Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell says proud academy record looks precarious
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Exeter defender Alex Hartridge, 24, (right) has made 124 appearances across seven seasons
Exeter boss Gary Caldwell says the club's proud record of fielding academy graduates "looks pretty precarious".
The Grecians have fielded a homegrown player in every first-team fixture since a trip to Hartlepool in January 2016 - a run of well over 400 matches.
However defender Alex Hartridge is set to be the only academy name in the XI for Saturday's visit of Reading.
Caldwell told BBC Radio Devon: "It's a phenomenal record, but at some point all good things come to an end."
"It's a record which looks pretty precarious at the moment. I will not pick a team just for the sake of keeping that record going.
"I am very aware of how important that record is to the club, and it is important to me as well that we try and keep it going, but with so many academy players leaving and there's a little bit of a gap in terms of players coming through, that record is a bit precarious.
"Alex is flying the flag very well, he'll be on the team sheet on Saturday, so it won't go then."
League One rivals Barnsley have been linked with a £1m move for City's Sam Nombe and Caldwell admitted Exeter are preparing for life without the forward - if the right bid comes in.
Caldwell said: "He is still our player. If we get a huge bid, like we said, I think we are a football club that knows players have to leave at some point if it's the right price and good for the club.
"We're preparing for every eventuality and we won't leave ourselves short, so should any player leave we will replace them - we're still looking to try and strengthen the squad anyway."
He added: "We're not playing Championship Manager, this is real life football. Conversations have been going on for weeks and months in preparation for this last week (of the transfer window).
"It gets crazy but we are ready for what could happen and will adapt and make sure we are in a better position coming out of it, both financially and on the pitch."
A scan has revealed the knee injury sustained by forward James Scott will only keep him out for "four or five weeks", Caldwell revealed.
He said: "There was a feeling among the medical staff it might have been longer so, it's disappointing after his good start to the season but it's pretty positive news compared to what it could have been."