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

09. St Sidwell’s United’s first match

With St Sidwell’s United being formed and joining the new Exeter Junior League for the 1901/2 season there was a pressing need for friendly matches before the first competitive fixture in October. And so it was that the new team played host to Dawlish on 21 September in our Club’s historic first ever match.

In the-run up to the game, ‘Linesman’, the Western Times reporter, at the end of his rugby notes, wrote: ‘In sockercircles hopes run high, too. Though the matches under the dribbling code do not suit the popular taste in Exeter and Devonshire generally, the devotees of the game stick to their guns and enjoy themselves.’

He commented that ‘everything favours’ Exeter United and that St Sidwell’s United ‘in the words of their Secretary (Mr G. West), will have a serviceable side’. West knew the local scene as he’d also been secretary of Exeter Wesleyan United.

St Sidwell’s had been busy recruiting players from six local clubs. The team that played Dawlish comprised three from Exeter Wesleyan United (Eveleigh, Morgan and Avery), three from Heavitree (Robinson, Campbell and Hawkey), two from St Thomas Past (Sellick and Thomas), and one player each from St James’ (Flood), St John’s (Mann) and St David’s (Coles).  Besides Eveleigh, Morgan and Avery, others had also played for the Wesleyans.

Dawlish were challenging opponents. They were a well-established club having been formed in 1889, some twelve years before St Sidwell’s. So it was some surprise when the debutants won 4-2.

The game was played at a ground near Pinhoe Road in Heavitree. This location, which is our club's first-ever ground, will be explored more in the next issue.

Newspaper reports in Dawlish and Exeter gave different slants on the proceedings. The Dawlish Gazette acknowledged the visitors as a ‘new organisation’ saying that they consisted ‘of players drawn from Exeter United, St David’s etc’. The reference to Exeter United appears to be a mistake. Exeter Wesleyan United was probably meant.

The Gazette praised St Sidwell’s but had excuses ready: ‘Theyproved smart, but not to the extent to justify the licking given to Dawlish. The fact of the matter was that the locals seemed to have started the season before they were ready and took away a poor team to do duty.’

The Western Times gave more credit to the winners: ‘St Sidwell’s opened their season in fine style.’ They went on to say the team ‘combined splendidly’, observing that ‘the halves fed the forwards well and the backs were in great form’. There was a word of warning however: ‘The forwards should learn more how to keep the ball under control.’

According to the Devon Evening Express, ‘a fast and not uninteresting game showed itself’. The honour of scoring in our first ever match went to Marshall, Sellick, Eveleigh and Coles. Our club was well and truly on its way.