Exeter City sign Anthony Scully until end of season, Wigan 2026

Key Points

• Exeter City have signed Anthony Scully, a 27-year-old Irish striker, on a deal until June 2026.
• Scully had become a free agent following his departure from Shrewsbury Town at the end of the 2024-2025 season and trained at a PFA training camp during the summer.
• In addition, Scully has scored 37 goals in 106 matches for Lincoln City from 2020 to 2022, after which he played for Wigan Athletic, Portsmouth, Colchester United and Shrewsbury Town.
• According to Exeter’s manager, Matt Taylor, Scully is an energetic and technically talented player who is “full of attack”, and he believes that he has a “strong pedigree” and much more to offer.
• Scully mentioned that he waited for the perfect chance and believed that Exeter was the perfect place for him regarding playing style and managerial philosophy.

Wigan (Manchester Mirror) October 03, 2026 – Exeter City have completed the signing of former Lincoln City and Wigan Athletic winger Anthony Scully on a deal running until the end of the season, the club confirmed on Saturday. The 27-year-old Irish forward joins as a free agent after departing Shrewsbury Town at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season and spending the summer training with the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) camp.

Who is Anthony Scully and what is his career record?

Anthony Scully, born on 19 April 1999, began his senior career at West Ham United before moving to Lincoln City in February 2020, where he established himself as a regular goalscorer in League One. As reported by BBC Sport, Scully netted 37 goals in 106 appearances for Lincoln before leaving the club in 2022. DevonLive noted slightly higher figures of 38 goals in 127 games for the Imps, underlining his status as one of the side’s most productive attackers during that period.

Following his Lincoln spell, Scully joined Wigan Athletic in September 2022 for an undisclosed fee, recording 12 goals in 65 appearances across his time at the DW Stadium. Subsequent moves saw him sign for Portsmouth in June 2023, where he made 18 league appearances and scored four goals, before a short stint at Colchester United yielded three goals in 17 outings. Most recently, he featured for Shrewsbury Town in League Two during the 2025-26 season, making 35 appearances, scoring five goals and providing two assists.

What has Exeter City manager Matt Taylor said about the signing?

As reported by Matt Taylor of BBC Sport and reiterated by DevonLive, Exeter City manager Matt Taylor described Scully as a player the club had “come across before” and highlighted his energy, ball ability and enthusiasm for attacking phases. “He’s 27, has a strong pedigree and still has a lot to offer,” Taylor said.

Taylor added that Scully had other opportunities available but viewed Exeter as a good fit for both parties. “I’m delighted he’s chosen to come here and hopefully we can help him reach his peak,” the manager said. He also outlined a plan to manage Scully’s integration carefully: “There will be a period where we have to get him up to speed and manage his workload and match minutes sensibly, but he’ll add quality and experience to a young group.”

According to DevonLive, Taylor emphasised Scully’s character and leadership potential within the squad. “He’s been in good dressing rooms, he seems like a good character, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can add,” Taylor said. The manager also linked the signing to Exeter’s need for greater composure and decision-making in attacking areas. “Anthony is someone who, on the pitch, will say, ‘Give me the ball in that moment, let me take responsibility for the next action.’ That’s something we’re really looking forward to seeing from him.”

What has Anthony Scully said about joining Exeter City?

Speaking through club channels as cited by DevonLive, Scully explained that he deliberately waited for the right opportunity rather than rushing into another move. “I’m only 27 and I’m coming into the best years of my career, so the next move for me was the most important football wise,” he said. He added:

“I want to be playing for a side and playing for a manager that has a style of football that suits me as a player, so that’s why I held off from a few other options to hope that it would come.”

Scully described Exeter’s approach as aligning with his priorities.

“When Exeter came calling it was perfect,” he said, indicating that the club’s playing philosophy and the manager’s plans were decisive factors in his choice.

When was the deal announced and what is the contract length?

The signing was confirmed on Saturday 3 October 2026, just hours before Exeter City’s home fixture against Rotherham United, according to DevonLive. Both BBC Sport and DevonLive state that Scully has signed a contract running until the end of the current season, giving the Grecians additional attacking options for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.

How does this fit into Exeter City’s 2026 transfer activity?

Exeter City have been active in the 2026 transfer windows, adding several players to strengthen different areas of the squad. Previous moves have included defender Jack Taylor on loan from Stevenage and the arrivals of strikers Danny Rose and Ajay Matthews, as noted in BBC Sport’s Exeter City team page. The addition of Scully follows that pattern of bringing in experienced EFL forwards to supplement a relatively young group, with Taylor explicitly referencing the balance between youth and experience in his comments.

Transfer market data sites such as Transfermarkt and FootballTransfers list multiple ins and outs for Exeter in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 cycles, though Scully’s deal is structured as a short-term contract rather than a permanent long-term signing.

Background to Exeter City’s attacking issues and this development

Exeter City’s decision to sign Scully comes against a backdrop of identified shortcomings in front of goal. As reported by DevonLive, the club hopes his addition can “rectify their struggles in front of goal and provide a much-needed attacking threat”. Manager Matt Taylor has publicly spoken about the need to improve composure and decision-making in attacking phases, framing Scully’s profile as a direct response to those issues.

Scully’s career trajectory is also relevant. After a prolific spell at Lincoln City, his subsequent moves to Wigan, Portsmouth, Colchester and Shrewsbury saw more modest returns, with injuries, competition for places and changes in managerial systems often cited in broader coverage of his career. Arriving at Exeter after a season without a club and a summer of individual training at a PFA camp, he represents a low-risk, potentially high-reward option for a side seeking immediate impact without a long-term financial commitment.

The timing of the announcement – on matchday and shortly before kick-off against Rotherham – suggests the club moved quickly once terms were agreed, aiming to boost squad morale and signal ambition to supporters during the campaign.

Prediction: how could Scully’s signing affect Exeter City and their supporters?

For Exeter City, Scully offers an additional goal threat and a player accustomed to League One and League Two demands. If he regains something close to his Lincoln form, he could improve the team’s conversion rate in tight games, particularly in situations where composure in the final third has been lacking. His willingness to take responsibility in key moments, as highlighted by Taylor, may also help younger attackers develop more confident decision-making patterns.

For supporters, the signing provides short-term optimism: an experienced name with a proven scoring record at this level, brought in at a crucial stage of the season. However, expectations are likely to be tempered by his recent seasons away from peak output and the need to rebuild match sharpness after months without a club. If Scully adapts quickly and stays fit, Exeter’s attacking metrics – shots on target, goals per game and points gained from narrow defeats – could improve over the remainder of the campaign. If integration takes longer or minutes are managed conservatively, his impact may be more evident in the latter part of the season and potentially influence contract decisions beyond the current term.