“We are delighted that George has committed his long-term future to the club,"

Exeter City academy graduate George Birch has committed his future to the Grecians, signing a contract extension until 2028, with a club-held option for a further year.

The new deal is a deserved reward for the young winger whose breakthrough into the first team has been one of the standout stories of City’s 26/27 campaign so far.

Birch has made 15 appearances in all competitions this season, including 10 in League Two, providing four assists as he continues to establish himself in the senior side. His direct running, attacking intent and ability to excite supporters have made him an increasingly influential presence in the team in recent weeks.

His first league start for City came against Rotherham United on October 5, when he played a key role in securing all three points, setting up Anthony Scully for the winning goal.

“We are delighted that George has committed his long-term future to the club," manager Matt Taylor said.. "He is the latest Academy player to break through onto the first-team pitch, and in recent weeks his level of performance has left us all excited about what the future holds for him at the club.

“We know there is plenty more to come from George. He has exciting attributes, he's a player who can get supporters off their seats, and he's shown that he can make a real impact at this level. The challenge now is to build on the progress he's made, continue learning and develop the consistency that will help him reach his full potential.

“We will continue to invest our efforts into George's development to give him the best opportunity to perform consistently and reach the levels that we believe he can achieve.

“On the back of captain Jack Fitzwater signing his contract extension, this is another signal of intent from the Football Club. We want to develop our own players, give young talent a genuine pathway into the first team and build a squad that our supporters can connect with. I hope fans will be excited by George's progress and what he can go on to achieve here.”

"It feels amazing to know that I'll be here for the coming years," Birch added. "It was a really easy decision for me to make; it's a club that has always believed in me all the way from youth until now, so yeah, an easy decision.

"I've found it tough in the past when I've been injured, and then I struggled to get into the team last season. It feels like now my hard work has started to pay off.

"It's important to have a drive to keep improving and showing why you should be in the team, don't let it get to you. If you are injured, just dig deep, keep going and then you know you'll get your chance eventually."