City make first summer signing

Defender Vincent Harper joins Exeter

Exeter City have announced the signing of 22-year-old defender Vincent Harper from National League side Eastleigh.

He joins on a two-year deal with the option of a third, for a undisclosed compensation fee.

Harper is no stranger to the South-West, having come through the ranks at Bristol City as a youngster. His time with the Robins came to an end in 2021 but during his time with the club he enjoyed loan spells with Gloucester City, Weston-super-Mare and Bath City, before joining Eastleigh on a permanent deal from Chippenham Town. 

Back in March, Harper was also named in the 16-man England C squad for a match against Wales C, playing the full 90 and the Three Lions won one, nil. 

 A talented left sided player, Harper fits the profile of the player that Gary Caldwell is looking for over the summer, and his assistant Kevin Nicholson has explained why he feels Vincent is the perfect fit for the Grecians.

"He is the right kind of player for us. He's young and had experience of academy football and he has left to find his way in the National League," Kevin Nicholson said.

"He is coming here with a skillset and the tools to compete to get into our first team right now, but he is also nowhere near his ceiling. He has a huge amounts of potential, and hopefully we can do what we do here at Exeter City and tap in to that to help him achiece what he wants to achieve.

"He is very direct and very similar to Demetri Mitchell, and it will be hugely beneficial to him to have someone like Demetri around because he will pick up a lot working with a player like that. 

"It's a bonus that he will have a full pre-season with us and he gets to fight straight away, but Vince also knows that as a club we are going to help develop him, that's what we pride ourselves on."