Bull salutes Tisdale for reviving his floundering football career

RONNIE Bull has thanked Exeter City boss Paul Tisdale for rescuing his career from the scrap heap.

The defender was on the verge of quitting the game during the summer after losing his enthusiasm for the game.

Now six months later the former Millwall defender has signed a deal with the Grecians until the end of the season after winning his battle to return to full fitness.

"I am so pleased with the way things have gone here," said Bull. "I had some offers from other clubs during the summer but I didn't really want to carry on playing.

"I had had enough of football and wanted to turn my back on it all.

"All of a sudden George (Friend) was sold to Wolves and it opened up an option for me. Paul (Tisdale) phoned me up and asked me if I wanted to come down.

"There was no way I was in a fit enough shape to play football. So he said he was not going to offer me anything at the moment but invited me down for a trial.

"He gave me a number of goals to achieve. I was a stone overweight and I hadn't kicked a ball in over five months.

"It just shows you if you have a bit of time out of the game than you can slip away a bit and that is what happened to me.

"So when Paul offered me a new deal last week I thanked him for helping to put the fire back in me.

"I know I haven't done much yet but I have got one foot on the ladder by earning a contract. So I would like to say thank you to everyone at the club for making me so welcome and helping me to get back playing again."

Having played a series of reserve games, primarily at centre half and right-back, the essentially left-sided Bull is now setting his sights on forcing his way into the first team.

"That is my next challenge now," he said. "I need to show what I can do in training and in the reserves and hopefully force my way into the team.

"I realised I was off the pace when I came to the club and it has taken longer to get fit than I would have liked.

"But all the hard work has paid off and I feel like I am in good shape and ready if called upon.

"It is fantastic for me to be part of it and I need to keep on pushing the players who are in the first team."

With the transfer window now open, City's two talented defenders Dean Moxey and Danny Seaborne could be a target for higher league clubs. With that in mind, Bull knows he needs to be on his toes should any of the club's young talent be lured away from St James's Park.

"We have a good squad at the club," said Bull. "The lads are doing well and have proved they can handle the league quite well.

"Indeed some of them could step up again. When you are doing well clubs have a look at your players and you never know what might happen.

"I just need to wait for my chance and ensure that I keep up my standards."

The Grecians have slipped to ninth in League Two after Saturday's clash with Port Vale was postponed because of a frozen pitch.

But Bull believes the promotion race is wide open and insists City have got as good a chance of any of the top teams.

"It is a weird league because someone always runs away with it and then you have got two other automatic spots and the play-off places," said Bull.

"We have just got to sit around the play-off places and you never know what might happen. There is a long way to go but if you thread three wins together all of a sudden you are right up there.

"It is great for the fans to be up there challenging for the second successive season. I remember when Exeter were relegated and almost went out of business.

"That just shows you how football can change and this club is going in the right direction."

Bull spent six years at Millwall between 1998 and 2004 and has had spells at Yeovil, Brentford and Grimsby before moving on to Rushden & Diamonds, Grays, Crawley and, most recently, Ebbsfleet United.

"I have moved around in my career but I am really enjoying things at Exeter," he said.