And the ex-Royals man will be ready to show his former employers what they are missing out on
Stuart James Print Sports Editor
17:37, 10 Oct 2025
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Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell has backed Jayden Wareham to lead the line effectively and ensure the Grecians don’t miss the services of Northern Ireland international Josh Magennis against Reading at St James Park.
Magennis was called up by Northern Ireland for their World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia and Germany this month meaning he will miss City’s clash with the Royals..
Therefore, with Sonny Cox injured, the task of leading Exeter ’s attack will fall on 22-year-old Wareham, who joined the Grecians from the Royals in the summer for a fee believed to be £60,000.
“I think the last three or four games, what I’ve liked about Jayden is his work rate and his pressing out of position, his desire to be a nuisance and a threat,” Caldwell said.
“I’ve said that to him. When he puts defenders under pressure and plays with an aggression and a physicality, then that’s when he’s at his very best and I think we’ve seen that recently without the chances and the goals.
“For me, the Blackpool performance he gave early in the season was a top number nine performance and I think he’s growing back into that type of form. Hopefully we see it against his old club on Saturday.”
Jayden Wareham of Exeter City celebrates after winning during the Sky Bet League 1 Match between Exeter City and Peterborough United at St James Park, Devon on 30 August 2025. Photo: Frankie OKeeffe/PPAUK
Wareham is the most experienced striker, although Caldwell could hand a first start to promising 18-year-old Academy graduate Kieran Wilson, whose six league appearances so far have come from the bench.
Ex-Royal Wareham will be itching to get stuck into his former employers, though, and will remember scoring inside the first minute for Reading at St James Park in this fixture last season.
“He’s a typical number nine, he wants to score goals,” Caldwell said of Wareham. “He’s been brought up his whole life thinking goals are the be-all and end-all, which I love because that’s what number nines need to do. But the biggest thing for me is that his team-mates can trust him, he’s going to be there for them, he’s going to lead the line and run about, he is going to press and he’s a real threat for us both in and out of position.
“When he does that, I think the goals will come. I thought the Blackpool performance was as good a performance as you’ll see from a number nine in League One this season and I think recently, he’s been showing signs of coming back to that and hopefully it comes on Saturday.”
Goal celebrations for Jayden Wareham of Exeter City during the Sky Bet League 1 Match between Exeter City and Peterborough United at St James Park, Devon on 30 August 2025. Photo: Frankie OKeeffe/PPAUK
And it comes as the basis for any successful team is a strong foundation and Exeter City manager Caldwell feels he has that again with his defensive options reinforced in recent weeks.
Last season was something of a nightmare for the Grecians, who started the season with captain Pierce Sweeney, on-loan Brentford star Tristan Crama and Rangers loanee Johnly Yfeko as their back three.
By Christmas, Sweeney and Yfeko had suffered season-ending injuries and Crama was recalled by the bees and sold to Millwall in a £1 million-plus deal, leaving Caldwell to start from scratch in building a new backline.
To be fair, he did that with Ed Turns signing from Brighton & Hove Albion. He instantly became a regular in the team, but with Sweeney and Yfeko back in contention now – and borrowed Aston Villa youngster Sil Swinkels also fit again – the Grecians are spoilt for choice at centre back, giving Caldwell a welcome headache for today’s visit of Reading to St James Park.
Johnly Yfeko of Exeter City during the Sky Bet League 1 Match between Exeter City and Cambridge United at St James Park, Devon on 5 October 2024. Photo: Frankie OKeeffe/PPAUK
“I think he’s a really strong part of the team,” Caldwell said. “I think the competition is very good with Johnly coming back and I think everyone can see that.
“The first half (at Lincoln) in particular, his presence in the team, his physicality, his quality and bravery in playing out – I thought he was outstanding. He tired a little bit in the second half and there was some mistakes that come from him probably not playing much and fatigue.
“When we have Johnly available and fit, which hasn’t happened often since he’s signed, then I think the whole team has a different look about it and hopefully we’ve progressed him through this week again and we’ll see how many minutes he can play on Saturday. But he’s definitely someone that, when he plays, the team looks much stronger and much better.”
The same can be said of Sweeney, who offers a perfect balance on the right of the back three. The question then is probably who plays in the middle with Jack Fitzwater playing every minute of every league game so far and Turns rivalling him for the role.
“It’s that quality of pass and the bravery to take the ball and pass forward and pick the right moment to play through and when to keep the ball,” Caldwell added. “Both of them (Sweeney and Yfeko) give us that quality.
“They’re obviously both coming back from injuries and we’ve not had a fully fit squad at any point this season where we can really put our best team out on the pitch, which again shows why I think the start has been pretty good because we are a new group that’s still coming together. We haven’t had the full squad fit at the same time to pick our best team and when we get that, then I think we’re a really good team at this level.”
