Sweeney will never forget ‘special’ testimonial match

PIERCE Sweeney has admitted that he was “welling up a bit” when walking out onto the St James Park pitch with his family ahead of his testimonial game against Swansea City on Saturday.

- DANIEL CLARK

The match against Championship opposition, which City won 1-0 thanks to a strike by Sonny Cox, marked the launch of a year of events to mark Sweeney’s decade-long service for Exeter City.

It was followed by a testimonial gala dinner at Sandy Park with friends and family in attendance, including former Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale, former captain Jake Taylor and England U21 star Jay Stansfield among those coming back to honour the City skipper.

Further events later in the year include a cocktail night, a golf day and a Bake Off in which funds will not just go to the Irishman, but also his two chosen charities as well, the Adam Stansfield Foundation and Mind over MND.