EXETER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
The Grecians:
Season 1926 / 1927
SOCCER STARTS AGAIN:
PROSPECTS OF A BRIGHT PLAYING SEASON.

Heralded by an earthquake, and attended by all the usual rejoicings, the new soccer season promises to be intensely interesting. There are no changes in the laws of the game, and after a whole season's experience of the altered offside law, with its substantially increased scoring opportunities, the men who play football with their brains as well as their feet may be relied on to make the game brighter and better than ever. Most people are agreed that the alteration in the offside law is beneficial, but there is one prominent unconverted critic at least, who has stated that the change did not improve the quality of first-class football. It did please the majority of the spectators, he said, because it provided them with more goals. But as the new rule tended to eliminate skill and to make pace a bigger fetish than ever, it was almost as common to see goals scored from bad play as from brilliant movements. The general view is that the change has been productive of better football, and of a better atmosphere for the playing of the big matches. Forwards do happen to slip in with an easily gotten goal now and again, but these are not accidental scores. Quick brains are needed if the open road is to be seen and travelled. The forward play has smartened up, and originality of thought is being encouraged. At the same time there has been an overhauling and sweetening of defensive methods. Full-backs, instead of playing for the whistle, have had to play to the whistle, like the rest of their colleagues. Very few defenders survive who specialise still in offside tactics. One Southern Section team noted for its explotation of the old law, and which last season stuck to its tricks, glided steadily but surely from its position very near the top of the competition in mid-October to end at the other extreme on May 1st.

HAPPY CROWDS.

Other clubs conceded more goals, but at the same time were thinking along different lines, and their own forwards received better support, so that on balance they were better off. Crowds have been happier under the altered law. The referee's task has been simplified by the change. Correspondingly, the players have cut out impetuous and heated argument on the field, and confined themselves to the game. Better and smoother football means better and contented spectators. Football all the time is what the crowds want; not frequent stoppages and consequent arguments. And for focussing attention on the game, and eliminating vexatious side issues the alteration in the offside law is to be thanked.

EXETER CITY'S PREPARATIONS.

In preparation for the new season Exeter City have secured eleven players to augment the twelve men whose services have been retained from last new season, and it is hoped that between them these Grecians will perform so well as to fill the handsome, spacious new grand-stand on all first team occasions, not to mention the enclosure and ground generally, and draw big crowds at the Southern and Western League matches. There is room for substantial improvement in match results as compared with last season, although there were times when the City played like champions. Steady success must be the aim, with a high sporting standard of play. In the practice matches the feature has been the strength of the City rear division, where of course they were exceptionally well served last season. The halves and forwards have yet to prove their worth. It is unfortunate that a motor-cycle accident resulting in a broken arm has kept Wilf Lievesley out of these games, and that he will not be available for several weeks yet. Lievesley was Exeter's most improved forward last season, and developed rare scoring powers.

Of last season's Grecians now with other clubs:-
Harry Kirk has removed to Charlton Athletic, who will be on view at St James's Park in December;
Andrew Flynn has joined York City, Colin Myers will appear in the blue and white shirt of Hartlepools United, George Shelton has joined Alan Mathieson at New Brighton.
Ellis Crompton has been appointed player-coach to the new Barnstaple Town club.

The clever amateur inside-forward, J.Milsom, of Bristol, who assisted the City Reserves in numerous games last season, has been signed as a professional by Bristol Rovers.

Quite a number of former Grecians are still in circulation, prominent among them being Percy Oldacre (Port Vale); John Mitton (Wolves); George Appleyard (Wrexham); Jim Carrick (Park Avenue); and Billy Goodwin (Southend). Dick Pym, who won another International "cap" last season as well as being the hero of the cup final, is of course retained by Bolton Wanderers, whilst that popular full-back, John Fort, continues to serve Millwall. Southend have secured an ex Grecian in Walter Brayshaw from Blackburn Rovers, Dick Jones has transferred to Bath City from Bristol Rovers, and Frank Brown has been appointed trainer to Torquay United in succession to Charlie Pratt.

HANDSOME NEW STAND.

The new grandstand of course takes the place of the one destroyed by fire on November 17th last, but represents a vast improvement on the old structure. When finished the building will be as smart as anything of the kind in the South. Accommodating over two thousand spectators, the stand will be well equipped with all the necessary offices, and dressing and training rooms. As well as these there will be kiosks for the sale of refreshments, cigarettes, etc, installed at the distributing gallery within the stand, and in the arrangement of the building the comfort of patrons has been the prime consideration. Owing to the strike there was an early delay in the supply of the necessary materials, and this has handicapped the builders somewhat, and is held account able for the tardiness of completion. At Reading, where the old grandstand was scrapped in favour of a new structure, worthy of Division Two, a temporary one has been built for the early matches. St James's Park is in wonderful trim, considering the amount of work done on the stand, and the extensive returfing scheme carried out in the midfield and before the goals. Hundreds of tons of poor soil have been removed, and good earth substituted for it. It is hoped by this means the very heavy mud patches which were so conspicuous last season will have been done away with entirely. The opening matches, on August 28th, are with Merthyr Town (Third Division) and Plymouth Argyle (Western League). On the following Monday the Grecians will visit Swindon for an evening Football League match, and this will be followed by another away engagement, at Southend, on September 4th. Exeter City Reserves will make their bow at St James's Park, on Wednesday, September 1st, in a Southern League match with Swindon Town Reserves, and this will be followed by the return Western League engagement with Plymouth Argyle Reserves three days later. A rattling good season for the Grecians in all three competitions, and in the F. A. Cup as well of course, is the earnest wish of all sportsmen through out the district.

EXETER CITY: LIST OF PLAYERS AND CAREERS OF NEW MEN.

Eddie Jones Returns as Trainer.

Exeter City's prospects for the new season are very bright, if appearances are to count for anything. Twelve of last year's professionals have been retained, and eleven new men signed on, the majority of the newcomers being young and of powerful physique, and with a very good grounding in the finer points of the game, as has been demonstrated by the practice matches. The new trainer, Edwin Jones, a native of Tyldesley, Lancashire, is the same Eddie Jones, who, after a season with Bolton Wanderers and a season with Chorley, joined Exeter City as a full-back in 1909 and made a name for himself as partner to Jack Crelley. Jones played as a Grecian for two seasons and then removed to Bristol City, where his good record during twelve and a half years is very well known. He had two benefits while with the "Babes." In the summer of 1922 Jones joined Bristol Rovers as trainer, remaining in that office till this summer, a change being made in the Rovers' management and a new trainer appointed.

The New Grecians

ALEXANDER POOL, of Annan, Dumfrieshire, was playing for the local club when he attracted the attention of Blackburn Rovers, who engaged him as a professional in 1920. Pool stayed with the Rovers for four and a half seasons, appearing in several League games, and then joined Bristol City at the end of campaign. the 1924-25 Most unluckily, he met with a motor-cycle accident on the eve of last season, and strained his spine, and when this trouble passed and he commenced playing for Bristol City he bruised his ribs. The demon of ill-luck dogged his foot steps the season through, because when the ribs were right he only played in a couple of games before ankle trouble made him stand down again. Amongst Pool's football mementoes are a Gloucester Cup medal won with Bristol City last season, and an East Lancashire Mid-week League Championship medal.

JOHN H. DITCHBURN, of Leeds, went to Scotland at three years of age, and thus learned his higher grade football at Blantyre, in the Lanarkshire League. He eventually removed to Sunderland, where he spent three seasons. He played with the "chiefs" several times in his first season there, and latterly was held in reserve to W. L. Clunas, the famous Scottish International. From Sunderland he joined Exeter City.

THOMAS PARKIN, of Newcastle, spent his first two seasons as a professional with Wallsend, North Eastern League, and then had one campaign with Preston Colliery before joining Coventry City, with whom he stayed a couple of seasons. Parkin joined Durham City last New Year's Day and played regularly for them till the end of the season.

FRED DENT, of Sheffield, joined The Wednesday as an amateur, and in the season following assisted them as a professional. Next, he spent two seasons with Halifax Town, and as at the end of that period Halifax put a stiff transfer fee on him he went out of first-class football, joining Mid-Rhondda. While at Halifax he went to Belfast as a member of the Yorkshire eleven which opposed the Belfast Intermediate League, and later, when in Wales, he assisted the Welsh League in a match against the Irish League in Dublin. Dent moved from Mid-Rhondda to Bristol City, with whom he spent last season.

ALBERT FREDERICK PHOENIX, of Manchester, first attracted the notice of League clubs when playing for Glossop, by whom he was transferred to Birmingham. He spent three seasons at St Andrew's before leaving for Aston Villa. During his stay at Birmingham the Reserves won the Central League, and Phoenix was the top scorer in the competition with a tally of 33 goals. In an eighteen months' period with the Villa he scored a lot of goals for the Reserves, and appeared for the Villa chiefs in a fourth round F. A. Cup - Tie against West Bromwich Albion, and Phoenix scored their goal. From Aston Villa Phoenix went to Barnsley, and thence to Exeter City. He should prove a useful acquisition to Exeter, as he is equally adept at wing half back.

OSWALD J. H. RANDALL, of Thatcham, Berkshire, was playing for the Royal Naval Barracks team at Devonport in war-time football when not at the Dardanelles, and he was one of the two Barracks players who came to St James's Park with the Plymouth Argyle team for a friendly contest with Exeter City on Easter Monday of 1919.
On demobilisation Randall joined Brighton and Hove Albion, where he was Hayes's understudy for three campaigns. Hayes was one of those ideal goalkeepers, who never suffered a lapse of form, and who never missed a match, so, getting tired of waiting for his chance Randall left Brighton for Swindon Town. At Swindon he displaced Nash after a little time, and had 28 League appearances to his credit in 1923-24, besides helping the Railwaymen to reach round four of the F.A.Cup competition. He kept up his high standard all through the following season, missing one League match only, but last September Nash came along again with a rare rattle, and regained his old place in the team. So Randall has come to Exeter.

HUGH J. GOOD, of Motherwell, had two and a half seasons as a left half with the amateur club, Wishaw Y. M. C. A., by way of preliminary to his two campaigns at Middlesbrough. There it was decided to try him at centre half, and he had a run of eight games in that position before an injury unluckily knocked him out of the team. Last season he had a couple of games with the chiefs at right half.

FRANK THOMPSON, of Newcastle, attracted a lot of notice in his township by his clever play as leader of the St Peter's Albion attack during two seasons, in each of which the club won the Junior League. So Newcastle United offered him terms, and he signed professional forms for them as an understudy to Harris. In his first season with the United, Thompson was top scorer for the Reserves, while last campaign, when he led the Bedlington forwards in their North Eastern League games, he headed the League list of goalscorers with a total of 31.

CHARLES MILLER, of Bellshill, Lanarkshire, left Bellshill Athletic in the middle of the season one memorable year to help St Roch's in their battle to win the Scottish Junior Cup, and it was after the final of that competition that he accepted terms from Mr Robert Jack, of Plymouth Argyle, and became a Pilgrim. In four seasons at Home Park Miller has made a lot of progress in the science of soccer, and although so far his League appearances have been few, he is likely to prove a very useful defender.

JAMES WALKER, of Rutherglen, joined Plymouth Argyle at the same time as Miller, and has now migrated along with him to the Grecians' camp. Walker assisted Rutherglen, Kilsyth Emmet, and Glencairn in turn, before being brought South by Mr Jack, and he holds three Scottish Junior International caps, two for the centre half position, and the other for right half. In fact, Walker has played with distinction in all three inside forward positions as well as in the half back line, and he is possibly Exeter City's best new capture of the close season. His is the typical Scottish style of football craft, akin to that of Tommy Gallogley.

GEORGE WILLIAM PURCELL, of Sheffield, was operating at inside right with one of the numerous junior clubs in the district when he was signed by Stockport County as an amateur. That they appreciated his play is proved by the fact that he stayed for another season, this time as a professional, and in the two campaigns he appeared as an outside-right in twenty Second Division games. Purcell, who is a player of artistry and thought rather than dash, was trans ferred to Swindon Town in time for the 1924-25 season, playing fifteen League games in Randall's company, and remaining a further year before his move to Exeter.

WEAKNESS REMEDIED?

CITY CONCENTRATE ON THE HALF BACK PROBLEM.

Statement by Mr S. H. Thomas.

The reverses which Exeter City suffered last season were due in no small degree to weakness at half-back, and in building up the team for the coming campaign the directors have paid particular attention to strengthening the middle line. The following statement was made to the "Daily Express" by Mr Sidney Thomas, the secretary: "We are looking forward with confidence to the 1926-7 season. We recognised the weakness at half-back, and we have signed on two newcomers of some considerable experience. One is Good, of Middlesbrough, and the other Pool, who last season occupied the centre-half position in Bristol City's first team many times. "These two should add considerably to the strength of the side, while in defence we shall have a new left-back in Miller, of Plymouth Argyle. Like other clubs in the Third Division, we hope to gain a high position in the table, and to make a bid for championship honours, but while this is the chief aim of the directors, careful consideration has been given to the strengthening of the club in the sub-competitions, the Southern and Western Leagues. It appears from the players available that the directors will have a difficult task in deciding who will be given immediate places in the first team. "The new stand will be officially opened on August 28th, when Merthyr Town will be at St James's Park, and a tentative promise has been made by the president and vice-president of the Football League, Messrs J.McKenna and C.E. Sutcliffe, to attend the opening ceremony."


EXETER CITY'S PRACTICE MATCH. Three Goals and Some Clever Football.

Saturday, August 14th 1926,
at St James's Park.

There was a very happy "family party" of 3,500 at Exeter City's opening practice match in connection with the coming season, and the enthusiastic cheering and frequent bursts of applause indicated that the crowd was well pleased with the play of the twenty two men on view.

St James's Park was still in the throes of the grand-stand rebuilding plan, so that only two and three quarter sides of the ground was available for the spectators, but the new structure was so far advanced that everybody was able to pass the remark to his or her neighbour that the stand would indeed be a vast improvement on the old one. The teams lined up:

Red and white stripes.
Bailey; Pollard, Charlton; Pullan, Pool, Potter; Newman, Phoenix, Blackmore, Walker, and Compton.

Whites
Randall; Lowton, Miller; Ditchburn, Good, Garratt; Purcell, P. Newberry,
Thompson, Dent, and Parkin.

Referee: Mr W.F.Webb.
Kick off 6.30 p.m.

The grass was a bit long in places, and this accounted, perhaps, for the ball being rather too much in the air; players had to get their toes properly underneath it, especially at the St James's Road end, to ensure a good length. At the same time the recent rains have brought the new turf along nicely, and by the time serious football arrives the playing pitch will be in very good condition. Under the control of Mr Webb, the teams played crisp and quick football. The red and white stripes consisted of eight of last season's regulars, with Pool (Bristol City) at centre half, Phoenix (Barnsley) inside right, and Walker of the Argyle at inside left. The whites included eight of the new professionals, with Lowton at right back, Garratt at left half, and Percy Newberry at inside right. Three goals were scored, Blackmore getting a brace for the Stripes, and Dent netting for the Whites after Thompson had crashed the ball against the bar. As a matter of fact, either goalkeeper might have been beaten oftener, and still come out of the game with credit; both made some very smart saves. Miller made a good impression as partner to Lowton, and the new half backs did well, Pool's neat feeding being a feature. The new forwards are going to be very useful - Thompson's skill as a leader was apparent. Phoenix's strength and direct methods promise well, Walker was outstanding for brainy play, the wingers Purcell and Parkin both impressed favourably for speed and cleverness in centring and shooting, while Dent, although not settling down quickly, was in the end a very useful forward.

• On Wednesday the annual outing of the Exeter City Club will take place, a charabanc trip to Lynton and Lynmouth and with fine weather, those among the new players who have not been in this part of the country till this month will be able to compare notes on some of Devon's prettiest scenery.

EXETER CITY'S FINAL PRACTICE.
Brilliant Play by Charlton and Lowton.

Saturday, August 21st 1926.

Strong, slanting sunshine troubled the players for some time in the City's final practice match at St James's Park on Saturday evening, but otherwise the conditions were excellent. There were 3,000 spectators. Teams :

Stripes: Letheren; Pollard and Charlton; Pullan, Pool, and Potter; Newman, McDevitt, Thompson, Dent, and Compton.
Whites: Bailey; Lowton and Miller;
Ditchburn, Good, and Garratt; Purcell, Phoenix, Blackmore, Walker, and Parkin.
Referee: Mr A.W.Lamacraft.

When the match closed without a goal having been scored the majority of the spectators felt disappointed. Several lively scoring chances had been won by each attack, and certainly if there was a genuine opportunist among the inside. men on view he had failed to reveal his goal-getting gifts. The secret of the blank score-sheet, however, was not so much a matter of forward weakness as of defensive strength. Two players stood head and shoulders above their colleagues in this match. They were Charlton, captain and left back of the Red and Whites, and Lowton, captain and right back of the Whites. Charlton's remarkable powers of anticipation, his perfectly timed rushes, skilful kicking, and lightning recovery robbed the White attack of most of its sting. At the other end of the field it was Lowton who carried off all the honours by his whole-hearted, good-natured yet determined play, his clever interventions, and his thoroughly weighted clearance kicks. Blackmore, Mc Devitt, Purcell, Phoenix, and Dent, of the forwards, showed to good advantage, as did Ditchburn at right half for the Whites.