Exeter City Football Club
"The Grecians'
1966 1967
Compiled by A. Wilson


Exeter City in 1966-67
THE SUMMER SLUMP THAT CASTS ITS SHADOW

In the past ten weeks Exeter City have somehow managed to bridge the most dangerous gap in football, the summer slump that always casts its shadow over every relegation team. The normal pattern for a relegated club is despondency.

• Among the directors, who see their investments crumbling.
• Among the administrative staff, who see their jobs in danger.
• Among the players, who face lower wages and soccer standards.
• And among the supporters, who fear worse football and perhaps a slight improvement only in results, for their money.

But all this has been avoided at St James's Park, and, instead of dreading the 1966-67 season, everyone is eager for it to start. The directors have enough faith in their staff, and this must mostly mean the manager, Mr Jock Basford, to believe that, if anything, the investments they have made are safer now. Mr Basford, now confirmed as the manager, can concentrate all of his energies on the players. Because there are nine newcomers and sixteen players went, there has been room for a new and improved wage structure with plenty of good incentives. As for a lower standard of football, the players believe it will be better, and as most of the new nine are young, and have been signed from higher grade clubs, this should be so.

SUPPORTERS

After so many years of promises and failures from their local club it must be hard for the supporters to know exactly what to think. But it is hoped that the enthusiasm from St James's Park has partly filtered through to them even before the season starts. Most of the people encountered, at any rate, have been optimistic of the new set-up and the new ideas. Obviously a lot depends on the early games. And the word "games" is deliberately used, not "results," because performances will count as much as anything. Mr Basford is naturally very anxious that the supporters should be patient with his new set-up and his young team. He says: "Supporters must realise that we have a lot of new players here. They have got to bear with these boys and give them a bit of encouragement and time to settle down.

"In coaching or practice, one doesn't lay down a move and expect it to be carried out perfectly the first time. The whole business does require patience. I am a great believer in the fact that having the crowd behind us puts an extra man on the pitch. And I am the first to appreciate that the supporters really backed us from the time I took over last season."

At the same time, Mr Basford is the first man to realise that Exeter City's supporters will not put up with poor football and equally poor results as well. And no-one imagines that the City are going to shoot right back to the Third Division right away. But the supporters do want to see some evidence of method, effort, and enthusiasm.

And these three things are exactly what Mr Basford, together with the new trainer, Keith Harvey, who is still registered as a player in case of emergencies, has been working on.

PLAYERS RETAINED FROM LAST SEASON

Backs:- A.Goad, C.Smyth, G. Ley.
Half backs:- K. Harvey, R. Harford, C.Buckingham, M.Balson.
Forwards:- B.Stuckey, P.Richardson, R.Elliott, J.Evans, G.McLean, R.Keeley, J.Kennedy, J.Blain.

NEW PLAYERS 

• Ken Jones, goalkeeper, from Charlton Athletic, signed June 6th,
• Ben Embury, left back, from Tottenham Hotspur, signed June 6th,
• Roger Smith, outside left, from Tottenham Hotspur, signed June 11th.
• Ken Thompson, left half, from Ipswich Town, signed June 14th.
• Peter Godfrey, outside right, from Chesterfield, signed June 17th.
• John Smout, goalkeeper, from Crystal Palace, signed June 17th.
• Ernie Wilkinson, right half, from The Arsenal, signed June 20th.
• Bobby Nash, left back, from Queens Park Rangers, signed June 21st.
• Dixie McNeil, inside left, from Leicester City, signed August 4th.

These have left:

• Alan Banks and Peter Shearing, to Plymouth Argyle.
• Graham Rees and Alan Riding, to Yeovil Town
• Des Anderson, to Chesterfield.
• Alan Barnett and Dermot Curtis, to Torquay United.
• Les MacDonald and Selwyn Rice, to Weymouth.
• Wilf Carter, to Bath City.
• Dennis Peapell, to Bideford.

Directors:- Messrs R.J.Rose (chairman), F.Dart, J.Cowley, J.Rogers, L.Kerslake. Secretary Mr R.Miller,
Manager Mr J.Basford.

Exeter City's new colours this season are all-white, jerseys and shorts with red trim, collars and sleeves.

Pre-Season Games 

Taunton v City, August 6th:

Exeter City, who fielded four of their new signings in a strong line-up, made heavy weather of beating Taunton's Western League side in a rain-marred "friendly" at Hamilton-road. They showed a distinct lack of understanding and imagination. They were never able to dominate play against a solid looking Taunton defence. Furthermore they were pinned in their own half for lengthy periods and at these times Taunton drove for the equaliser to the goal which Elliott had scored for Exeter. Sells, the old City player, looked the best forward on the field in this game, and it was he who levelled the scores for Taunton before Blain obtained Exeter's winner near the end.
Taunton 1 Exeter 2.

Torquay v City, August 8th:

It is hoped that John Evans this season will take over from Alan Banks as the City's principal goal-scorer. In the game at Plainmoor he got Exeter's first goal, and made the second for Jack Kennedy. The City made the newly-promoted Torquay team go all out, and they could have scored another goal when Godfrey hit the cross-bar with a slashing shot in the second half. Playing against the City was Dermot Curtis, who has left Exeter for Torquay, and he helped to make one of the United's goals. The City scored two goals early in the second half before Torquay hit back with Spratt, Bond, and Stubbs finding the target.
Torquay United 3 Exeter City 2, attendance 2,414.

Weymouth v City:- August 10th:

Like most practice matches the game between Weymouth and Exeter City did not produce a lot of good football. If Weymouth had had a goal-getter in their attack they could quite well have beaten Exeter City, who would have returned home as the conquered instead of the conquerors. Exeter's defence was shaky in the opening stages, but it gradually gained confidence and was afterwards rarely extended. Roger Smith, the new centre-forward from Tottenham, scored for the City, who won by that goal.

Argyle v City August 12th:

Although not officially designated as a reserve match the two line-ups at Home Park were suspiciously slanted towards it when Plymouth Argyle beat Exeter City 3-0 in a practice game. The City were trying out some of their younger players, and making one or two experiments, and some of them paid off. For they were three goals down at half-time, but then one or two switches were made and an all-round tightening-up was the result. Reynolds, Williams with a penalty, and Duncan scored for Plymouth Argyle.

Guildford v City, August 13th:

Guildford of the Southern League handed out a football lesson to their Fourth Division League opponents at Joseph's Road. After taking a surprise lead in the first four minutes they still went on the attack and hammered the City defence relentlessly for the remainder of the first half. Exeter could find no answer to the tight Guildford defence despite McLean's efforts. Guildford added a second goal after 19 minutes when the left-back collected a bad clearance from Ken Jones, slipped the ball through to the right winger, who controlled it well before passing for the centre-forward, Vafiadis, to slam home. After 60 minutes Guildford set the seal on a fine performance when the left-back, Anthony, added the third goal. For Exeter City's new manager, Mr Basford, it was a "bitter-sweet" return to the Guildford ground, where he spent many years as the club's trainer.
Guildford 3 Exeter City 0.

City v Bournemouth August 15th:

Exeter City 2 Bournemouth 1 on paper was a very good result for the last practice match before the season starts, next Saturday. But in reality there was nothing in the play or in the score at St James's Park to give any indication of how Exeter City will fare in the Fourth Division. Godfrey and Thompson of the new players were the most impressive, but two of the old ones, McLean and Evans, got nowhere against the Boscombe defenders. Godfrey scored Exeter's two goals, late in the game, after Ashworth had opened for Bournemouth.
Exeter City:- Jones; Smyth and Ley; Wilkinson, Harford, and McNeil; Godfrey, Keeley, McLean, Evans, and Blain. Thompson and Kennedy came out in the second half, replacing McNeil and Keeley.

TUESDAY 16th AUGUST 1966.
FRIENDLY.

DORCHESTER TOWN 3 EXETER CITY 2

Exeter Team
Smout; Embery, Goad; McNeil, Balson, Buckingham; Stuckey, Richardson, Elliott, Kennedy, Smyth,

Scorers: Dorchester House 2, Fuge,
Exeter Smith 2:
Attendance

Leading 2-0 at half time Exeter City fielding four new signings looked to have the game sewn up, but Dorchester Town hit back with such good effect in the second half that they snatched an unexpected win. Exeter fielding a strong team were much the faster side in the opening stages and it was no surprise when Roger Smith put them ahead with a great shot in the 26th minuteFour minutes later Bruce Stuckey had a shot partially saved and Smith was on hand to score again," Dorchester put more urgency into their game in the second half and by the 65th minute had equalised. Substitute House scored both goals, the second from the penalty spot after Ben Embery had handled, City could not regain their early sparkle after these shocks and Dorchester becoming more confident scored their wiinner three minutes from time through Fuge.