Alex Hartridge: Exeter City defender to leave club at end of season

Alex Hartridge was carried off the field on his team-mates' shoulders to the adulation of the Exeter City support at the end of the win over Stevenage

Homegrown Exeter City defender Alex Hartridge is to leave the club at the end of the season.

The 25-year-old has made 154 appearances for City since his debut in November 2017.

The out-of-favour academy graduate only returned to the side on Monday having not played since late January - he played in all but three of Exeter's League One games last season.

The centre-back's contract is due to expire in the summer.

"He's found himself out of the team, he intimated a long time ago that he'd probably run his contract out," Exeter manager Gary Caldwell told BBC Radio Devon.

"He's been an amazing servant to this football club. A large part of his life has been spent here, and we understand when our academy youngsters want to flee the nest and go and have a career wherever that may take them."

Hartridge was part of the Exeter side that won promotion from League Two in 2022 and played in City's Carabao Cup win over Premier League side Luton Town earlier this season.

He was made captain as he started Exeter's 1-0 win over Stevenage on Saturday.

"We don't want him to leave on the negative of not playing for a number of months," added Caldwell.

"He came in on Monday in one of the biggest games and he was ready, which shows how good a professional he is.

"We felt that it was fitting that he plays a game here at St James Park, probably his last game at St James Park, and to wear the armband was good to show what we think of him as a person and his career at this football club."