Remembering Exeter City icon's turbulent Swindon Town association | OneFootball

Pierce Sweeney is heading into his 10th season at Exeter City but it could have been so different if he had stayed at Swindon Town.

The grass isn't always greener, Pierce Sweeney will tell you that.

The Exeter City legend is currently out injured and won't feature again this season, but he's under contract and is heading into his testimonial year at St James Park in 2025/26.

He joined in 2016 and has done it all at Exeter, arriving as a 20-year-old who was the club's 1931 Fund player, to gaining promotion with the Grecians and becoming vice captain and now club captain.

But it all could have been so different as he officially left the Grecians in the summer of 2021.

His contract had run its course and he decided to fly the nest, signing for Swindon Town on a free transfer after the Robins had just been relegated from League One into League Two.

However, the deal only lasted two days and the Irishman ripped up his contract at the County Ground on July 2nd with the Wiltshire side facing plenty of off-the-pitch issues.

Sweeney lasted two days at Swindon

In a statement, he and his former club said it was mutual for personal reasons, but Town manager John McGreal, who had initially signed him, had left after less than a month in charge, and long-serving chief executive Steve Anderson also departed with owner Lee Power failing to pay playing and non-playing staff in June amid takeover issues.

"I would like to thank Swindon Town FC for the opportunity to be part of the club," Sweeney said. "However due to family circumstances at this current moment I am unable to fulfil relocating to be part of the team.

"My family and I have thought about this decision and feel our commitments require us to remain in Exeter for the foreseeable future. I am grateful to the chairman, Lee Power, for allowing this to happen. I wish all the fans, players and staff a successful season."

Six days later it was confirmed that he would indeed return to Exeter and it proved to be a brilliant decision for all involved - other than Swindon, of course.

Town remain in League Two while City were promoted that season and look nailed on for a fourth-straight season in League One next year.

Sweeney arrived in 2016 from Reading's academy on the recommendation of the late, great Eamonn Dolan.

"I’ve been here a long time and it’s good to be back, to be staying," Sweeney said on his quick-fire return.

"I’ve had a bit of a strange week but after I was available again, there was only one place I was going to come back to. It was easy enough for me, and for [then manager] Matt [Taylor] as well."

Sweeney's an Exeter City legend

The 30-year-old defender is now City's talisman and has racked up almost 400 appearances for the club, a feat that puts him right up there in the list of all-time appearance makers.

Next year will be his 10th with the club and he's looking forward to it, though it probably won't be a Swindon Town XI heading to SJP for a pre-season friendly in Sweeney's honour.

Despite a bit of a wobble when Gary Caldwell arrived, especially with Will Aimson being handed the armband instead of Sweens, the popular Irishman is a part of the furniture at St James Park, and it's hard to see him going anywhere.

He's played a key role on and off the pitch for City and is now relishing his status as an elder statesman, advising young players on moves they should make, like Jay Stansfield and Ollie Watkins.

While agent Sweens has been a stalwart on the pitch he's played a small part in bringing in substantial funds off it as well.

He's a rare case of a move away from City going wrong, but he's clearly taken a lot from it and continues to go from strength to strength.

After going under the knife to correct a long-term hip injury in the last few weeks he should play a big part next season as the Grecians hope to push on into the top half of the League One table.

With a decade of service under his belt, other than that small blip, everyone's hoping he's still got a few more years left in the tank and that there may be a role among the backroom staff once he hangs up his boots.