Louie Cayless, who had been featuring for the Grecians under-18 team when he was still in the under-15 category, became the club's second-youngest ever first-teamer in September 2024 when he appeared in the EFL Trophy on the eve of his final year at school. 

Louie, from the Newton Abbot area, made his debut for Exeter City under-18s in October 2023 when in the under-15 age group and featured regularly throughout the remainder of the 2023/24 season. Still to complete year 10 of school, Louie appeared as a substitute in the opening first-team pre-season friendly against Tiverton Town in July 2024 and also played forty-five minutes against Weston-super-Mare three days later.

Moving into the 2024/25 campaign proper, Louie continued to feature for City's under-18s as an under-16 category player as well as - in the holidays between years 10 and 11 - appearing for the club's under-21 team in the Premier League Cup prior to making his first-team debut as a late substitute against Swindon Town in the EFL Trophy on 3 September 2024. Still aged fifteen, and with his final year at school due to commence the following morning, Louie became the second-youngest player to appear in a recognised first-team game at a month older than Ben Chrisene and a month younger than Ethan Ampadu. He then enjoyed the distinction of taking the field as a late substitute against Tottenham Hotspur under-21s alongside City's first-team coach David Perkins who was making his official debut for the club at the age of forty-two. 

After such an early introduction to first-team football, Louie continued to make progress with the club's under-18 team in both the Youth Alliance and FA Youth Cup.