EXETER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB IN SEASON 1977-78

GRECIANS BACK IN DIVISION THREE

As Exeter City went back into the Third Division for the first time in thirteen years it was admitted by the club that they need about three more new players, but that needing them and getting them are two quite different things.

The main priorities are a central defender, a midfield player, and a forward, or possibly a utility man. But new players will only be brought to Exeter if the directors and the manager are convinced that they are as good or better than the men who are already here.

The old policy of signing new players just because they happen to have free transfers was discarded years ago. The City club and its supporters have every confidence in the men who won promotion last season, and they are the type who should do well in the Third Division. But when the question of injuries or possible loss of form arises then the question of numbers also arises.

FRUITLESS ENQUIRIES

Mr Saxton, the manager, revealed that during the summer he had made between 25 and 30 positive enquiries about players. These have been fruitless because either their clubs want too much money or either the player is not for sale. The need for another central defender is fairly urgent because there are only four experienced defenders on the staff. These are some of the men that Exeter City have made enquiries for:

1. The former City favourite Jimmy Giles, now at Charlton. Not for sale.
2. David Rogers, of Bristol City. Not available.
3. Lee Roberts, who was here on loan from Shrewsbury Town at the end of last season and was involved in the final promotion matches.

The City had been optimistic that they could get Roberts on a permanent transfer, but Shrewsbury stated that the player may be wanted for the Football League Cup-tie against Oxford, and this could delay Exeter's chance of signing him.

So it seems that the City will have to look elsewhere for a central defender, and the search could even switch to America. They are said to be interested in a player who has been with a North American club in the summer and who is due back this month. He is an experienced man who has been with several League clubs, and there are some conflicting reports of him. But unless someone else is obtained in the meantime the enquiries will be pursued upon his return to this country. In midfield, of course, there is the fact that Lammie Robertson wants to leave.

The target has always been Colin Randell of Plymouth Argyle as the replacement for Robertson, but a combination of circumstances means that no deal can be completed yet.

MIDFIELD PLAYERS

The search for midfield players has continued throughout the close season, and these include:

1. Alan Waldron, of Bolton Wanderers, fee £20,000.

2. David Giles, of Cardiff City, too expensive.

3. Jimmy Mann, of Bristol City, not available for release.

4. John Trewick, of West Bromwich Albion, not for sale.

So it means that the City start in the Third Division with 16 players, and this includes the former Exeter winger, Bruce Stuckey. He is back at St James's Park on a monthly contract, and it is not yet decided whether or not he will be engaged on a full-time agreement. It will take a month or two and a few matches to find out what it is going to be like for the players in the Third Division, but the City have no fears of the step up.

There is a gap between the Fourth and the Third Division, as far as ability is concerned. There will be many better teams in the Third than in the Fourth, and the going will be interesting. More will be known of what the City's players are capable of in their new sphere in a few weeks' time, but as previously stated, the City club, and its followers, have every confidence in the quality of the players at St James's Park.

Wrexham are the bookmakers' favourites for promotion, and are quoted at odds of four to one. Rotherham, Carlisle, and Lincoln City come next at six to one. Exeter City are quoted at 25 to 1. But the bookmakers are not always right. One newspaper survey shows that Exeter will finish bottom of the Third Division, and that they will be relegated, with Tranmere, Port Vale, and Bradford City!

Directors:- Messrs F.Dart, president, L.Vallance, chairman, W.Rice, vice-chairman, J.Cowley, C.Hill.

Secretary:- Mr P.Wakeham.
Player-manager:- Mr R.Saxton.
Trainer:- Mr J.Edwards.
Captain:- J.Hore.

EXETER CITY PLAYERS

As described elsewhere, Exeter City's attempts to strengthen their playing staff in time for the start of the season have so far met with no success. In addition Lee Roberts, who did so much to further the City's cause in the promotion chase, has had to return to his own club, Shrewsbury, who do not seem anxious to part with him on a permanent transfer.

Tony Morrin, who left Exeter in March for Stockport County, at about the same time that Keith Clapham decided to try his luck in the Australian Football League, has now moved on to Rochdale. Geoff Gay has fixed up with Southport and Peter Darke with Torquay United. So the City will kick off in the Third Division with a staff of 16 tried and trusted professionals, which includes Bruce Stuckey, who has rejoined the club from Bournemouth, plus the two apprentices, Paul Smythe and Roy Ireland, and three amateurs, Dick Forbes, Phil Howe, and Phil Hartnell. John Laskey, Alan Hooker, Mike Green, and Mike Jordan are not retained.
The Squad 

John Baugh
Richard Key
John Hore
John Templeman
Keith Ford
Peter Hatch
Bobby Saxton
Lammie Robertson
Paul Smythe
Bruce Stuckey
Graham Weeks
Alan Beer
Keith Bowker
Harry Holman
Roy Ireland
Tony Kellow
Bobby Hodge
Nicky Jennings

Practice Match
CITY OPEN WITH FIVE

Saturday July 30th 1977.

St James's Park, Exeter, attendance 1,000.

EXETER CITY 5 NORWICH CITY 0.

Preening themselves for re-entry to the Football League's Third Division, Exeter City had a successful pre-season workout at St. James's Park on Saturday (kick off 7.30 p.m.) when they slammed visiting Norwich from the First Division by 5 goals to 0. They might have won by an even bigger score, but not unexpectedly they took time to settle down. As it was, four of the goals came in the second half, from Beer, Jennings, Kellow, and Templeman, Weeks having opened the account after 23 minutes of the first half. It will be remembered that the City scored 14 goals in their last five matches of 1976-77 when clinching that promotion spot. By the end (indeed, well before the end) of this match it was difficult to see which team was First Division and which was Third. At the same time Norwich, who hardly broke into a canter all through, did not appear to be trying very hard.

Exeter City:- Baugh; Templeman and Hore; Weeks, Saxton, and Hatch; Hodge, Kellow, Robertson, Beer, and Jennings.

Norwich City:- Hansbury; Ryan and Sullivan; Fowler, Jones, and Powell; Neighbour, Reeves, Busby, Suggett, and Peters.

Referee:- Mr A. Ellis of Exeter.

BLADES CUT CITY DEFENCE SECOND PRACTICE MATCH

Tuesday August 2nd 1977.

St James's Park, attendance 900. EXETER CITY 1
SHEFFIELD UNITED 4.

Exeter City were given a sharp reminder of what it will be like to face teams at the top end of the Third Division, when they lost to Sheffield United by four goals to one. The visitors served early notice that they had no intention of follow ing in the footsteps of First Division Norwich, and the City, winners over Norwich by 5-0 on Saturday, fielded a reshuffled side which was really no match for the "Blades."

Exeter City:- Key; Templeman and Hore; Weeks, Ford, and Hatch; Hodge, Kellow, Bowker, Holman, and Jennings.

Sheffield United:- Smelt; Cutbush and Garner; Longhorn, Colquhoun, and Franks; Woodward, Campbell, Edwards, Hamson, and Hamilton.

Referee:- Mr A.Ellis.

The City contributed to their own downfall. At times their passing was slap-happy and careless, and intercepted passes led directly to some of the goals against them. Holman scored Exeter's goal in the 15th minute after a shot from
Kellow had been parried by Smelt.

City Crash
AND ROBERTSON IS SENT OFF

Friday August 5th 1977.

St James's Park, attendance 1,200.

EXETER CITY 1 MINEHEAD 4.

Any lingering hopes of invincibility that the Exeter City players might have felt following their 5-0 win over Norwich a week ago were torpedoed with a sickening thud when they floundered and sunk against the part-timers from Minehead on Friday evening. To complete a night of misery for the City Lammie Robertson, who has just about the worst disciplinary record of any Exeter player past or present, was in the wars again, and was ordered off the field by Mr Atkins for laying out Durbin after being tackled by that player in the 75th minute.

Robertson, as a result of that needless indiscretion, will have to miss the City's first League match of the season, away to Walsall in a fortnight's time. All in all this was a dismal performance by Exeter. The team was a shambles, and whether or not they unconsciously relaxed against the Southern League part-timers is not known. Perhaps they thought they could win without undue effort. The defence conceded four goals in 62 minutes. The first two were the fault of the defenders while the other pair were the fault of the goalkeeper, Key. Alan Beer scored Exeter's goal, which equalised Minehead's first one, in the 27th minute.