Alex Hartridge, a defender from Totnes, came through the academy and made twenty-eight league appearances when City won promotion in 2021/22. 

Alex, also a keen cricketer, became a scholar/trainee in 2015 and soon had a period on loan at Truro City during 2016/17. He signed his first professional contract at St James Park in April 2017 and made his first-team debut against Chelsea under-21 in the EFL Trophy in November 2017. 

Alex had further loan spells at Truro in 2017/18 and 2018/19 making his Football League debut for Exeter against Grimsby Town on 29 December 2018. He made two more league appearances that season and spent much of 2019/20 gaining further experience at Bath City. 

By 2020/21 Alex was ready to play thirty-four times for City in all competitions followed by another thirty-one games in 2021/22. He scored his first City goal against Swindon in the EFL Trophy in October 2020 followed by another against AFC Fylde in the FA Cup in November 2020.   

Alex played his 100th game for City against Forest Green Rovers on 14 January 2023. He had previously signed a new contract in October 2021 designed to take him through to June 2024.

Featuring regularly during the first-half of the 2023/24 season, Alex faded from the scene from the end of January only to return in April when on the day of the Stevenage game - for which he was made captain - it was announced that he would not be signing another contract with the club.