Origins Celebrating 120 years of the Grecians – The St Sidwell’s United Story

4. Exeter United lead the way 

It was the fourth attempt to set up a ‘City’ team, but the establishment of Exeter United Association Football Club in September 1896 was the most successful yet. United lasted a little over six seasons. 

With St James Park now being used for rugby, the new club had to seek out a home and was successful in renting the St Luke’s Training College ground on Magdalen Road.  United’s first season was very successful with 20 of their 26 matches ending in wins.

Their second – 1897/8 – season was equally productive with the bonus of reaching the final of the Devon Senior Cup. A crowd of 8000 watched United edged out 2-1 by the 15th Company Royal Artillery at the Rectory Ground, Devonport.  The size of the attendance showed the association game was in the ascendancy. Indeed, a train had been laid on for supporters. Was this the first football special to leave Exeter?

For the following season United tried to build on the interest. A limited number of season tickets were introduced at a reduced price, and free tickets were distributed to Exeter day schools.

By 1899/1900 United had joined the local East Devon Junior League. An entry in the 1900 Pollards Street Directory tells us that United’s colours were ‘White Shirts with Dark Knickers’. Members’ subscriptions were 5 shillings and season tickets 2s 6d. 

The President was R.B. West JP and the Captain G.S. Bailey. The early association link ups with the local military were continued with Sergeant-Major Sparke being the club treasurer. The secretary was W.J. Thompson from the ‘Deaf and Dumb Institution’. 

For their fifth season – 1900/01 – United moved to St James Park and so became the second football club (after Exeter Association) to play there. This coincided with them joining the new East Devon Senior League. The fact that the club were the first winners of this league means that they’re considered the first-ever champions of the present-day Devon and Exeter Football League.

This was to prove United’s highpoint. It was their only major trophy, and by 1901/2 they had lost St James Park as a home. Instead, the ground had been chosen to host the exhibition of the Co-operative Society’s 34th Annual Congress.

United struggled on but simply faded out during the 1902/3 season.  This was in no small part due to the rise of St Sidwell’s United, the new kids on the block. Later articles in this series will tell of the promotion of the association game in local schools including St Sidwell’s School. It was from these modest beginnings that Exeter City was to emerge. But there is no doubt Exeter United played a major role in the expansion of association football in the city.