Louis Caleless

Louie Cayless came through Exeter City's own academy, and it was the first-team captain, Pearce Sweeney, who singled him out early, calling the young defender one of the most technically gifted products the club's youth system had produced and likening his potential to that of Ethan Ampadou.

His first taste of senior football came in the EFL Trophy. On 3 September 2024 he was sent on as an 87th-minute substitute against Swindon Town, a match Exeter won 2-1, making him the second-youngest debutant in the competition's history at the club, behind only Ben Crisene. He appeared again three weeks later, coming on in the 67th minute as Exeter beat Tottenham Hotspur's under-21 side 2-0.

In December 2025 Cayless signed his first professional contract, tying him to Exeter City until the summer of 2028. The same month, with the 2025/26 season already under way, the club sent him out on a month's loan to Plymouth Parkway to give him a taste of men's football outside the academy setup. He made his debut for the loan side on 13 December 2025, starting at right-back in an FA Trophy defeat to Chatham Town. He followed that with an appearance in a win over Weymouth on 20 December, then featured again on 3 January 2026 against Poole Town, a heavy defeat in which he was asked to cover both defensive and midfield duties.