Exeter City sign Leicester City's Matt Oakley on loan
- Published
Exeter City have signed Leicester City midfielder Matt Oakley on loan.
The 34-year-old will be at St James Park for at least 28 days, but could stay until the end of the year.
"It was about playing at the right club for the right people and that's why when Paul (Tisdale) called I knew it was right," Oakley told BBC South West.
"The plan is that I'm here until January, then we'll discuss it and maybe take it to the end of the season," he added.
Oakley began his career at Southampton in 1994 where he played alongside City boss Tisdale.
He moved to Derby County on a free transfer in 2006 before joining Leicester for £500,000 in January 2008.
But as Sven Goran-Eriksson rebuilt the Leicester squad over the summer, Oakley found his chances limited and he has played just twice this season in the Carling Cup.
"We are in the process of building a team and we need some experience and someone who makes good decisions and Matt was the ideal choice," Exeter manager Paul Tisdale said.
"The one thing we have lacked in the last three or four weeks is maybe a steadying influence," Tisdale added.
"I'm hoping Matt will be a very good choice in terms of adding a little bit of know-how to what we have in the side in abundance which is energy and motivation."
And the admiration that Tisdale has for Oakley is reciprocated by the player.
"We get on very well and I think we see the game the same way.
"He's done great things in his managerial career and as soon as he spoke to me I got that excitement that I wanted to play football."