Origins

Celebrating 120 years of the Grecians – The St Sidwell’sUnited Story

17. St Sidwell’s United retain league title in second season

St Sidwell’s United’s second season – 1902/3 – was, if anything, even more successful than the first. The icing on the cake was successfully defending the Exeter and District Junior League title.

The season hadn’t started auspiciously.  In their opening match away at the Devon Regiment, the Grecians lost 4-3.  But it was, in effect, an informal pre-season friendly and totally failed to indicate what was to follow.

For after that opening defeat St Sidwell’s went on an amazing run of what appears to be 17 consecutive victories before succumbing 1-0 in the Devon Junior Cup at home to Plympton on 14 February 1903. Notable victories during this purple patch included a 10-0 friendly win over Bovey St Johns, an 8-0 friendly win versus Crediton Grammar School, an 8-1 League win against Friernhay and, putting the first game of the season well and truly to bed, an 8-2 thrashing of the Devon Regiment in a repeat friendly.

If there was a wobble during the season, it came after the Cup defeat.  St Sidwell’s also lost two of their next three games with a 2-3 League defeat at St Luke’s Reserves and another 2-3 defeat in a friendly at Tavistock.

But that was it. Apart from a late season draw at home to Crediton YMCA, St Sidwell’s won all their remaining matches. By the end of April, local newspapers were reporting that they were the Junior League champions.

As in the season before, this meant that St Sidwell’s would take on a Rest of the League XI. In 1902 the Grecians lost 1-0. This time, playing at their Pinhoe Road ground on 25 April,they triumphed 10-2. Regular goalscorers throughout the season, Eveleigh, Thomas and Sillick each grabbed two.  Davies (2), Avery and Coles scored the others.

The Devon Evening Express reporter was impressed: ‘St Sidwell’s gave their finest display of the season, it being a treat to watch the grand work of the forwards, and the manner they beat their opponents with the ball was delightful to watch, and the large crowd greatly admired their display.’

The same paper reflected that St Sidwell’s ‘has had a splendid season with both 1st and 2nd teams. The 1st played 32 matches, of which 28 have been won, 1 drawn and 3 lost, and scored 132 goals against 36.’ There’ll be more about the Reserves in the next article.

The way the team had coped with the significant slope at the Pinhoe Road ground brought particular comment: ‘The Club has had a splendid defensive division this season, as not a single goal has been scored against them at home whilst defending with the slope, and their attacking power has been equally as good, as nearly as many goals have been scored by them against the slope as with it.’

For the next season, St Sidwell’s United – Exeter’s leading association club – would be based at St James’ Park. And they’d be competing with seven other clubs in a new East Devon Senior League.