Exeter City

Image source, Rex Features

Exeter City will host Plymouth Argyle in the first Devon derby for more than two years in October.

New Pilgrims boss Tom Cleverley will experience his first derby on Saturday, 25 October after the 2025-26 League One fixtures were released earlier on Thursday.

The return game at Home Park is scheduled for Saturday, 11 April - the fourth-to-last game of the season.

The fixture returns after Argyle were relegated from the Championship at the end of last season.

The two rivals last met on 15 April 2023 when Matt Butcher's deflected goal was enough to give Argyle a 1-0 win at St James Park as Plymouth went on to win the league title.

Two Ryan Hardie goals in the final 20 minutes earned Argyle a 4-2 victory over City in the last meeting at Home Park on 31 October 2022.

Exeter last beat their bitter rivals in October 2019 when they ran out 4-0 winners at home - their biggest win since 1925.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Image source, PressEye

Experienced striker Josh Magennis is targeting a Northern Ireland return, admitting he can "never be comfortable" with being left out of a squad.

Manager Michael O'Neill omitted the 34-year-old frontman from March's friendlies to assess new forward options, but said the door would remain open for Magennis.

Hip surgery has ruled Magennis out of June's games with Denmark and Iceland. but the Exeter City forward is aiming for a return when World Cup qualifying begins in September.

"You can never be comfortable being left out of a squad," said Magennis, who has 12 goals in 82 Northern Ireland caps.

"That's your own selfish ego, but you have to try and see the bigger picture.

"Similar happened to me when I came into the squad, when Michael wanted to see me but there were other players before me and he knew what they could do."

Magennis added that he still "has got a lot to offer" his country after scoring 12 goals in all competitions for League One side Exeter during the 2024-25 season.

"It's up to me to continue to perform and keep my head down, and be ready to go whenever that opportunity comes again," Magennis added.

"I still feel like I've got a lot to offer. I feel like I'm progressing and doing well, so I'm not slowing down any time soon."

While recovering from surgery, Magennis is undertaking a coach education course with the Irish FA and working on his coaching badges, and says "it's a passion that I've got" when his playing career comes to a close.

"I'll continue to play as long as I possibly can. I'm still enjoying playing football, but unfortunately in every dream you have to wake up and for me that's getting closer and closer as the seasons go on.

"It's a passion I've got now to understand the game, learn the game and develop players as much as I can."