SATURDAY 8th APRIL 1967.

TWO MEDIOCRE TEAMS.

ROCHDALE 1:

EXETER CITY O
Jones: Smyth, Ley; Wilkinson, Harford McNeil; Keeley, Blain, Ryan, Stuckey, Godfrey

Scorer: Rochdale : Calloway.

Attendance: 1,294.

The only goal of the game between two mediocre sides came three minutes before half time from Calloway who ran onto a short free kick the with anis shot beat Ken Jones, City from benefit of a strong wind at their backs in the first half and with this advantage looked the more composed, alert, and skilful team, but their good running lacked the final thrust. In the opening 30 minutes, Jones, the Rochdale goalkeeper, made good saves from Bruce Stuckey, Peter Godfrey, and Ray Keeley, while the City defence made a good job containing the Rochdale attack The surprise goal and Rochdale playing with the wind after the interval altered the run of play but with Ernie Wilkinson and Ray Harford still doing an efficient job as twin defensive pivots, threats were rare, Rochdale, as strong as Exeter when facing a late last 15 minutes rally from City did not allow either Jim Ryan or Ray Keeley to get free in this late period, City certainly regained their earlier midfield control and penned Rochdale in their own half but did not possess sufficient finishing power,

WESTERN LEAGUE.

EXETER CITY 2
Smout; Taylor, Nash; Mustard, Goad, Balson; Richardson, West, Wingate, Buckingham, Smith 

MINEHEAD 4

Holehouse; Smale, Clausen(T); Jacobs (C), Madge, Jacobs (F); Jackson, Smith, Clausen(M), Morgan, Williams,

Scorers: Exeter: Buckingham, Wingate,

An entertaining game in which City were beaten by a workmanlike Minehead team, Exeter pulled back a one goal deficit and even took a 2-1 lead, but could not hold Minehead,

NO QUESTION OF JOCK BASFORD RESIGNING.

Exeter City board of directors held an informal meeting at St James' Park last Tuesday to discuss a weekend newspaper report that forecast manager Jock Basford would quit the club at the end of last season, After the meeting chairman Les Kerslake said that no action had been taken and that there had been no question of Jock Basford resigning. It stated in the report that Basford was not happy with the club's policy for next season of only having one team.

MONDAY 10th APRIL 1967.

JOCK BASFORD SACKED. FRANK BROOME OFFERED THE POST.

After several days of speculation on whether Jock Basford was resigning as manager of Exeter City, and the empahatic denial of such a situation arising by chairman Les Kerslake, the club would appear to have taken an amazing about turn by sacking Mr Basford, Mr Kerslake said today that Basford was not under contract to Exeter City and had been relieved of his duties as team manager and also given notice to terminate his employment with the club, Mr Basford who joined Exeter City as trainer in 1965, was told of the board's decision by Mr Kerslake this morning. The directors held a meeting before Saturday's Western League match with Minehead at St James' Park, Yet only that day Mr Kerslake had been quoted in the Express and Echo that there was no question of Mr Basford resigning Instead, only hours later, the board decided to sack Basford instead!

Approaches have been made to former City manager Frank Broome, now in Australia, to see if he will come back to St James' Park, The general running of the club in the meantime will be left to the board, Mr Broome has been contacted in Sydney and there is a chance he may be back before the end of the season if he accepts City's offer, Mr Broome was successful last time he was at Exeter when the team played some of their most attractive football. He joined Exeter City as manager in January 1958 and left for Southend United as their manager in May 1960,