ECFC 1939/40

Squad photograph from the 1939/40 season.

Fixture List 1939/40 for 3rd Division South and Southern League
Players returning for training in August 1939.



In a pre-season Jubilee Fund friendly on August 19th against Exeter City at St James’ Park, Charles Sergeant (an outside-right from Stockport) and Cyril Lewis scored for Argyle in a 2-1 win. This season was brought to a premature end, as a result of the Second World War.

Exeter played 3 league games:
  • Saturday 26th August 1939 Exeter City 2-2 Torquay United.
  • Monday 28th August 1939 Northampton Town 1-2 Exeter City
  • Saturday 2nd September 1939 Port Vale 0-1 Exeter City
Following Britain's declaration of war on September 3rd 1939 the Football League was immediately suspended and not resumed until the end of hostilities.
There were war time leagues, however Exeter City did not take part and the excuse given by the Directors was that the ground had been requested for the war effort. 

Exeter City to Close Down.

Unlike 1914, when the Football Association and Football League determined to carry on with their programmes, the war this time began with a total blackout of all football. A few days later, however, it was officially announced that friendly matches would be permissible in certain circumstances.
Exeter City remained closed because the ground was to be used for the war effort.
The fans blamed the Directors for not pushing the authorities enough to allow Exeter to play and the Directors blamed the War. Other sports were played at the Park, however when the USA joined in,the ground was used by them. 

No league football was played until the end of the war in 1945.

Match Reports and Season Summary Is Here


First Team Results

Third Division South 1939/40
12/08/1939 Friendly Stripes v Whites Home  4-1 
Stripes scorers first
2000 Fellowes Ebdon Sutherley 2 Crawshaw
19/08/1939 Jubliee  Fund Plymouth Argyle Home  1-2 6000 Ebdon 2      
26/08/1939 League Torquay United Home 2-2 8000 Ebdon 2      
29/08/1939 League Northampton Town Away 2-1 7000 Bowl Riley    
02/09/1939 League Port Vale Away 1-0   5000 Riley      
 

Final Table
League Division 3 (South) Abandoned
                              P   W  D  L   F   A   W  D  L   F   A  Pts
 1. Reading                   3   2  0  0   6   0   0  1  0   2   2    5
 2. Crystal Palace            3   0  1  0   2   2   2  0  0   3   1    5
 3. Notts County              2   1  0  0   2   1   1  0  0   4   2    4
 4. Exeter City               3   1  1  0   3   1   0  1  0   2   2    4
 5. Brighton & Hove Albion    3   1  1  0   2   1   0  1  0   3   3    4
 6. Cardiff City              3   0  0  1   2   4   2  0  0   3   1    4
 7. Leyton Orient             3   1  0  0   3   0   1  0  1   5   9    4
 8. Bournemouth               3   1  1  0  12   2   0  0  1   1   2    3
 9. Bristol City              3   0  1  1   4   5   1  0  0   1   0    3
10. Ipswich Town              3   0  2  0   2   2   0  1  0   1   1    3
11. Mansfield Town            3   0  0  1   4   5   1  1  0   4   3    3
12. Norwich City              3   0  0  1   1   2   1  1  0   3   2    3
13. Southend United           3   1  0  0   3   2   0  1  1   0   1    3
14. Torquay United            3   0  2  0   2   2   0  1  0   2   2    3
15. Walsall                   3   1  0  0   1   0   0  1  1   2   3    3
16. Queen's Park Rangers      3   0  1  0   2   2   0  1  1   2   3    2
17. Watford                   3   0  1  1   2   3   0  1  0   2   2    2
18. Northampton               3   1  0  1   2   2   0  0  1   0  10    2
19. Aldershot                 3   0  0  1   0   1   0  1  1   3   4    1
20. Swindon Town              3   0  1  1   2   3   0  0  1   0   1    1
21. Bristol Rovers            3   0  1  0   2   2   0  0  2   0   5    1
22. Port Vale                 2   0  0  1   0   1   0  1  0   0   0    1


Southern League Results

Southern League (Reserves)
19/08/1939 Friendly Plymouth Argyle Away 0-4   :      
26/08/1939 Friendly Torquay Uniied Away  2-1   Crawshaw Shadwell    
02/09/1939 League Hereford United Home 0-0   :      
09/09/1939 League Arsenal A Away Postponed   :      
Exeter Reserves played no more games in 1939 after the start of World War 2.

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