Manager glad for the chance to bring Gilly back to City
Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale spoke of his pleasure at welcoming Matt Gill back to Exeter City, following Friday’s loan move from Bristol Rovers.
The paperwork was filed in time for the midfielder to be part of the matchday squad against Scunthorpe, and he came off the subs bench in the second half with City leading 3-0, and helped the Grecians stem the tide as the hosts attacked in waves.
For the City boss, the fit could hardly have been better.
Gill, who wasn’t getting games on his return from injury at Bristol Rovers, seems an ideal replacement for Matt Oakley. The former Southampton man sustained an ankle injury in the Devon Derby two weeks ago against Plymouth, meaning he is likely to be sidelined for a while. So the chance to welcome back Gill, who knows the club and manager as well as anyone, seemed too good an opportunity to miss in the circumstance.
“It’s come with Matt Oakley being injured – he’s going to be out until well into the New Year,” conceded Paul. “It has transpired that his ankle injury is not a simple one.
“We needed someone that could come in and knew how we played and would be a straight replacement. The opportunity was there.
“Gill hasn’t played too much football in the last year, so people don’t need to expect too much too soon, but he’ll be a useful addition to the squad and he gets my numbers back up again.
“He is one of the best defensive midfield players we’ve had, in terms of his positional play and his talking – it was just right for him. People will look at his ability to control and pass the ball, but his stand-out ability for me is his defensive play.”