MANAGER Paul Tisdale says new signing Luke O'Brien is capable of replacing Scott Golbourne – but not immediately.

The left-back joined Exeter City in a free transfer from Bradford City on a six-month deal on Tuesday, just 24 hours after the Grecians sold Golbourne to npower Championship outfit Barnsley for an undisclosed fee.

And while Tisdale admits that the duo do have a similar style of play, and the fact that O'Brien has immediately inherited Golbourne's 11 shirt, the manager says it would be unfair to expect too much too soon of the 23-year-old defender.

"In terms of Luke's style of play yes they are similar, but in terms of level of performance it would be totally unfair to say he's a like-for-like replacement for Scott," Tisdale said.

"He's not played for Bradford recently, he's a young player that's working on finding his game and it would be unfair if people expect him to produce what it took Scott two years to produce.

"He comes to us at the same stage of his career that Scott joined us at two years ago. We will have to be patient."

O'Brien came through the youth ranks at Bradford and made 131 appearances, scoring two goals.

He admitted leaving Valley Parade was difficult, but felt the chance to sign for the Grecians was too good to pass up.

O'Brien said: "I've been at Bradford for 15 years and I think players get to a stage in their career where they need a fresh start and a fresh challenge.

"It is going to be a big change in my life but I have to do it for me and my family because, in five or 10 years' time, I may look back and wonder what may have happened."

Tisdale admitted he was sorry to lose Golbourne, whose Grecians contract was due to expire in the summer, but the City boss said the offer from Barnsley was one his club had to accept.

"It's always sad to see people move on but that's the reality of being manager of Exeter," Tisdale said. "We take players on who need the opportunity with us, we develop them and the point comes where they move.

"I would have liked to have kept him but then he would have been a free transfer in the summer. This was the last opportunity to get a fee for him and what made the decision it easier to deal with was left-back is a position we already had cover in with Billy Jones.

"I'm not delighted with it, I would rather have the player, but we needed the money. Ultimately the business is the priority and the business needed the money. That's the reality."