Tommy Doherty Departs Exeter City

City have today announced that Tommy Doherty has been released by the club, after mounting speculation amongst the supporters as to why he hasn’t featured since the FA Cup defeat at Peterborough back in November.

The 34 year old midfielder signed for City in the summer of 2012 initially on a short term contract and was considered something of a surprise signing as his star appeared to have faded having dropped out of the league with Newport and latterly Bath City, but he proved in his early displays that he had lost nothing of his combative style, adding some much-needed bite to City’s midfield following James Dunne’s departure. He combined this with no little skill, perhaps epitomised by his role in the fantastic team goal at Barnet. Despite struggling almost constantly with injuries he made 32 appearances in City colours in his first season.

This season “The Doc” made 13 appearances although failed to complete 90 minutes in any of his games before the emergence of Matt Grimes and the re-signing of a similar type of player in Matt Gill seemed to force him out of the side, his final appearance being a 47 minute showing at Peterborough where he picked up his fifth booking, and a one match suspension.

In total Doherty made 45 appearances for City, failing to find the net, and picked up eight bookings. In total, according to Soccerbase, he has made 436 appearances, scoring 11 goals (his last way back in 2007). It remains to be seen whether he will add to those 436 appearances, but he leaves with the best wishes of the majority of supporters.

Paul Tisdale said of Tommy’s departure

As of today he is no longer our player; I don’t believe that he is going anywhere else, and I think this is a case of him getting to a point where enough is enough.

The physical demands of training every day can catch up on players.  Tommy has been a very useful member of our squad, but it didn’t materialise that he was playing regularly for us this season and that’s a difficult situation for a senior player.

When you’re not playing regularly and you’re at the end of your career, it’s a difficult place to be in.

The Exeweb article breaking the news that Tommy had signed for the Grecians http://www.exeweb.com/2012/07/05/city-snap-up-tommy-doherty/