A living legend, Dean Moxey is Exeter City born and bred.
Having come up through the ranks as the club endured financial hardships, he became a talismanic player, helping to guide the Grecians up two footballing flights, from the Conference to League One. After a long spell away, in which he played at the highest level, Dean returned home during the summer of 2017, slotting seamlessly back into the starting line up.
5 – May 2003 saw the floundering Grecians dropping into the fifth tier of English football. With many senior players jumping ship, a number of young pros were given the chance to stake their claim to a first team berth. One of the beneficiaries, Dean made his first outing away at Woking that October, aged just seventeen. An instant success, he would go on to make 17 appearances that season, finding the net on two occasions.
40 – One of his finest moments in a City shirt came in December 2004, during an FA Cup second round clash with Doncaster Rovers. With the Grecians already leading through a Steve Flack header, Dean picked up the ball on the halfway line before hammering it home from over 40-yards. Not only did the strike earn him the player of the round award, it sealed his side’s place in the third round, making the Grecians’ faithful, in his own words, “as happy as Larry”!
241 – Dean’s goal also led directly to one of the most famous nights in the club’s history, earning Exeter a third round tie 241-miles away at Old Trafford. Throughout the game the Grecians lived up to the classical namesakes, battling hard to keep the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes and Phil Neville at bay. The fixture away at Old Trafford and the subsequent replay proved vital to the cash-strapped club, ultimately helping to save City from liquidation.
150 – Aged just twenty-two, Dean made his 150th City appearanceat the home of football, as the Grecians faced off against Cambridge United in the 2008 Conference Play-Off Final. A constant threat down the left, he put in a man of the match performance, providing Rob Edwards with the vital assist as Exeter prevailed 1-0.
42 – Having enjoyed successful spells at Derby County, Crystal Palace and Bolton Wanderers, Dean returned to St James Park in July 2017, making his second debut on 12 September, during a 2-1 win away at Barnet. He would go onto make 42 appearances for the Grecians throughout the campaign, helping them to reach their second consecutive League Two Play-Off Final.
3 – Although he found fame for a long range strike in his youth, Dean is also a pretty lethal presence in the penalty area, finding the net three times last season. This included a classy side-footed finish against Morecambe, a piece of back post poaching away at Crawley Town, and a neat volley against Carlisle United. His Grecian goal tally currently stands at 27.
32 – Building upon his impressive return last time out, Dean has enjoyed an impressive pre-season, finishing off a Jayden Stockley cross in the 32nd minute of the Grecians’ impressive victory over Bristol Rovers. He also made a vital intervention on the first day of the season when, pressing hard, he won the ball and helped play in Lee Holmes, who set up Jonathan Forte for City’s second goal against Carlisle.