CHRISTMAS DAY FOOTBALL
CITY V GREEN WAVES.

On Christmas afternoon, at the County Ground, Exeter City's fixture with Green Waves will take place, and considering the amount of interest which is being aroused, a few particulars of the progress of the Green Waves Club will not be out of place. In the eyes of the football world generally, Green Waves es tablished their name once and for all when on that memorable occasion they beat Swindon Town in the English Cup. The Waves, however, since their very formation, have always been a popular side in Devon, and have always had prominent men in their ranks. For the last ten years, in fact, they have had many of their players in the Devon County team. Their history dates from the year 1896, when they entered the Devon Junior League. The team was composed chiefly of fisher lads and came out absolutely bottom of the table. But fisher folk are nothing
if not plucky, and persevering, and profiting by experience, they went through the next season with much better results. In 1898-99 they won the Devon Junior League and Cup. They entered the Devon Senior League and Cup Competition, and in the second year as seniors, 1901-02, they succeeded in winning the Devon Cup after three games in the final with Plymouth Argyle. The following season, 1902-03, they lost the Cup, although they were runners-up. The season after, 1903-04, they won the Devon Senior League for the first time, but were unexpectedly knocked out of the Devon Cup by Essa. This match will always be remembered for the wonderfully fine goalkeeping of Horne, who soon afterwards joined the Argyle and made such a famous name for himself. For more than three parts of the game it was a case of Green Waves v Horne, and Horne won, Essa gaining the verdict by the only goal of the match.

THEIR BEST SEASON.
The following season, 1904-05, was undoubtedly the best the club has ever had. By agreement with the Plymouth Rugb Club they played their home matches at South Devon Place. Charlie Hare, the ex-Aston Villa and Argyle player, was engaged as trainer, and the Waves entered for the English Cup. The results were brilliant. The team won both Devon League and Cup, and actually were audacious enough to defeat Swindon Town in the National Competition, only to lose to Gainsborough Trinity in the following round. Their players that season contained among the ir ranks Joseph Hisbent, who went to Aston Villa and then to Portsmouth, also Northey, who is now with Gainsborough, and other well known and brilliant players. Last seas on the Waves fell on evil times. All their players, including Hare, went, and great difficulty was experienced in getting a ground. However, they joined the newly formed Plymouth and District League and came out creditably, besides being semi finalists for the Devon Cup.

EXETER CITY ARE TO BE COMMENDED.

With the same indomitable pluck which has characterised them all through their history, the Waves have again come up smiling and this year's team is as capable as any they had had. There are several very smart ex-juniors, such as Rowe, Stokes, Bustin, Glazier, Gilbert, etc., under the care of such grand veterans as W.Hisbent, who has seen ten years' service with the team, and the International and ever-green Jack Robinson, are producing results worthy of the best traditions of the club. This season their ambitions are confined to the Plymouth & District League, which has taken the place of the old Devon Senior League, and the Devon Cup. Their present position in the League speaks for itself. They are on top, and mean to stay there. Exeter City are to be commended for arranging such a capital match for Christmas Day, and it is sincerely hoped the weather will prove propitious. If it does, there ought to be a record crowd at the County Ground.

EXETER CITY v GREEN WAVES.

A finely contested and even game at the County Ground, on Christmas afternoon, ended 3 - 2 in the City's favour, and some grand football was exhibited by both sides.

City : Vibart; Fenwick, W.Wells; Muncey, Davidson, Bastin; Sellick, Thomas, Massey, Wilson, and Reid.

Waves: Dyer; S.Hisbent, W.Hisbent; Glazier, Coakley, Spear; Crews, Stokes, Chappell, Hosking, and Gilbert.

Exeter led at the interval by the odd goal of three, Reid and Wilson having scored. Hoskins replied for the Plymothians. In the second half Reid and Spear, with a penalty kick, scored for their respective sides. The only weakness in the City team was Wells. There was, as expected, a large crowd, but great disappointment was felt at the non appearance of Robinson, the International goalkeeper.