exeter City back in 2016
Credit: Alamy
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He used to play as a defender for Bray Wanderers
Credit: Matt Browne / SPORTSFILE
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He played for Ireland up to Under-21s
Credit: Diarmuid Greene / SPORTSFILE
Fortunately, a friendship forged at the Royals paved the way for him to go on trial with the Grecians, though he paid out of his own pocket to
travel
.
He explained to the Irish Sun: "One of my really good mates who I met on my first day at Reading,
Jake
Taylor, he was actually at
"We had played Exeter in an under-21 friendly with Reading, probably four or five months before the end of the season, and the manager at the time, Paul Tisdale, must have liked me.
"He got wind that I would potentially be let go by Reading and basically, when I went in to speak to the manager at the time, which was
future
at Reading, he suggested he would call one of his friends.
"I said Exeter was kind of half in touch and I didn't really know Brian McDermott had been a player at Exeter and he had a big connection with the
football
club.
"He called Paul Tisdale for me and I exchanged emails and phone numbers.
"I came in around the first of July and stayed here for the whole
pre-season
."
It has been a match made in heaven and, nine seasons and almost 400 appearances later, he will be honoured with a testimonial against
His time at St James' Park was founded on a
relationship
with the supporters.
After impressing on trial, the ex-Ireland youth international was signed thanks in part to the 1931 Fund.
EFL star sparks furious brawl and chased by opponents after 'one of the worst tackles you'll ever see in a friendly'
The fund, which is paid into by supporters and club members, goes towards covering the wages of a new player for a year.
In this case, it was Sweeney who donned the '31'
jersey
fully aware of the
weight
that it carried in the eyes of his new fans.
He added: "It's a really unique thing that the club does.
"I had no idea about it, any new player wouldn't. They wouldn't understand what it is. It took me a little while to get my head around it.
"It was a real honour for me to have that in my first season here. I think I've done the number proud and hopefully the fans would say the same.
"I think it's like any number at a football club, whether it's number 7 at Man United or whatever, there's always a bit of extra pressure."
WEMBLEY WAY
His debut season saw him make 28 appearances in
After being unsuccessful at
While none of the three runs proved successful, the first provided a stand-out career highlight for the
In the second leg of the play-off semi-final in 2016/17, Exeter hosted Carlisle United.
Current
star
Deep in additional time at the end of the game, City right-back
They would go on to lose to
"I never imagined I would be here at a club for this long. Never mind getting a testimonial. It's been a special time."
Pierce Sweeney
"I just remember the scenes when the ball went into the top corner. It was outrageous.
"That always, always sticks in my mind, just purely the reaction from the fans and the reaction of the players when he scored that goal.
"It was unbelievable and I don't think I will ever, ever forget that moment."
Exeter finally got their day in the sun in 2022.
The previous
summer
saw Sweeney sign for Swindon Town, only to leave less than a month later by mutual consent and return to Exeter.
He has chosen not to discuss what went on in those short few weeks but is happy to reflect on the season that followed.
Now under the management of Matt Taylor, the Grecians avoided the play-offs altogether, instead sealing automatic promotion alongside Forest Green Rovers.
Only goal difference prevented them from winning the league but while Forest Green were relegated back to the fourth tier the following season, Exeter
remain
in
ON THE WAY UP
Sweeney, who made 43 appearances on their way to promotion, said: "It was more relief and it was a whirlwind of emotions.
"It was a whirlwind of emotions especially for me having been involved in three play-off
campaigns
where we fell at the last hurdle at Wembley.
"We had a really good manager and a really good young squad of players.
"I think it was the right time for us to get promoted. I think previous years it probably wasn't the right time.
"We had an ageing squad of players and the club probably wasn't ready to go up to the
next
level.
"It was an unbelievable night against Barrow when we finally got promoted.
"All my emotions came out that night which was inside me for about three or four years."
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Pierce Sweeney is presented with the U19 International player of the year award by Republic of Ireland International Shane Long in 2014
Credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE
The following January, captain Matt Jay - who had scored the goal against Barrow that sent them up - left St James' Park.
Sweeney was appointed new skipper and his first game with the armband was also his 300th appearance for the club.
That season also ended with him being named Player of the Season.
"It's something I wouldn't say I expected to happen but I always had it in the back of my mind that it would happen at some stage.
"It was a great honour and a
nice
moment for me.
"You have to find your style and find your ways of going about things.
"If you put your arm around a young player, if you need to shout and scream at people, you just have to pick and choose.
"I think over time I've figured out how and what people need. It definitely was a bit rusty at the start."
Pierce Sweeney doesn't have many regrets in his career but he does lament not having more success on the international stage.
He represented
Ireland
at youth level up to U21s, and was part of squads that boasted future internationals
Duffy
,
"I definitely didn't predict I'd still be here, let alone played that many games."
But his last U21 cap came in June 2015 as a sub against an
He was still on the
books
at Reading at the time and admits he would have liked the chance to impress more in the green jersey.
Sweeney admitted: "I would have liked more.
"I think whatever way the manager at the time was thinking, that's his
opinion
and it is what it is.
"I was nice to get a cap and make a couple of squads. I'm always honoured to represent my country and something I used to love doing.
"I just wish I could do it a little bit more."
Saturday's testimonial game against
It has been in the pipeline since last November, but even so, Sweeney considers himself fortunate to have built a career worth of such an occasion.
"I definitely didn't predict I'd still be here, let alone played that many games.
"I came here in 2016 on trial at the start and then signed for the football club and the plan for me that year wasn't to be a starter.
"Luckily for me, somebody got injured the week before I started the season and I was thrown in at the deep end and it was either sink or swim.
"I never imagined I would be here at a club for this long. Never mind getting a testimonial. It's been a special time."
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