Pierce Sweeney: Exeter City's long-serving defender leaves club after five years

Pierce Sweeney played in all three of Exeter's unsuccessful League Two play-off finals at Wembley during his time at the club

Long-serving Exeter City defender Pierce Sweeney is to leave the club.

The 26-year-old Irishman played 222 times over five seasons for the Grecians after moving to the club from Reading in August 2016.

He was out-of-contract this summer but has rejected Exeter's offer of a new deal at St James Park.

"I came to Exeter having not made a single appearance in English first-team football and now leave having made 222," Sweeney wrote on Twitter.

"It has not been an easy decision, but with a young family it was the right decision for us and my career moving forward."

Sweeney helped City reach three League Two play-off finals during his time at the club.

He scored 19 goals, the last of which was a dramatic winner deep in stoppage time at Bolton in the penultimate game of last season which saw Exeter's hopes of making the play-offs go to the final day.

He is the second long-serving player to leave the club after captain Jake Taylor moved to Stevenage last month after rejecting a new deal.