Origins:-Celebrating 120 years of the Grecians – The St Sidwell’s United  story

8. St Sidwell’s United arrive on the scene

Before 1901, press references to St Sidwell’s sports teams were mostly for rugby. The exceptions? The St Sidwell’s School association football team. And there’s even atantalising mention of a St Sidwell’s United XI looking for a game over Christmas 1900 – but nothing appears to come of it.

It's not until June 3rd1901 that we’re introduced to the St Sidwell’s United club from which Exeter City originates. Two representatives, Sid Thomas and E. Eveleigh, attended a meeting to discuss the formation of a Junior League in Exeter.

There’s no announcement of the formation of this club; it just appears… set up in the period between the end of the 1900-1 season and that meeting on June 3rd. It’s certainly notable that two previous clubs which former St Sidwell’s school players turned out for, Exeter Wesleyan United and Exeter Athletic,disappear at this point.

So to the new Junior League. An East Devon Junior league had been formed in 1899, becoming a Senior League in 1900. Exeter United played in these Leagues. The terms Junior and Senior didn’t relate to age but to status. The leading teams were Senior; others were Juniors.

With a competitive Senior League up and running, the formation of a Junior competition would create further interest locally in the association code. Hence the gathering on June 3rdat St David’s Guild House in Exeter.  In addition to St Sidwell’s United, other clubs represented at the meeting were St David’s, Exeter United, St Luke’s and St John’s Athletic.  Exeter United and St Luke’s were Senior clubs but intended to field reserve teams. Other clubs sent apologies but supported the venture.

The chairman of the meeting, E.B. Mitchell (captain of St David’s), was reported in local newspapers as welcoming the delegates and saying that he was “very pleased to see so many present as it showed the interest in forming a Junior League in Exeter, and he hoped that one would be formed as he was sure it would raise the interest in Association football in the city”.

Five resolutions were passed. These resolved to form a Junior League in Exeter, appoint a Secretary, set in motion a Committee with two representatives from each club, establish that for the first season the League would be confined to Exeter and suburbs, and, finally, agree to affiliate to the Devon County Association.

Given that St Sidwell’s United later changed their name to Exeter City, this meeting forms a key moment in the history of our club. And it’s no surprise that Sid Thomas, who we highlighted in the previous article (number 7), was there right at the start.