SATURDAY 1st APRIL 1967.

The League leaders,  Stockport County, won another couple of points towards promotion at St James's Park when they defeated a poor Exeter team by 3 to 0.

EXETER TROUNCED

EXETER CITY were well held by Stockport County's blanket defence in the first half at St. James's Park.

Considering their exalted league position, the visitors did very little attacking. But Stockport took the lead in the 18th minute in what was their first real attack of the game. Price, their liveliest forward. scored off the far post as Lister jumped over the ball to deceive the goalkeeper. Half-time:

EXETER CITY.0 STOCKPORT C. 1

Exeter had no answer to the livelier Stockport side in the second half, when goals were scored by Lister and Atkins


EXETER CITY 0,
Smout; Smyth, Ley: Wilkinson, Harford, Thompson; Keeley, Blain, Ryan, McNeil, Godfrey,

STOCKPORT COUNTY 3
Fleet; Haydock, Goodwin; Stuart, Woods, Jones, Price, Atkins, Horrin, Kevan, Lister (Parry),

Attendance: 4,059,

Match Summary 

Price, Stockport's liveliest forward, scored off the far post in 18 minutes as Lister jumped over the ball to deceive the goalkeeper. They increased their lead in the 50th minute, when Lister brilliantly turned a header into the corner of the net. Atkins got a third three minutes from time.

CITY WILL FIELD ONLY ONE SIDE NEXT TERM.
Exeter City are to have only a Football League side next season with 15 or 16 full time professionals. They are withdrawing from the Western League and the Exeter and District LeaguesThis was announced last night and commenting on the decision Chairman Les Kerslake said that this was not a negative step but positive action to concentrate all the efforts of the club into a successful League side which is the lifeblood of the clubThis policy had already been adopted successfully by some Football League clubs, notably Portsmouth, Mr Kerslake said that the decision had been taken as a direct result of the lifting of the maximum wage restrictions for players and the introduction of selective employment tax, Negotiations had already been started with St Lukes College about the possibility of playing their Western League matches at St James' Park next season for the benefit of the 200 or so people who normally watch the City reserve side in action, The board are confident that with the financial economies that will be made, more money will be available for team strengthening in the future which will be to the benefit of all supporters of the club. The policy decision is something, for next season and is not necessary an everlasting solution. It will save the club several thousands of pounds a year,

MONDAY 3rd APRIL 1967.

NEVER THOUGHT OF QUITTING CITY.

Is Jock Basford quitting as manager of Exeter City ? It was forecast in a national Sunday newspaper that he will leave the club at the end of the season, but Mr Basford today said he has never initiated quitting. Indeed Jock Basford thought that the article had gone overboard as it mentioned next seasons policy and his alleged dislike of it, The City manager said the thought of quitting Exeter City has never entered his head, He admits that the club had it's problems this season and realises there is a lot of work still to be done, Mr Basford has never been on a contract at Exeter and has said that if he decided he was going to leave the club, he was the type of person that would automatically let the directors know first. 

WEDNESDAY 4th APRIL 1967.

BIDEFORD SO CONFIDENT AGAINST CITY.
FRIENDLY.

BIDEFORD 1 EXETER CITY 1  

Team
Jones; Smyth, Ley; Wilkinson, Harford, Thompson; Stuckey, Blain, Ryan, McNeil, Godfrey. Scorers: Bideford : Penny. Exeter Blain,

Bideford can be very well pleased with their performance in this floodlit friendly against a strong Exeter City side. The confidence that they gained against their Fourth Division opponents should stand them in good stead for future Western League games, City were a little disappointing. They had a good first half with some entertaining well drilled moves and it is easy to understand the concern which attends Exeter's lack of finishing this season, Ernie Wilkinson and Dixie McNeil not only kept a tight grip on the home attack but maintained a good service to a forward line in which Jimmy Blain continually taught the eye and with anything like efficient finishing, Bideford could easily have been in arrears at half time. After the interval it was Bideford who emerged as the more enterprising team against a City side who became ragged, Former City player Peter Bennett rattled the Exeter crossbar. It was from the same spot that Blain hit the underside of the bar with a successful penalty kick after Pope had handled give City a 5th minute lead, Bideford got on terms in the 43rd minute, also from the penalty spot Penny giving Ken Jones no chance.