How to Build a Footballer: Inside Exeter City’s Remarkable Academy

How to Build a Footballer: Inside Exeter City’s Remarkable Academy

Author: Not The Top 20 Podcast September 16, 2026 Duration: 45:45
Ollie Watkins. Ethan Ampadu. Matt Grimes. How does Exeter City keep producing players who reach the top? From the “must-haves” Exeter demand of every youngster to their ambition to develop a Champions League winner, this is a guide to youth development for fans of every club. Why isn’t the best under-18 player always the best prospect? When should clubs be patient and when must they let a player go? What can non-league football teach that academy matches can’t? And is joining a Premier League club always the right move? Ali Maxwell speaks to Exeter City Academy Director Arran Pugh to explore what goes into developing a professional footballer. This episode is one of a two-part series highlighting the EFL’s Raised in the EFL campaign, celebrating the academies, people and opportunities that shape football’s next generation, on and off the pitch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For fans who live and breathe the drama below the Premier League, Not The Top 20 Podcast offers a home. Hosts George Elek and Ali Maxwell have built a dedicated community around their insightful and passionate analysis of the Football League, covering every promotion push, relegation scrap, and unexpected storyline across the Championship, League One, and League Two. The rhythm of their week mirrors the fan's experience: a detailed Monday episode unpacks the weekend's action, serving as the essential debrief, while their Betting Show later in the week provides carefully considered picks, focusing on the value and narratives often missed elsewhere. This isn't surface-level chatter; it's the detailed, informed conversation you'd have with your most knowledgeable friend. Since 2016, their consistent, high-quality coverage has earned them a loyal following and recognition like double nominations for the FSF 'Best Podcast' award. Tune into this podcast for a blend of sharp tactical breakdowns, club-specific knowledge, and the genuine enthusiasm that comes from focusing deeply on the seventy-two clubs that make the EFL endlessly compelling. You'll find the entire pyramid discussed here with a depth that mainstream coverage rarely provides, making each episode a vital listen for anyone invested in the heart of English football.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Not The Top 20 Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Betting Show: L1 NAPs, Goalscorer Trixie & 59/1 Eggman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:53
Betting picks ahead of the EFL weekend: best bets, goalscorer picks, Ali's Eggman, George's Egglady & a BTTS six fold. -- Sponsored by SBK. Sign up to SBK here to get £60 in Free Bets when you sign up and place your firs…
Ch:  Analysing the entire Championship after five games [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:22
George and Ali reflect on a lively first five games of the Championship this season. Who is good? Who is not? They also recap a busy weekend with wins for Bristol City, Millwall, Preston North End, Stoke City, Portsmouth…
L1: Who looks strong after five League One games? Who is struggling? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:04
We chat through big away wins for Sheffield Wednesday, Stockport, Stevenage, Oxford and Plymouth Argyle, and home victories for Reading and Bradford City. Then we zoom out, check out the league at the five game mark, and…
L2: Bristol Rovers are good, but who else is? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:18
Lots of home wins this weekend: Bristol Rovers, Swindon, Fleetwood, Tranmere, Salford, Accrington and Northampton. Congrats to Gillingham, the only away winners. We take a look at the league after five games, and ask: wh…
Betting Show: Cod 'n' Picks - NAPs, NB, goalscorer trixie & 39/1 acca [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:32
Betting picks ahead of the EFL weekend: best bets, goalscorer picks, Ali's accumulator & BTTS six fold. Some big games are discussed, including West Ham v Derby, Portsmouth v Cardiff, West Brom v Watford and Millwall v B…
L1: Sheff Wed, Stockport, Blackpool & Mansfield all sparkle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:51
Oh boy. Sheffield Wednesday 7-2 Bromley is a hell of a scoreline. Big wins for Blackpool, Stockport County and Mansfield, away wins for Barnsley, Huddersfield, while Notts County, Plymouth Argyle and Wimbledon picked up…
L2: Oldham & Bristol Rovers look ominous, Salford lose again [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:52
Oldham Athletic were the most impressive winners of the L2 weekend. Shrewsbury Town won the ‘Don’t Lose’ derby v Salford City. Bristol Rovers got the only away win of the weekend, while Rotherham United, Colchester Unite…
Betting Show: Championship outsiders & 39/1 acca [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:02
Betting picks ahead of the EFL weekend: best bets, goalscorer picks, Ali's accumulator & BTTS six fold. Some big games are discussed, including Wrexham v Birmingham City, Middlesbrough v West Brom and Southampton v Millw…