EXETER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB 
The Grecians :
Season 1927-1928

Never in anyone's recollection has the way for the new football season been so well paved by the weather. Windy and wet, July and August have in their turn played havoc with the summer sports fixtures and left everyone longing for the stormproof games. It would nevertheless be just like our British climate to play a trick upon us now and launch a lasting heatwave. over these islands just when the big round ball is being kicked off in real earnest. 

The 1927-1928 season marks the opening of a new era for "soccer" in Devonshire. Torquay United's election to membership of Division Three of the Football League is a step of the first importance in the story of the national game in these parts.

It is ancient history now how at the League meeting in May, when the elections took place, Torquay tied with Aberdare Athletic, the "wooden spoonists" of the competition last season, and how on a second vote being taken Torquay got the verdict by 26 votes to 19. South Wales's loss is Devon's gain. Torquay United now join forces with Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City, and this county's big three in professional soccer should fairly make things hum.

THE RISE OF TORQUAY.

It seems only the other day that Torquay Town and Babbacombe, of the Plymouth and District League, and certain East Devon associations, were merged into the Western League organisation which has so splendidly won its spurs. All Devon joins in extending the very best wishes to Torquay on their big venture, a venture which starts most appropriately on the opening day of the season with the visit of Exeter City to Plainmoor. If the Magpies can emulate in their first Football League season the achievement of Aberdare Athletic, in the year of their entry to League football, they will do well indeed. The 'Darians in season 1921 - 1922 finished eighth, and their performance was hailed as a particularly fine. one for a club new to this class of football.

ARGYLE AND PROMOTION.

Some time it must be expected that one or other of the Devon football clubs will win promotion to the Second Division, and in this connection it is interesting to recall the fact that Plymouth Argyle, the pioneers of professional soccer in this county, have been runners-up in the Third Division now for six years in succession. The Pilgrims failed again to secure promotion, but they maintained an unbeaten home record, and their last defeat at Home Park dates back to March 13th 1926, when they lost to Bristol Rovers, 2-1.

Plymouth Argyle considered their strong and clever team good enough to win the Southern Section last year, but a moderate start prevented them from realising their ambition. This year the same players are being relied on, in the main, to see it through. The road is a long and arduous one, but the Argyle's experience should stand them in good stead. They have a whole lot of splendid players on their books and stand as good a chance as any club of coming out on top.

ADVANCE, EXETER.

And now a few words concerning the prospects of Exeter City. The Exeter club, and its players, have advanced steadily in the popular estimation of the sporting public in recent years, and there is every reason to hope and believe that season 1927-1928 will be a bumper one at St James's Park. With the departure from our midst of outstanding local players such as Dick Pym, Harold Blackmore, and "Darkie" Potter, the dream of an all-Exeter eleven, which has been referred to more than once by Mr M.J. McGahey, the valued City chairman, seems further than ever from realisation.

At the same time in soccer, as in other walks of life, a change often does a player a world of good, especially when the move is made to a club of the very first rank, such as Bolton Wanderers. Blackmore will no doubt be missed at St James's Park much as Pym was missed, but the Exeter Club may justly pride itself on having given Blackmore his great opportunity.

THE CENTRE FORWARD.

The centre-forward position is the one which seems likely to give the Grecians most ground for anxiety in the new season, but it is too early yet to say that the position will not be well filled by one or other of the new forwards. There is every indication that other positions in the attack, and the left wing in particular, will be strengthened appreciably by the arrival of Vaughan and Kirk, even if for no other reason than the keen competition for places.

A similar state of affairs appears likely in regard to the half back line, where Warren and Mason, amongst others, are very eager and promising young candidates for inclusion.

At full-back the club has the services of four tried and trusted and talented players, while the excellent showing of Wainwright and Holland in the practice games suggests that in the last line of defence the City will be stronger than for a long time past. The multitude of followers of the fortunes of the Grecians have been much impressed by the promise of the new talent engaged on behalf of the club by Mr Fred Mavin. The men are of good physique, young, and full of life and good spirits, and there seems to be ample foundation for the manager's optimistic outlook.

Exeter City did reasonably well last season. The football played by the Grecians was better than their match results generally indicated. In several games they had decidedly the better of the play, but went under because of avoidable slips by the defence. There should be a very marked improvement in this respect in the new campaign, and if all the forwards settle down effectively the City will enjoy one of the best seasons in the club's history.

A WARNING.

Aberdare's fate must be taken as a warning to all the clubs situated on the fringe of the Football League's activities. None of them can afford to risk non-success in the League games. For clubs in the Metropolis or its vicinity the need of points is not quite so deadly serious. The chances are 100 to one that if the emergency arose they would be voted back solidly to membership. The warning is for the outlying clubs.

WALSALL COME SOUTH.

The vacancy created in the Southern Section by Bristol City's departure to the Second Division of the League has been filled by the drafting of Walsall to the Southern competition at that club's request. Like Coventry City, the "Saddlers" have a high appreciation of the quality of Southern Section football, and are convinced that in their new sphere they will be able to provide more attractive entertainment for their patrons. Walsall finished fourteenth in the Northern Section last May. They will pay their first ever visit to Exeter on December 17th.

EXETER CITY'S FIRST HOME MATCH.

Following on their visit to Torquay on August 27th, Exeter City will go to Selhurst to engage Crystal Palace on Monday, August 29th, and then will play two home games, the opposing teams being Norwich City, September 3rd and Crystal Palace, September 7th. The Palace personnel is much the same as last year, except that Percy Cherrett and Blakemore have migrated to Bristol City.

At Norwich, however, sweeping changes have been made by Mr C.B. Potter, the new manager, and it is of particular interest locally that among the new season's "Canaries" are Harold Crockford, a former Exeter City centre forward, and Varco, the centre or inside forward hailing from Fowey, who at one time assisted Torquay United, and later Aston Villa and Queen's Park Rangers.

CITY RESERVES HEAVY PROGRAMME.

Exeter City Reserves follow up their opening home Western League match against Bristol Rovers on August 27th with a similar fixture with Torquay United Reserves on the following Wednesday, and will play the return game with the Rovers Reserves on September 3rd. The Reserves have a very heavy programme of ten Southern and Western League games to fulfil by the end of September, the fixtures including a home Western League match with the newly elected Salisbury club.

ELEVEN NEW PLAYERS AT ST. JAMES'S PARK

Exeter City start the new season with a list of twenty four professional players, thirteen of whom were with the club in 1926-27, the other eleven being newcomers.
A good impression has been created at the morning sessions when training has been in full swing of the high spirits of everybody on the premises at St. James's Park, and also by the quality of the new men. From the point of view of physique, age, and experience Mr Fred Mavin seems to have got together a splendid lot of players to strengthen the club's personnel, and men of high personal behaviour, of the sort to give Eddie Jones, the trainer, the minimum of anxiety.
The complete list of Exeter City players for the next nine months or so is as follows:
T.Holland, T.G.Wainwright, R.Pollard, W.Lowton, S.Charlton, C.Miller, J.H.Ditchburn, P.McDade, A. Pool, H.Warren, S.Mason, H. Gee, T.W.Jenkins, G.W.Purcell, W.McDevitt A.F.Phoenix, H.Andrews, R. Chambers, W.Lievesley, F.Dent, W. Vaughan, W.A.Compton, T. Parkin, R.H.Kirk

Of last season's Grecians not re-engaged by the club Good was transferred to Bristol City, Bailey to Brentford, Potter and Walker to Wigan Borough, Thompson to Workington, Pullan and Newman to Yeovil and Petters United. Billy Goodwin, the old City favourite, has joined Dartford, and Carrick has gone to Accrington Stanley, Exeter's cup conquerors of last season.

The New Grecians

THOMAS WAINWRIGHT is a native of Sheffield and kept goal quite a lot in Service football before signing professional forms for Sheffield United in the summer of 1919. After a season with the Blades Wainwright joined Rotherham Town, and later was transferred to Notts County, with whom he completed one campaign and stayed another full season. From Notts County Wainwright went to Boston and kept goal for the Midland League club in the season in which they progressed to the third round of the F.A. Cup and played Sunderland at Roker Park. Wainwright was at the end of that season transferred to Cardiff City, where he spent last season and where he had an unhappy time of it one way and another, never being able to settle down.

THOMAS HOLLAND, like his rival for the goalkeeper's berth, was born at Sheffield and has also assisted Rotherham. He was playing in one of the junior Leagues in the town when the Rotherham club signed him on half-way through the 1923-24 season. A season with Manchester United followed, and then a short spell with Doncaster Rovers, whom Holland left to come south and assist Weymouth, where he stayed two seasons, finishing 1926-27 on a month's trial with Middlesbrough.



HARRY WARREN, introduced as a son of the late Ben Warren, the Derby County and Chelsea half-back, who held his position in the England International team against Scotland, Ireland, and Wales in all matches during seasons 1906 to 1911, is a Newhall native, aged 21. He signed professional forms first for Gresley Rovers four years ago as a centre-half. Halfway through the season Major Buckley, the Blackpool manager, snapped him up, and he stayed with the "Sandgrounders" until the end of last season. Though his appearances in the Second League team have not been very numerous, he has been a very successful player with the Reserves at centre or left half.

PATRICK MCDADE is a young Clydebank footballer, and was assisting Yoker Athletic in Scottish Junior League football when Liverpool signed him on two seasons ago. At that time McDade was playing regularly as an inside forward, but Liverpool utilised him mainly as a right half back, and he has playing regularly in that position for Liverpool Reserves, coming into the limelight to take part with the Chiefs in the Liverpool Cup-ties.

SAMUEL MASON, a Stirlingshire native, was only 17 years old when he signed professional forms for Peebles as a centre half, and after a season with the Scottish League Division III club he went to Partick Thistle and then to Gillingham, playing in nineteen of the Hoppers' Football League games last season.

HARRY GEE was born at Haydock, and was playing for Haydock St James's when Burnley signed him as an amateur, subsequently engaging him as a full time professional, and Gee with Burnley had some experience of First Division football. Removing to New Brighton, Gee spent two seasons with that club, and last year played behind the former Grecians, Shelton and Mathieson. Gee made his debut with Burnley "chiefs" on their local "Derby Day" with their great rivals, Blackburn Rovers, in opposition, when the "gate" set up a new and still standing record for the Burnley club. Gee was playing behind Robert Kelly, the famous International, on that occasion, and was proud of it.

HAROLD ANDREWS can have but a very faint memory of his early days at the Yorkshire village of Earby, because at the age of a very few months he was removed to Nelson, where he grew up. Nelson, two seasons, Bury, Rushden Town and Torquay United is the summary of his career to date as a professional. He scored 26 goals last season with the Magpies, and 40 for Rushden two seasons ago, playing at centre forward or inside right.

ROBERT CHAMBERS, a Newcastle native, was assisting a Tyneside League team, Brighton West End, after his service in the Army when Lincoln City signed him on as an inside right. He stayed with the City for two seasons, during which he filled each of the three middle positions in the forward line as occasion required, and topping the club's list of scorers. Chambers was then transferred to Burnley, where he stayed for a season and a half with Gee as one of his colleagues. An accident to the reserve centre half resulted in Chambers being drafted into that position, and when he removed to Rotherham County he continued to play in the pivotal position. For the next three seasons he rarely ever missed a Third League match. Last season Chambers captained Carlisle from the centre-half berth. Although happy enough in the middle line Chambers has always been thirsting for a chance in the attack under the new offside rule. Hence his signing for Exeter as a centre forward.

WILLIAM VAUGHAN, of Willenhall, threw in his lot at an early age in the Birmingham and District League with Willenhall, and removed presently to Bristol Rovers, with whom he stayed two seasons. From Bristol Vaughan went to Stafford, playing in the District League, and gaining representative honours. He then played for Shrewsbury Town, and last year Burton Town, from whom he joins Exeter as an inside-left.

ROBERT H.KIRK, born at Clydebank, has had a highly successful career with Albion Rovers in the Scottish League, two seasons in Division I and one in Division II, and with Bristol City, where he stayed another three seasons. During his first two campaigns at Ashton Gate, Kirk was the regular first team player at outside-left, but a suspension at the start of the 1926-27 season enabled Rankin to win the place and hold it by consistently good football.

THOMAS JENKINS is a native of Merthyr, and was playing in a local junior team when the Town club came along and engaged him for last season. He is one of the fly-weights of present day soccer, but Merthyr found him able to hold his own with the best at outside right, and this smart winger took part in 26 first team matches and was numbered among the goalscorers.

In addition to the above, George Selley, of Exeter, who has assisted Alfreton Town and Stoke City, has signed amateur forms. Young and of lightly built physique, Selley is a quick-moving inside left.

Saturday, August 13th 1927.

Opening Practice Game at St James's Park.

The amazing hold which football has on the British public was further evidenced on Saturday, when the trial games up and down the country were attended by large crowds. In common with many of the League sides in England and Wales, Exeter City held its first public practice match on that day, when despite the doubtful weather, nearly 5,000 spectators assembled at St James's Park.

Stripes: Holland; Lowton and Charlton; Ditchburn, Pool, and Gee;
Purcell, McDevitt, Chambers, Vaughan, and Compton.

Maroons: Wainwright; Pollard and Miller; McDade, Mason, and Warren; Jenkins, Phoenix, Andrews, Dent, and Kirk.

Referee: Mr W.F.Webb.

The Maroons side became dangerous at the outset, Kirk and Dent shining in the opening minutes. This left-wing pair played delightful football, and by clever inter-passing had the Stripes defence in difficulties. At this stage Andrews was also showing great promise, and the forwards of the Maroons were the more impressive combination in the early play. The Stripes, however, were the first to score, the goal being the outcome of a smart movement on the right wing. Purcell got away and swung over one of his typical centres, and with Holland only able to flick the ball away, Compton drove it into the net at express speed. The Maroons now redoubled their efforts, and soon equalised the score through Phoenix, who smartly fastened on to a pass before sending the ball past Wainwright with a fast drive. There was certainly much to admire in the play of the nippy and clever Maroons forwards, and at length the Red and Whites fell into arrears. Kirk, Dent, and Andrews collaborated in a dazzling move, the best of the match so far, and when Andrews at length placed the ball into the goalmouth Pool handled. A penalty it was, and Andrews, who took the spot kick, made no mistake either, a low shot to the left of Holland easily beating the goalkeeper.

The Skill of McDevitt.

After this the Stripes half-backs began to get a grip on the game, and Ditchburn came into prominence with some fine constructive football. Two goals were scored by the Stripes before the interval, and each of them was directly attributable to the skill of McDevitt, and particularly his knack of creating good openings. Chambers netted both points, and he is to be commended on the manner in which he snapped up the chances. So far it had been a fast and bright display considering that it was only a preliminary canter.  In the second half Dent levelled the scores for the Maroons with a fast drive which Holland got to but could not stop, and later Kirk placed his side in front. This goal was a wonderful effort, and one which only the artist could have obtained, for Kirk had to race quite one third of the length of the field before he got to within shooting distance. The persistence of Compton enabled the Stripes to again equalise, for after he had forced Wainwright to concede a corner his flag kick led to Vaughan heading the ball into the net. This was all the scoring, a most satisfactory game ending in a draw of four goals apiece. There is no purpose to be served by individual criticisms, as with some of the players taking matters easily, the way was rendered simple for those who felt disposed to "have a go." There are, however, a few conclusions to be reached. For instance, the new forwards look a likely lot, and a great capture has been made in Kirk. Here is a class player, with a style which is reminiscent of John Dockray. Andrews was another newcomer to do well, his ball control being especially good, while Chambers took his goals in expert fashion. There was little to choose between the goalkeepers.

Exeter City's Second Practice Match.

Nearly 3,000 people assembled at St James's Park on Wednesday evening, August 17th, in dull weather, to see Exeter City's second practice match, in which the Red and White Stripes, captained by Charlton, defeated the Maroons, under Lowton, by three goals to two. Much of the play was attractive, and the form of the newcomers to the club was studied keenly. Amongst them Kirk, Warren, and Holland impressed very favourably, while others showed talent. The teams were:

Stripes:- Holland; Pollard and Charlton; Ditchburn, Pool, and Warren; Purcell, McDevitt, Chambers, Dent, and Kirk.

Maroons:- Wainwright; Lowton and Miller; McDade, Mason, and Gee; Jenkins, Selley, Andrews, Lievesley, and Parkin.

Referee:- Mr H.F. Ford.

The first goal was scored by the Stripes at the end of a quarter of an hour's play. When the ball came across from the right wing Dent, inside the penalty area, transferred it neatly to Chambers, who was favourably placed, and before Miller could tackle him the new centre forward had shot the ball along the turf and into the net. Chambers might have obtained another goal just afterwards, when breaking through from midfield he had only Wainwright to beat, but placed his shot wide of the posts. Holland saved a good header by Andrews, and a rousing drive by Mason sailed over the bar. Then came the second goal by the Red and Whites. Four of their forwards raced through the Maroons' defence, and three of them were waiting eagerly in front of goal when Purcell swept the ball along the turf. Lowton tried to hook the leather away, but mis-timed his kick and drove the ball into his own net at a good pace. Selley had a capital chance of reducing the Maroons' arrears when in another dazzling forward move Parkin gave him the ball with an open goal to shoot at. His shot, although low, was driven straight at Holland, who cleared. And when another chance came the way of Andrews he shot wildly over the goal. The score at half-time was Stripes 2 Maroons nil. Charlton, who had received a knock in the first half, did not appear when the teams came out for the second period. The Stripes, with ten men, had the better of the ensuing play, their halves and forwards working well together and Pollard very strong at full-back. Charlton resumed after about fifteen minutes, and good left wing play by the Stripes beat the opposing defence, so that it was a simple matter for Purcell to score from Dent's measured cross. Andrews succeeded at last in opening the Maroons scoring account. He slipped the ball to Selley when challenged by the defence, and as Holland advanced Selley returned it for Andrews to tap it over the line. Holland saved brilliantly from Lievesley, and at the other end a full blooded drive by McDevitt thumped against the bottom of the post, then in the last minute of the game Lievesley scored with a fierce cross-shot.

EXETER CITY'S FINAL PRACTICE.

Exeter City's third and last practice match at St James's Park was held on Saturday evening, August 20th, and it came as a very real boon and a blessing to men. No less! Tired of this "third rate" summer, which has been the cause of the wreckage of the fair weather sports fixtures, the public is eager for the return of the all-weather game, and very nearly 4,000 people assembled in the stormy, rainy evening to see the Grecians in their closing introductory canter. The Maroons, although not the better side, scored twice before the Red and Whites found the net, but the game ended in a draw of two all. The smallest man on the books, Jenkins, of Merthyr, opened the scoring after thirty minutes with a clever and unexpected shot, and twenty five minutes later Lievesley obtained a goal by side-tapping the ball into an empty net after good work on both wings. Kirk replied for the Stripes, with a glorious opportunist shot of lightning pace, and in the closing minutes McDevitt netted from a penalty. Heavy rainstorms punctuated the play and the turf was slippery, but the game was always interesting and some capital combination was seen. The big advance made by the Grecians in this respect in recent years is due very largely to the example of Billy McDevitt, who is for ever getting himself into the right position for a pass and using the ball to the side's best advantage. If the practices are a reliable guide true team work will once again be a feature with the City this season.