The 1965-66 season 

Pre-season diary 

MONDAY 19th JULY 1965.

WELCOME BACK CITY.

Exeter City players report back to St James' Park for pre season training tomorrow and they can expect a month of really hard graft. Trainer Bert Keetley has drawn up a schedule which includes morning and afternoon sessions The mornings will be spent running up and down the slopes of Hoopern Fields, and in the afternoons there will be ball work, with an accent on speed, movement, and control,

THURSDAY 22nd JULY 1965.

CONTRACT FOR STUTTARD.

Ellis Stuttard, Exeter City's 44 year old manager has been offered a three year contract by the club, he said today that he would be pleased to accept it and it will be drawn up in the next few days for him to sign, Mr Stuttard was appointed caretaker manager of Exeter City in January 1965 after the resignation of Jack EdwardsA month later he took over as manager, He has been happy since he joined Exeter and was pleased with the way the players responded to him last season to keep them in the Third Division..

FRIDAY 30th JULY 1965.

GRECIAN DOWN UNDER.

Former Exeter City professional, Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace player, Bert Brown, is playing for Metro in Division One of the New South Wales LeagueHe emigrated to Australia with his wife two months ago, and is working as a storeman in Sydney. His previous home was in Bristol,

SATURDAY 31st JULY 1965.

SUPPORTERS CLUB A. G. M.

Exeter City supporters held their first A.G.. last night, a year which was described as being very successful, and the club had become an integral part of Exeter City Football Club, When the season opens spectators will find a considerable improvement in the facilities at the ground thanks to the hard work of the supporters club, The treasurer reported that a profit of £461 had been made on the year, which was an excellent result, All the fund raising activities with the exception of the badges had been most successful. Plans for the future included more dances and coaches to away fixtures if the support was forthcoming, The new season would see better catering facilities and improved toilets, all of which ad come about through the efforts of the supporters club. Many suggestions were made at the meeting from members. They included the sale of club rosettes outside the ground, dances for younger supporters, a bid to get more financial help from local traders and businessmen, more enclosed accommodation, appointing youngsters to act as cheerleaders, and huts to protect programme sellers from the worst of the weather,

TUESDAY 3rd AUGUST 1965.

CITY TO SIGN TWO 17 YEAR OLD DEFENDERS.

Exeter City today signed 17 year old defenders Peter Arbury and Mike Balson as full time professionals Balson, a wing half from bridport, has been at St James' Park on a fortnights trial and proved impressive enough to sign, Arbury, an Ottery St Mary lad, gets his contract after finishing his three years as an apprentice at the Park. The young full back did not have the best of luck last season with a cartilage injury but after an operation he came back into very promising form,

THURSDAY 5th AUGUST 1965.

DIVISION THREE BRINGS CITY A PROFIT.

In their first season in Division Three Exeter City made a profit of £9,577. This is only the third time in 20 years that a working profit has been made on a season. The revenue surplus is mainly due to increasd revenue from home gates and season tickets. There was also a saving of expenditure in transfer fees. The club's gate receipts increased by about £3,000, and there was a £12,000 saving in transfer fees. The wage bill was also down by £2,000. A change in the rules of the gaming act boosted revenue from the Red and White Club from £8,950 to a gigantic £23,000. This years profit has reduced the total profit and loss deficiency to £38,500 Club chairman Reg Rose states in his report to shareholders "By keeping a tight rein on the club expenses, and careful management we will consolidate, Once we have done this we want to use the 1965-66 season as a springboard to further success,

SATURDAY 7th AUGUST 1965.

FRIENDLY

ALAN BANKS SINKS YEOVIL.

EXETER CITY 6 YEOVIL TOWN 2

City Team
Shearing; Smyth, Peapell; Cater, Mitchell, Fulton (Anderson): Welsh, Curtis (Banks),
McLean, Ley, Rees,

Scorers
Yeovil Albury, Randall,
Exeter City Banks 2, McLean 2, Curtis, Welsh.

Attendance 1,382,

Exeter City inside forward Alan Banks who fractured a leg towards the end of last season made a great comeback in this pre-season match at the Huish, Brought on after the interval, he scored a fine goal in the 46th minute, and ten minutes later scored a second. The Third Division side had their work cut out to hold Yeovil in the first hald, and Randall gave Yeovil the lead after only 15 minutes. Yeovil were well on top, being auch faster in attack and more direct in shooting, it was only fine goalkeeping by Peter Shearing plus good defensive work by veteran centre half Arnold Mitchell that kept Yeovil out George McLean managed to shake off his marker once and scored a equaliser for City and just before the interval with the Yeovil defenders standing appealing for offside, dermot Curtis put Exeter into an undeserved lead, City made a few changes at half time and they appeared a far more determined side, Yeovil were outplayed and City added further goals from McLean and Eric Welsh, as well as two goals from that man Banks. It was not all Exeter and the Somerset side hit the woodwork twice, before Albury netted their second in the 83rd minute.

MONDAY 9th AUGUST 1965.

TOWN FIGHT AND SOUND IN DEFENCE.

FRIENDLY,

BARNSTAPLE TOWN 0.
Clarke; Norman (Peters), Penfold; Meadows, Lancaster, Fewings; Sanders, Peyton(Ley),
Hancock, Gibbs, Irons,

EXETER CITY 1
Barnett; Fulton, Peapell; Rees, Harvey, Balson; Stuckey, Banks, Curtis, Riding, Copp. Scorer Exeter City Banks

Barnstaple Town although losing by the only goal, put up a very satisfying display against their league visitors, and in the closing 15 minutes they threw everything into a non stop attack in an exciting but vain attempt to snatch the equaliser. The North Devon side fought all the way, their main shortcomings being in attack, City's goal came in the closing minutes of the first half, when a slack covering defence gave Alan Banks the freedom of the park to head in from short range following a corner, Banks gave plenty of indication that he will be among the goals again this season, but the rest of Exeter's forwards were a disappointment, Keith Harvey was his usual dependable self at centre half and he was well supported by full backs Dennis peapell, and Bryce Fulton, Graham Rees was always eager to come through from the wing half spot with the ball and have a shotClarke, the former Exeter City goalkeeper, was forced to make a tremendous save on one occasion from ReesDefensively both sides looked sound, but the Exeter forwards will do better when they stop tip tapping and shoot more whenever they have the chance.

BARNSTAPLE TOWN SIGN TWO CITY PLAYERS.

Barnstaple Town player manager Noel Peyton has signed two Exeter City amateurs as professionals. Colin Edmunds, a wing half, and lan Pope, a full back, Both played Western League football for City last season. Both players are still on Football League forms with Exeter, and whilst they are free to join Barnstaple they cannot be snapped up by another league club.

WEDNESDAY 11th AUGUST 1965.

IT'S BANKS AGAIN AS HE HITS THREE THIS TIME.

FRIENDLY.

WEYMOUTH 2 EXETER CITY 5

Shearing; Fulton, Peapell; Carter, Harvey, Mitchell; Welsh, Banks, McLean, Curtis, Ley.

Scorers
Weymouth
Exeter City Banks 3, Carter, Curtis,

Three goals from Alan Banks and one each from Dermot Curtis and Wilf Carter made up Exeter City's tally in their 5-2 win over Weymouth at the Recreation Ground. The line up which had very much a first team slant stayed unchanged throughout the game, despite the fact that Alan Barnett, Des Anderson, and Mike Balson were all sitting on the touchline waiting to be used, Manager Ellis Stuttard said that at half time with the score at 2-2 he wanted to put a couple of things right without making any changes, His decision was rewarded for the City lads added three goals without reply. In all it was quite a satisfactory performance,

PULMAN FOR BRIDPORT.

Barry Pulman, the former Exeter City, Bridgwater Town, and Barnstaple Town inside forward has signed for BridportPulman, now 24 years old, will make his debut for them against Exeter City reserves on Friday in a pre-season friendly, ex eontay

FRIDAY 13th AUGUST 1965.

LORD HITS WINNER FOR ARGYLE.

EXETER C. 3-4 PLYMOUTH A.

FRIENDLY,

EXETER CITY 3
Barnett; Smyth, Fulton; Carter, Harvey, Mitchell; Welsh, Banks, McLean, Ley, Tolchard,

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 4
Dwyer; Scorers Exeter City Banks 2, Harvey, Plymouth Jennings, Trebilcock, Lord, Williams,

Attendance: 3,217,

Exeter supporters soon had something to cheer about when Alan Banks beat Dwyer to a bouncing ball and nodded in a goal after just 8 minutes Plymouth hit back with better efforts from Jennings and Trebilcock in the 16th and 18th minutes, by half time Banks had equalised, this time bundling Dwyer away from a cross, Exeter born Williams put Argyle ahead with a 25 yard shot just after half time, then Keith Harvey equalised again for Exeter from the penalty spotThe winning goal came from Lord with a great header 20 minutes from the end, City's new centre forward George McLean from Grimsby Town looked impressive, as did Argyle's Trebilcock, who ironically was one of Exeter City manager Ellis Stuttard's discoveries when he was at Plymouth,

MONDAY 16th AUGUST 1965.

RICE SIGNS AS A PROFESSIONAL.

Exeter City have added another youngster to their list of professionals, 17 year old Chulmleigh lad, Selwyn Rice, A wing half or inside forward, Rice had a few games in the reserves last season as an amateur. Now after several promising showings he becomes the sixth teenage professional on City's books.

TUESDAY 17th AUGUST 1965.

YOUNG CITY ON TRIAL.

FRIENDLY.

EXETER CITY RESERVES 1
Davis; Taylor, Arbury; Rice, Anderson, Balson; Stuckey, Seatherton, House, Richardson, Copp.

TORQUAY UNITED RESERVES 2

Scorers
Exeter City Copp. Torquay,

Exeter City chief Ellis Stuttard put his faith in a youth policy with this City reserve line-up, Only one player was older than 18, that being 23 year old Des Anderson. The rest of the side comprised of 15 year olds, House, Richardson, and Taylor, 16 year olds, Davis, and Seatherton, 17 year olds, Balson, Copp and Rice, and 18 year old Arbury and Stuckey. Although beaten, City gave a fighting display agaisnt a Torquay side that included several players with first team experience, Exeter were not too sure of themselves in the first half and were inclined to play the ball too short. Torquay took the lead when right winger Rockey sent over a perfect cross for Pym to head past Davis. Exeter were back on level terms in the 59th minute, when Bruce Stuckey sent over a low cross for Johnny Copp to score with a fine shot, 15 minutes from time Torquay got the winning goal, Atkinson giving Davis no chance from close range,

WEDNESDAY 18th AUGUST 1965.

CITY CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS.

FRIENDLY.

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 5
Dwyer; Piper, Baird; Williams (Hore), Newman, Buckingham; Jones, Jackson, Lord, Trebilcock, Brace,

EXETER CITY 0
Shearing; PeapellFulton; Carter, Harvey, Mitchell; Welsh, Curtis, McLean, Ley, Rees,

Scorers
Plymouth:- Brace 2, Lord, Trebilcock, Buckingham,

Exeter City boss Ellis Stuttard saw his team outplayed by his old club Plymouth Argyle, Half the Argylke side were youngsters signed by Stuttard during his spell as manager at Home Park, Youngsters like Piper, Trebilcock, Hore, and Brace were outstanding. How the City manager must have wished that this array of talent was still in his care, for Exeter were well beaten by a much better side. Individually, and collectively City were a bite in the defence and a general disjointedness in attacy were far too slow all round with not enough Brace's non stop chasing brought him Argyle's first goal in the 13th minuteLord nodded a second four minutes after the interval and then Trebilcock produced a blinding drive in the 58th minute for Plymouth's third goal, Buckingham netted from the penalty spot in the 78th minute and Brace got his second goal five minutes from the end. City seldom bothered dwyerMcLean was the most dangerous City forward but he hardly had any support, in defence only Harvey played anythng like his usual game and even he looked unhappy at times against Argyle's centre forward, Lord.