Danny Coles

Exeter City have announced the signing of Bristol Rovers centre-back Danny Coles on a free transfer. The 29-year-old was clearly on  a significant wage at a financially stretched and relegated Rovers side. He is an eexperienced centre-back who fits the bill for exactly the type of player I wanted to see us sign and leaves just four new recruits and Cureton signing a contract to complete my ideal squad for next season. Now many people would expect Danny to start next season either as part of a central back three or as the main centre-back. However, I do not see this happening instead I believe he will be on the bench at the start of next season and will have to both earn and take his chance in order to get his name on the starting line up. The back four of last season of Golbourne-Troy-Duffy-Tully, which won seven out of seven (minus Tranmere where we lost 4-0 but with a different formation of 5-3-2) I expect to continue instead in a new formation which will hinge on a back four as we look to move to a more attacking outlook to match the quality and depth of our squad next season.

Another reason for this is that Rovers’ fans are very disparaging of the childhood gashead fan. They have claimed that he did not have the desire, commitment or work rate and gave them nothing. I have even seen him slated as their worst player in years. However, I have faith in Tisdale’s judgement which has been proved time and time again. As I have said in my earlier post an experienced centre-back who we do not need to play every game but can call on when needed and can help Duffy and Troy’s development on the training ground is precisely what City needed. He has also suffered a number of injuries and if there is one thing which Tis can be relied upon it is to get the best out of players and how them (re)develop and perform to the best of their ability.

Coles’ Career

Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1999–2005	Bristol City	148	(6)
2005–2008	Hull City	31	(0)
2007	→ Hartlepool United (loan)	3	(0)
2007–2008	→ Bristol Rovers (loan)	7	(0)
2008–2011	Bristol Rovers	95	(3)
2011-	Exeter City	0	(0)

After coming through the ranks at Bristol City he was signed in 2005-06 by Peter Taylor (which is perhaps a little worrying) for £200,000 (which is more impressive). After an injury kept him out of the first team he spent a short spell on loan at Hartlepool and then a three-month spell at Rovers before making the deal permanent in the January transfer window.

Welcome to Exeter Danny!