Where the Ollie Watkins millions will be spent, as Exeter City receive £3.5m sell-on fee
Julian Tagg explains what City will do with the money
Stuart James
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Exeter City director of football Julian Tagg says the record transfer sale of former Academy product Ollie Watkins this week is a reflection on all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes at St James Park.
Watkins was sold by City to Brentford for a club record fee of £1.8 million in the summer of 2017 but yesterday, he joined Premier League side Aston Villa in a deal worth an initial £28 million.
The Grecians agreed a clause that entitled them to a sell-on fee on any profit the Bees made on the Devon-born striker, which means the Grecians stand to receive circa £3.5 million for the 24-year-old.
Former Exeter City star Ollie Watkins completes £28m move to Aston Villa
Exeter City set for multi-million pound windfall if Ollie Watkins completes £28m Aston Villa move
It means City will receive – in total - £5.3 million for Watkins, which is by far the most the club have ever been paid for one of their players.
"As always with these situations, there are various parts to the equation," Tagg said. "The Academy as a whole, from the person who does the teas on a Saturday and Sunday mornings through to the people doing the Under-8s upwards, right the way through to the part-time and the full-time and the management team led by Arran (Pugh). They do an exceptional job every day and this is the fruits of their work and labour.
"Matt (Taylor) has put a team together that understands the absolute workings of the Academy. They have an affinity with it because they have all come through it and buy into it and it has to be said that there were others that played their part.
"And then there is Ollie himself. He has really got his head down and come through some difficult periods and has redoubled his efforts to get there and I am sure every fan of Exeter City that has cheered his name and watched him score the goal in a certain 2-1 victory back in the day (against Plymouth Argyle) is delighted for him and the club.
"Brentford too have played their part. They have a model that we don't necessarily agree with, but the way they have conducted business throughout has been exemplary."
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Watkins' move to Villa Park is also a club record fee for the Villans and the fee, which could rise to £33 million, including add-ons, is a record fee paid for a player from the Championship.
Now, the question on the lips of City fans is what will the money be spent on? Naturally, many want some of it to find its way to Taylor to improve the first team, but given the current climate – and devastating repercussions of the Covid pandemic – prudence will be key for the Grecians.
Previous player sales has allowed them to stabilise as a football club and keep money back for a rainy day. But as the waters of 'Storm Covid' continue to pour, that money has been used to keep the club going.
"The important thing with that is that we got ourselves into a good position to work out what the next steps in our evolution can be because that is what it is as a Trust-owned club," Tagg added.
"We are managing to survive in a pandemic which has been painful for so many – and remains so – but not perhaps so painful as it is for other clubs that are having difficulties which will transpire over the coming weeks, months and years.
"Some are having a far more torrid time than we are and that is because under Trust ownership, we have been careful and considerate and what we have done is perhaps put that position (of stability) back in place, but who knows with the conditions that are in place now with Covid?
"What if, with the conditions we have now, no fans are allowed in? That finance, or large chunks of it, will disappear."
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However, Tagg did not rule out the prospect of some funds being made available to the manager. "Once we have done our sums and budgets, that is when it will be considered," he said. "But it is not something we will take a stab at.
"In the grand scheme of the whole club - the capital requirements and the things we want to do to strengthen the whole club - that will be part of those discussions."
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