EXETER AND THE CUP COMPETITION
The Season's Successes

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE AND THE CHAMPIONSHIP

At ten minutes past five, or thereabouts, on Saturday, the whistle sounded "no side" at St. James's Park, and the curtain was rung down on the fifth season of the Grecians. On the whole, what was it like? In one respect disastrous, and in all others a record success. The disaster, unfortunately, was met with in the Cup. In the first Preliminary with which the City were concerned they were drawn against Cardiff City at Cardiff. They went there and were soundly beaten by 5-one. That game will always remain an enigma, quite inexplicable. Five times out of six Exeter would have beaten Cardiff; this was the sixth time, and a time when Cardiff could do nothing wrong and Exeter nothing right. City Excused the Preliminary Rounds. The defeat meant that Exeter City once more made next to nothing out of the Cup, and this disaster happened just at a moment when, in the League, the team was going so strongly as to suggest that they might accomplish much, given a little luck, in the National Competition. One would like to bury the memory of that defeat, and the bitterness of it is certainly softened by the news which came through a few days ago, announcing that Exeter City, next season, will be excused the preliminary rounds. The City, therefore, will at last have a real chance in the national tourney.

At the Head of the League.
Why were they excused? Mainly, no doubt, if not solely, owing to the splendid show they have made in the League. It is true that they have not finished in as high a position as they did in their first season, but for all that, they have done better than they did even then. The season will be remembered most of all from the fact that for a short period of a few days Exeter were actually at the head of the League, and thus attracted the attention of the whole football world to their doings. This was at Easter. They won all their three holiday matches, two away from home, and on the evening of Easter Monday found themselves leading the way. Earlier in the season they had got well within striking distance of the summit, only to be driven back again, and when at last, on Easter Monday, they won the leadership, it had been the result of sheer merit and consistency. No-one could see the promise of all this in the first engagement at West Ham. The side were beaten then by 4-nil in hollow fashion, and the defence was so weak and the attack so fluctuating that it all seemed to point to trying times. The first month was one of sorry failure, but with October began a complete change. Gradually the side began to show balance and cohesion, and gave the first taste of their real quality by successive victories of four nil over Bristol Rovers and Gillingham. From that time onward, save for the Cup defeat, everything went well, and given a little luck in matches like those at Park Royal, Millwall, and Watford, and against Millwall at home, the City might well be in an unassailable position now, - real Champions. Only a month ago the City were thought to be good enough for the Championship, and no doubt it has been quite as well that those hopes were shattered. Exeter City is too young to win the championship. The Grecian can afford to wait.

Argyle Bring Honours to Devon.
Exeter could not win the Championship, but Plymouth Argyle have it in their safe keeping. Exeter City extends the hand in hearty congratulation to her neighbours. They have brought Soccer honours for the first time to Devon, and have done infinite credit to themselves and to football in the West. No one, even outside Devon, can begrudge Argyle the Championship. Twice before they have made occasional slips, but withal they have done splendidly, and the laurels are theirs.