EXETER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB 
The GreciansSeason 1928-1929

Practice matches in broiling August sunshine seemed a little untimely and looked unhealthy, but a little damp weather later on in the month cut up the summertime sports and paved the way nicely for the big opening of the Soccer programme at the various centres up and down the country. In one quarter it was humourously suggested that Scotland started football a fortnight earlier than England so that the directors and managers of the English clubs might have full opportunity of "spotting" across the heather and unloading their surplus cash!

ARGONAUTS AND THE LEAGUE.

Interest in the annual meeting of the Football League centred very largely on the fate of the Argonauts, the classic new amateur club fathered by Mr R.W.Sloley, and which sought to gain entrance right away to the Southern Section of the Third Division, with playing quarters at Wembley Stadium. Merthyr Town and Torquay United, the retiring clubs, sought re-election, and Kettering Town and Peterborough were also candidates for the section. The Southern clubs urged the League to re-elect Merthyr and Torquay, and the voting resulted as follows:- Torquay 42, Merthyr 27, The Argonauts 16, Kettering 3, Peterborough 2. Torquay United, Exeter City's Devon neighbours, must be highly pleased at the solidity of the vote in their favour.

SOUTHERN SECTION PROSPECTS.

Crystal Palace, more than any other Southern Section club, have specialised in team-building during the close season; they are making a determined "all out" effort towards following in the footsteps of Millwall. As a matter of fact they have never forgiven themselves for losing in season 1924-25 the place in the Second Division which they had gained in the first year of the Southern Section's existence. Mr Fred Mavin, their manager, and formerly of Exeter City in that capacity, has captured, among other players, Stanley Charlton, a Grecian of several years standing, and a brilliant left back. He will most likely be seen at St James's Park again when the Palace visit Exeter City on the last Saturday in April.

Fulham's advent is regarded with peculiar interest. They won the original Southern League competition twice in succession before joining the Football League in the summer of 1907, and it may be taken for granted that, after seventeen seasons in the Second Division they will be every bit as keen on regaining a place there as were Bristol City at such times as the Babes descended to Division III. Fulham, however, are likely to find the going very strenuous. Northampton were a good team last season, and along with Plymouth Argyle are likely to be not far from the top at the end of the campaign.

EXETER CITY.

The Grecians had a great run of success in League and Cup last season in spite of a poor start. The club dipped a little bit again towards the end of the campaign, but followers of the City will not soon lose sight of the fact that from September 10th to February 2nd the City went undefeated but for the one occasion in December at home to Coventry City. And the glory of the Cup matches with Rotherham and Blackburn Rovers is as yet undiminished. Can the Grecians better it this time?

THE NEW GRECIANS.

Mr M.J.McGahey is still at the helm at Chairman of the Directors, and his guidance is one of the greatest assets the club could possess. Mr D. Wilson, who joined the City towards the end of last season, has made a particular point of strengthening the attack, and the effect of his efforts this in direction will be watched with lively interest.

Five new forwards, three new half-backs, one new full-back, and one new goalkeeper have been engaged. All are eager to step into the League side, and competition for places should be a healthy feature of the campaign. The first five games last season brought only two points to Exeter, and the form displayed by the team in the opening match at Torquay was anything but heartening. A good start is half the battle, and although it is asking a lot to expect the City to bring home points from the Brentford and Southend games it must not be forgotten that last season they drew at Griffin Park and won at the Kursaal.

THE RIGHT SPIRIT.

From what has been seen of the Grecians in the August training and practice matches it seems that there is in the camp the makings of a rattling good and well-balanced side, capable of putting up a strong fight for honours in away as well as in home matches. A fair proportion of the players are men round about 21 years of age, and thoroughly in earnest in their desire to make good in their careers. The great thing to aim at is the right blend in attack and defence, and the development of the team spirit. The first requisite must be left in the hands of the selectors, and the second rests with the players themselves. And the "old hands" and the "new hands" between them can do wonders. Until the men are tried out in competition games it is impossible to judge just how Cameron and Wade will settle down at centre-forward, Houghton at inside-left and Streets at inside-right. All four look like being distinctly useful. Doncaster will be Kirk's rival at outside-left. All the half-back positions will be keenly competed for, with Pool and Mason available for the pivotal position, and Phoenix, Clarke, Christie, Sheffield and Taylor anxious to get in on the flanks. Harry Gee is not likely to be ready yet awhile. Pollard and Lowton are both strong candidates for the right-back berth, and the left rests pretty securely this time with Charlie Miller. Davies, signed on to fill the vacancy caused by the departure of Charlton to Crystal Palace, was unlucky enough to damage his knee in the first of the practice games. Campbell, the new goalkeeper from Partick Thistle, looks like being one of Exeter's best during several seasons, and will be a keen rival to Holland.

RESERVES BIG GAMES.

While the City Chiefs claim first consideration, the work of the Reserves is almost equally important. Last season the Grecians were runners-up in both the Southern and Western Leagues, and got more than a hundred goals in the former competition. It is good to know that the club can rely on the support of such skilful amateurs as Bastin, a youngster who is deservedly attracting a great deal of attention, Turl, of Devon County, Noble, of Exmouth, and a few others as the need arises. No more exacting opening for the City Reserves could have been arranged than the Southern League "doubles" with Bristol City and Plymouth Argyle.

MEN WHO HAVE LEFT.

Among the men who wore the City colours last season and have left the club, Dent, Vaughan, Andrews, Parkin, and Warren are now with Merthyr Town. That clever little outside-right, Jenkins, who was such a popular favourite here last season, has gone to Southend United, while Compton is with the Rovers of Bristol, Lievesley with Wigan Borough, McDade with Greenock Morton, and Chambers with New Brighton. Charlton's change of quarters has already been mentioned.

THE PASSING OF ABERDARE.

Torquay United Reserves were doomed to disappointment when it was learned that the Aberdare Athletic club has been wound up, for they were due to open the season at the Welsh club's ground on August 25th. The Aberdare club has for some years been struggling gamely under a heavy bank debt, which at present amounts to £2,124. The danger signal appeared a fortnight ago when the Directors resigned en bloc on the grounds that they could not see their way clear to become any longer responsible for the commitments. Realising that this would lead to the sale of the ground by the Bank (which holds the deeds on overdraft and mortgage security) the Aberdare Supporters' Club came to the rescue. An arrangement was arrived at whereby the Supporters' Club would take over the management and hold themselves responsible. The old directors agreed to retain their interest in the ground and to let it at a rental of £100 p.a. At the last moment, however, the Bank stepped in, and on August 20th it was announced that they would not agree to the new arrangement. They submitted two courses which were open to the club: (1) That the borrowing be reduced by £600 within one month, instalments at the sum of £25 a month to be paid off during the following twelve months, or (2) That the ground be offered for sale immediately by public auction in order that the Bank might realise its securities. In view of the extreme depression prevailing in the local colleries, the first request was ruled out of the question, and the Club reluctantly submitted to the alternative. This decision has sounded the death-knell of Soccer in Aberdare, for the coming season at any rate, and all the fixtures in both the Southern League and Welsh Leagues have been cancelled.
Exeter City Reserves were due to meet Aberdare in a Southern League match on October 6th.

EXETER CITY'S PERSONNEL.
Players:-  T.Holland, J. Campbell, R.Pollard, W.Lowton, P.Noble, C.Miller, W.D.Davies, A.F.Phoenix, A.G.Christie, J. Taylor A.Pool, S.Mason, A.Sheffield, H.Gee, R.L.Clarke, G.W.Purcell, L. Turl, W.McDevitt, S.E.Streets, E.Wade, E.Cameron, H.Houghton, C.S.Bastin, R.H.Kirk, R.A.Doncaster A.J.Gumm

Directors:- Messrs M.J.McGahey (chairman), W.H.Saunders, F.P.Nichols, E.Head, F.Parkhouse, and Sir Robert Newman, Bt.,
Secretary:- Mr S.H.Thomas.
Manager:- Mr D.Wilson.
Trainer:- Mr E.Jones.
Captain:- W.McDevitt.

The New Grecians 

Everybody interested in Exeter City wants to know some thing of the players who will be appearing in the red and white stripes for the first time this season. To satisfy this longing the following details have been gleaned from the men themselves on a training day at St James's Park. The details are necessarily sketchy, for some of the players were interviewed on the field, others in the training room, engrossed with the punch-ball, the dumb-bells, and the Indian clubs, others were in the bath or just out of it, and still another was on Eddie Jones's operating table.

JAMES CAMPBELL, the new goalkeeper, took porridge for the first time in the town of Dalry, Ayrshire, and like a good son of Scotland he early joined a club which rejoiced in the National emblem, Springside Thistle was the name, and they played the game hard by Kilmarnock. Irvine Meadow was Campbell's next love, and from there he threw in his lot two seasons ago with Partick Thistle. John Jackson, the Junior International, kept goal in every match last season and missed only two in the previous campaign, so that Campbell's thirst for a real chance to show his ability could only be satisfied by his removal to another club, and he therefore came South.

WILLIAM DAVIES, the new left-back from Charlton Athletic, is 22 years of age and a native of Pontypridd, for whom he played three seasons ago, just prior to the club's disbanding. He then went to Taunton, and after one season there was signed by Charlton, with whom he spent the last campaign. At the Valley, Norman Smith was an ever-present and Baden Herod missed only one Football League game, so that the reserve backs had little or no chances.

ALEXANDER GRAY CHRISTIE admits himself, that he is a bit of a "roamer," and certainly since he played for Reading just after the war he has been about a bit. A native of Paisley, he went to Reading on trial from Scotland, staying with the Elm Park brigade for two seasons, being a contemporary there of Mr Fred Mavin, and playing as regularly as almost anybody in the Reading first team. Christie moved from Reading to Walsall, then to Southampton, and then to Rochdale. At Rochdale he has spent the last four seasons, in one of which he was an ever-present, and in all of which he was one of the first choices at half-back. Christie says that he was very comfortable at Rochdale, and he would probably have been there today but for the fact that there was an acute shortage of cash in the club coffers.

JAMES TAYLOR, of Ashton-under-Lyne, is a hardy collier of the true Lancashire type, and still in his 'teens. He has come to Exeter straight from junior soccer. Ashton Limehurst was his first notable amateur club, and right half his position. Then he had a run with Chamber Colliery, and from there threw in his lot with Droylsden, in the Manchester League, with whom he has spent the last two seasons with the exception of the time occupied by a trial with Southport.

ALEC SHEFFIELD is twenty years old, and a native of Nottingham, and although he was the right half-back for England against Scotland in a Schoolboy International match at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, and played in many representative schoolboy games for Nottingham Town and County he had no intention, at that time, of taking up Soccer as a profession. He was a clerk in the telegraph office for the L.M.S.Railway for some time after leaving school. A reduction of the railway staff, however, turned Sheffield's thoughts seriously towards a football career. He signed professional forms for Shirebrook in the Midland League when seventeen years old, and has been playing for two seasons with that well-known Soccer nursery, Mansfield Town, from which club he came to Exeter.

EDWARD CAMERON was born at Glasgow, and was working on a new dock on River Clyde when he started serious Soccer with Clydebank. After one campaign with that club at centre-forward he was enrolled by Birmingham, whence one year later he went to Walsall for a couple of seasons. Then he was transferred at Mr Dave Wilson's request to Nelson just before the momentous day in March for transfers, Nelson being particularly anxious just then about retaining their hard-won position in the Second Division. As is of course known, Nelson fell, and Cameron, after spending the ensuing season with them and playing in all but four of their League matches, found himself handicapped by a transfer fee, and removed into "small" football. He has been with Stafford Rangers during the last two campaigns, and in season 1926-27 the Rangers won the Birmingham and District League championship. Last season they scored more goals than any of their rivals and finished third. Cameron, as leader of the attack, had a big share in the "goal-getting."

EDWARD WADE, a Blackpool-born man, has had a deal of experience both at inside right and centre forward. He started with South Shore in the Fylde League at Blackpool, and from this club joined Burnley, where he spent one season. His next move was to Lytham in the West Lancashire League, and then he joined New Brighton, where his associates in a stay of four seasons included two former Grecians in Alan Mathieson and George Shelton, and a present one in Harry Gee. Wade has given good service to New Brighton, and should be popular with his new club.

HAROLD HOUGHTON'S football career to date has been bound up with the Liverpool district from boyhood to now. A Liverpool native, born on August 26th, 1904, he first became prominent in a football sense as a schoolboy, being picked as a reserve for England in the match against Wales at Mid-Rhondda in the season of 1919-20, and took part in the England v Scotland match at Grimsby later in the same campaign. Then he spent a few months with Anfield Social, and did so well that at the age of fifteen and a half years he was signed by Everton on amateur forms. A year later he became a professional, and has been re-engaged by Everton in each season since. So that altogether Houghton has been associated with the Goodison Park club for six seasons. Despite his undeniable skill and ability to score goals himself in addition to "making" them for others, Houghton has had only one chance with the Everton chiefs, and that was when they played
Portsmouth at Goodison Park last March in a goal-less draw. Dixie Dean was absent at Glasgow, assisting the Football League in the annual contest against the Scottish League, and in the Everton team Weldon moved to centre-forward, with Troup as Houghton's partner. Houghton's signature cost Exeter City £350, which is for the Grecians a record transfer fee, and it is hoped that in him the club has secured the inside-left they have been looking for. From his form in the practice matches it looks as though they have.

STANLEY STREETS is still in the early twenties, a good age for football. Born at Newark, Notts, he was working in an engineering shop when he signed forms as an amateur for Grantham Town, and when half a season had elapsed he was persuaded to become a professional with the same club. Always a "thruster," he soon had a big record as a goal-getter, and at the end of that season his allegiance was transferred to Blackpool. There he spent nearly two seasons, and proved very useful in the Cup - ties, and then he went to Clapton Orient, the move being completed on the last day open for transferring players, namely March 16th. As luck, or rather bad luck, would have it, Streets injured his knee soon after joining Clapton, and the club could not utilise his services as fully as had been intended. He stayed with the Orient throughout the last campaign, 1927-28, and from there came to Exeter. He holds a Lancashire Cup runners-up medal, won when with Blackpool, who were beaten in the final by Bolton Wanderers.

RICHARD ARTHUR DONCASTER is a native of Barry Dock, and he had two seasons on the books of Barry Town before going to Bolton Wanderers at the age of 18. As a matter of fact he was transferred to Bolton on the last day of the 1925-26 season, and was recommended to them by the same schoolmaster that had passed the same information on in regard to Vizard and Jennings years before. Doncaster has therefore been with the "Trotters" during the last two seasons, but was unable to get into the team at outside left, and now hopes to get his chance at Exeter in that position.


First Public Practice 

PRELIMINARY CANTER AT ST JAMES'S PARK 

Encouraging Form

Saturday, August 11th 1928.

BLUES 3 STRIPES 3.

On the whole Exeter City's opening practice match for the season was quite satisfactory, and a crowd of 4,000, which was in attendance at St. James's Park on the above date, saw much to admire in the workmanlike display of the two teams. It was on the ten new men that the chief interest centred, and there was not long to wait before the evident ability of some revealed itself. The first to take the eye was Houghton, inside-left, who was secured in June from Everton, for within very few minutes he got the opposing defence in difficulty through a bewildering dribble, and concluded with a well timed pass to Kirk. The next to shine was Cameron, and a less capable goalkeeper than Holland may have been beaten by an awkward looking "screw" shot sent in by Cameron. Then the red and white's attackers came into prominence, and a clever move by Phoenix, Streets, and Turl ended with Streets beating Campbell with a shot to the roof of the net. The Blues, towards the interval, were impressive, and Cameron soon equalised, driving home a centre from Kirk. Another goal quickly followed, but this was a rather fortunate point, for in running across to clear Phoenix slipped and handled inside the penalty area. Lowton did the rest! The Blues inside forwards, McDevitt, Cameron, and Houghton, continued in the clever combination shown earlier, and the trio appeared to dovetail with each other pefectly at this stage. To Cameron and Kirk must go the credit for the next goal, for this pair by smart on the ground inter-passing ran through the Stripes defence, and Cameron finished the move inside the penalty area with a strong shot out of Holland's reach.

Second Half.
After the interval the Stripes quickly got on terms. Turl obtained the first goal, dribbling through and netting with a cross-shot, and Wade the second, with a header from Turl's centre. Players who came out of the match with the greatest credit, taken all through, were Lowton, Phoenix, Cameron, McDevitt, Streets, and Turl. The teams were:

Blues:- Campbell; Lowton and Davies; Taylor, Mason, and Sheffield; Purcell, Mc Devitt, Cameron, Houghton, and Kirk.

Stripes:- Holland; Pollard and Miller; Phoenix, Pool, and Christie; L.Turl, Streets, Wade, C.Bastin, and Doncaster.

City's Final Practice 

BLUES BEAT THE STRIPES BY TWO CLEAR GOALS A

Moderate Display

Exeter City's final practice game at St James's Park on August 18th, kick-off at 6.30 p.m., provided few thrills and no sensation, but it was pleasing to find that some men not at all prominent in the previous match now caught the eye and gave proof of genuine ability. The teams were:

Blues:

Campbell; Pollard and Noble; Taylor, Pool, and Clarke; Turl, Streets, Wade, Bastin, and Erridge.

Stripes:-

Holland; Lowton and Miller; Phoenix, Mason, and Christie; Purcell, McDevitt, Cameron, Houghton, and Doncaster.

Too much importance is not attached to the fact that the Blues, captained by Bob Pollard, beat the Stripes, captained by Billy McDevitt, by two goals to nothing. Something of the credit for this result is due to Campbell, who kept goal very smartly for the Blues, while his goal also had a couple of lucky escapes from balls which hit the framework and rebounded into play. Still more credit for the Blues' success belongs to their keen and capable line of half-backs. Pool showed the form we all like to see from him. Apart from giving Cameron very little scope he also came well out of several lively encounters with Mason, and kept nicely in touch with his forwards. Taylor was a tremendous little worker on the right, and Clarke showed equal enthusiasm on the other flank. Besides getting quite a lot of the ball, the Blues' half backs found their forwards better with their passes, so that the movements here were frequently initiated. The Blues' forwards never dallied on the ball or lost any time in pressing home an attack. Bastin's skill and his natural aptitude for developing left wing raids in conjunction with Erridge had some thing to do with this, but Wade deserves praise for the use he made of the ball, for the way in which he kept his line on the move, and for the quickness with which he moved into position for centres and return passes.

The Goals.
Erridge and Bastin provided an easy opportunity for Wade to score at the end of twenty-five minutes, and five minutes later, after a shot from Streets had been turned out by Holland, the ball was driven hard into the goalmouth by Bastin, and Streets dashed up and forced it into the net. However, something smoother and stronger and better is required if Exeter City are to make anything of a show in their forthcoming matches at Brentford and Southend. Some of the forwards are still in the hesitant stage of getting to know one another instead of getting to grips with the opposition.