EXETER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
Season 1914-1915:

 In the summer of 1914 Exeter City made history, being the first English football club to undertake a tour of South America. This unique honour was bestowed upon the City by the League, that body making the selection at the conclusion of the 1913-14 season, and Exeter City were chosen, according to the League, as a club that was typical of English football.

The Exeter City party consisted of the following directors and players, numbering seventeen in all: Messrs McGahey, Parkhouse, and Middleweek, directors; J.Fort, F.Goodwin, A. Harding, H. Holt, W.Hunter, J.Lagan, R.Loram, W.Lovett, F.Marshall, C.Pratt, R.Pym, J.Rigby, W.Smith, S.Strettle, and F.Whittaker. They embarked from Southampton on May 22nd and after playing five matches in the Argentine and three in Brazil, and undergoing some unexpected and exciting experiences (of which more later) arrived in England, at Liverpool, to be precise, on August 9th, just one month before they were due to play their first League match of the new season.

The New Season

 ADVENTURE ON THE HIGH SEAS:

Fears were entertained for a few days that Exeter City would be without a League team this season, as nearly the whole of their players were on the sea returning from their Argentine tour when hostilities broke out, and consequently ran the risk of capture by the enemy or being held up at some port or other. But they have come safely through, arriving at Exeter on August 10th.

News that England was at war was received at Madeira, and the remainder of the voyage was most exciting, the ship, the Royal Mail steam packet "Alcantara," proceeding at night with all lights out, as previously described in the statement given by Mr M.J.McGahey.
It is considered by the officials that the tour has been most beneficial in all ways. It not only enabled the directors to retain the services of nearly the whole of last year's side, but has also served to bring about a most valuable understanding with Hunter, who is probably the most important of the new players engaged, for he was included in the tour party.

Of last season's players, fifteen have been re-engaged, together with three of the amateurs, Hunt, Lewis, and Pridham, while Cox, of the Devon Regiment, who played for the reserves on quite a number of occasions in 1913-14, is again available. Of the others, Kirby and Lee left the club as far back as October, the former joining Merthyr Town, whilst Lee returned home on account of the death of his father, and it is not known locally whether or not he has since played. Goddard went to West Ham in December in exchange for Fred Goodwin, whilst McCann was transferred to Bristol Rovers, Orr to Barry, and Brooksbank to Bristol City.

Former Grecians who have changed clubs include Bulcock, Crystal Palace to Swansea Town, whose manager now is Walter ("Big Walt") Whittaker, and Griffiths, Clapton Orient to Llanelly. It would appear from these moves that South Wales holds a big attraction for ex-Grecians.

The new engagements number six, comprising W.Hunter, a bustling, energetic centre-forward from Clapton Orient, and previously with Manchester United; W.Brown, a full-back, late of Rossendale club; William Goodwin, from Blackburn Rovers; Alfred Victor Green, like Goodwin, a centre-forward, from Rotherham Town; John Dockray, an outside-left, from Bury; and S.W.Cowie, an outside or inside right, from Blackpool.

EXETER CITY'S PLAYERS

Season 1914-15

Name	Birthplace	Height ft.in.	Weight st.lb.
GOALKEEPERS
R.Loram	Alphington	5 9½	11 4
R.H.Pym	Topsham	5 11	12 2
BACKS
W.Brown	Accrington	5 9	11 7
J.Fort	Leigh	5 9½	12 0
AHarding	Chesham	5 10	11 8
E.Hunt	Exeter	5 10	11 5
S.Strettle	Warrington	5 10½	12 4
HALF-BACKS
S.Cox	Plymouth	5 9	11 12
A.Evans	Bolton	5 10½	11 8
J.N.Lagan	Felling on Tyne	5 10	11 9
F.Marshall	New Mills	5 9	11 7
C.B.Pratt	Birmingham	5 9	12 3
J.Rigby	Bolton	5 8	11 8
W.Smith	Hyde	5 8	11 5
FORWARDS
S.W.Cowie	Accrington	5 8	11 6
J.Dockray	Carlisle	5 9	11 0
F.Goodwin	Macclesfield	5 8	11 6
W.Goodwin	Staveley	5 9	11 0
A.V.Green	Rotherham	5 9½	12 4
H.Holt	Bolton	5 7½	11 4
W.Hunter	Sunderland	5 9	12 0
E.Lewis	Exeter	5 9	12 4
W.Lovett	Bolton	5 9½	11 0
W.A.Pridham	Torquay	5 8	11 7
F.Whittaker	Burnley	5 8	12 5

Squad photograph from the 1914/15 season,


Exeter ended this season 11th in the Southern League Division One and lost in the First Round of the FA Cup to Aston Villa.

League Stats Played: 38 Won: 15 Drew: 8 Lost: 16 Goals For: 50 Goals Against: 41 Points: 38

Photo 1 is the team v Aston Villa.

FA Cup First Round: Aston Villa (A), 2-0. Back Row Jimmy Rigby, Charlie Pratt, Fred Marshall, Dick Pym, Sam Strettle, Jimmy Lagan, Arthur Chadwick (Manager), Billy Smith. Front Row, Harold Holt, Arthur Evans, Goodwin, Lovatt, Dockray.

First team results

Record of First Team Matches.

Date	Opponents:	Venue:	Result	Scorers:
Sep 5	West Ham United	home	3-1	Lovett 2, W.Goodwin.
12	Norwich City	away	1-3	W.Goodwin.
19	Gillingham	home	2-0	W.Goodwin, Lovett.
23	Northampton Town	home	2-1	Green, W.Goodwin.
26	Brighton and Hove	away	1-2	W.Goodwin.
Oct 3	Cardiff City	home	2-0	W.Goodwin, Green.
10	Crystal Palace	away	0-0
14	Merthyr Town(*)	home	2-1	Green, Lovett.
17	Luton Town	away	2-0	W.Goodwin 2.
24	Portsmouth	home	1-1	W.Goodwin.
31	Swindon Town	away	0-4
Nov 7	Southend United	home	7-1	Green 3, W.Goodwin 2, F.Goodwin, Lovett.
14	Q P Rangers	away	2-0	Green 2.
21	Millwall Athletic	home	0-1
28	Bristol Rovers	away	1-2	W.Goodwin.
Dec 5	Croydon Common	home	3-1	W.Goodwin 3.
12	Reading	away	0-1
19	Southampton	home	1-2	Hunter.
25	Watford	away	1-1	W.Goodwin.
26	Watford	home	4-1	Dockray, Lovett, W.Goodwin 2.
28	Northampton Town	away	1-1	W.Goodwin.
1915
Jan  2	West Ham United	away	1-4	W.Goodwin.
9	Aston Villa(**)	away	0-2
16	Norwich City	home	2-0	Dockray, Holt.
23	Gillingham	away	0-0
Feb 6	Cardiff City	away	0-1
10	Plymouth Argyle(*)	away	0-1
13	Crystal Palace	home	1-1	Evans.
20	Luton Town	home	1-2	Holt.
24	Brighton and Hove	home	1-0	Lovett.
27	Portsmouth	away	2-0	F.Goodwin, Rigby.
Mar 6	Swindon Town	home	0-1
13	Southend United	away	2-0	W.Goodwin, F.Goodwin.
20	Q P Rangers	home	0-1
27	Millwall Athletic	away	1-2	W.Goodwin.
Apr 2	Plymouth Argyle	away	3-1	Holt, Butler (through own goal), W.Goodwin.
3	Bristol Rovers	home	1-0	Holt.
5	Plymouth Argyle	home	1-1	Lovett.
10	Croydon Common	away	0-0
17	Reading	home	0-1
24	Southampton	away	0-3

(*) Southern Charity Cup.

(**) Football Association Cup.

EXETER CITY PLAYERS: GOALSCORERS

A total of exactly fifty goals was scored in the League matches, as follows:-
W. Goodwin 23, Green and Lovett, each 7, Holt 4, F.Goodwin 3, Dockray 2, Evans, Hunter, Rigby, each 1, Butler of Plymouth Argyle 1 (own goal). Green and Lovett each scored 1 in the Southern Charity Cup matches.

APPEARANCES IN LEAGUE MATCHES

Holt 38, Pym 38, Strettle 38, Smith 37, W.Goodwin 36, Marshall 36, Rigby 35, Lovett 32, F.Goodwin 26, Lagan 25, Dockray 23, Evans 20, Green 14, Pratt 11, Hunter 5, Cox 2, Cowie 1, and Harding 1.

F.A.Cup: Dockray, Evans, W. Goodwin, Holt, Lagan, Lovett, Marshall, Pym, Rigby, Smith, and Strettle, each 1.

Charity Cup: W.Goodwin, Holt, Lagan, Lovett, Marshall, Pym, Rigby, Smith, and Strettle, each 2. Dockray, Evans, F.Goodwin, and Green, each 1.

WHERE THEY PLAYED: LEAGUE MATCHES

Goal: Pym 38.
Right back: Marshall 36, Cox 1, Harding 1.
Left back: Strettle 38.
Right half: Rigby 35, Smith 3.
Centre half: Lagan 25, Pratt 11, Evans 1, Smith 1
Left half: Smith 33, Evans 5.
Outside right: Holt 38.
Inside right: Evans 14, Green 14, Hunter 5, Lovett 4, Cox 1.
Centre forward: W.Goodwin 36, Lovett 2.
Inside left: Lovett 26, F.Goodwin 11, Cowie 1Outside left: Dockray 23, F.Goodwin 15.

Final Table

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GA	Pts
1	Watford	38	22	8	8	68	46	1.478	52
2	Reading	38	21	7	10	68	43	1.581	49
3	Cardiff City	38	22	4	12	72	38	1.895	48
4	West Ham United	38	18	9	11	58	47	1.234	45
5	Northampton Town	38	16	11	11	56	51	1.098	43
6	Southampton	38	19	5	14	78	74	1.054	43
7	Portsmouth	38	16	10	12	54	42	1.286	42
8	Millwall	38	16	10	12	50	51	0.98	42
9	Swindon Town	38	15	11	12	77	59	1.305	41
10	Brighton & Hove Albion	38	16	7	15	46	47	0.979	39
11	Exeter City	38	15	8	15	50	41	1.22	38
12	QPR	38	13	12	13	55	56	0.982	38
13	Norwich City	38	11	14	13	53	56	0.946	36
14	Luton Town	38	13	8	17	61	73	0.836	34
15	Crystal Palace London	38	13	8	17	47	61	0.77	34
16	Bristol Rovers	38	14	3	21	53	75	0.707	31
17	Plymouth Argyle	38	8	14	16	51	61	0.836	30
18	Southend United	38	10	8	20	44	64	0.688	28
19	Croydon Common**	38	9	9	20	47	63	0.746	27
20	Gillingham	38	6	8	24	43	83	0.518	20

*   West Ham United elected to the 1919-20 Football League.
** Croydon Common relegated to Division Two, but did not rejoin league after the First World War.

Reserve Team Results

Exeter City Reserves (City did not compete in a league)
05/09/1914	Friendly	Plymouth Argyle	Away	Not Known	Scorers
12/09/1914	Friendly	Plymouth Argyle	Home	Not Known
21/10/1914	Friendly	St Luke's College	Home	7-0
31/10/1914	Friendly	Plymouth & District X1	Home	4-1
07/11/2014	Friendly	Wellington	Home	6-0
19/12/1914	Friendly	A Company 11th Regiment	Away	0-2	:
26/12/1914	Friendly	Plymouth Argyle	Away	0-2
23/01/1915	Friendly	Royal Medical Corps, Paignton	Home	2-0
27/02/1915	Friendly	Army Pay Corps	Home	6-0
13/03/1915	Friendly	Taunton Town	Home	4-1
10/04/1915	Friendly	Royal Medical Corps, Paignton	Away	1-1

1910s, 1914/15, Alfred Green, Arthur Chadwick, Arthur Evans, Billy Smith, Charlie Pratt, Dick Pym, Fred Marshall, Fred Parkhouse, G Middleweek, Goodwin, Gus Harding, Harold Holt, Jimmy Lagan, Jimmy Rig, John Dockray, Lovatt, MIchael McGahey, S Cox, Sam Strettle, Squad Photograph, Stanley Cowie, Timeline, William Hunter