Origins

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

19. St Sidwell’s United move to St James’ Park

In the early 1900s there’s little doubt that St James’ Field or Park was considered the premier association football ground in the city.  It had been home to the leading ‘City Clubs’, Exeter AFC and Exeter United. So when it became vacant in the 1903 close season, St Sidwell’s United not surprisingly grabbed the opportunity to move there.  In so doing St James’ became the club’s second ground after two years at PinhoeRoad.  

It hadn’t been at all clear what was going to happen to St James’ Park.  In 1902 Exeter United had lost their home when a large wooden building was erected for the exhibition to support the 34th Annual Co-operative Congress in the city.

The problem for the former tenants was that the building wasn’t taken down after the Congress. Indeed, it was acquired by Walter Little, an art photographer and printer, to hold music and dancing events.  The disturbance from these proved unpopular with local residents who complained and secured restrictions.

There was a musical event held on 2 June 1902 – a promenade concert to celebrate the end of the Second Anglo-Boer War. But Little was worn down by complaints and court appearances. In January 1903 he appealed to timber merchants and builders to tender for the building. By February it was gone, and sport was soon being played at the Park once again. To start with it was rugby, but that didn’t deter St Sidwell’s United from eyeing the possibility of a move to the ground. And they’d have been further encouraged by the demise of Exeter United.

We hear about the move on 20 August 1903.The Devon Evening Express simply announced: ‘Exeter St Sidwell’sUnited Soccer Team has commenced practising on their new ground, St James’s Park, Old Tiverton-road.’ And it was to be a community resource.  The Western Times reported on 28 September that ‘anyone requiring St James’ Field for football purposes on any day of the week can have same on application to the Secretary’.

The Western Times also revealed that St Sidwell’s first team would ‘play the first match of their season on their new ground at St James’ Park when they meet a strong XI from Paignton’. This friendly on 26 September was won 3-0 with goals from serial scorers Eveleigh, Thomas and Sillick.

However, the honour of hosting our Club’s first official game at the ground goes to the Reserves who played a Junior League match with Friernhay on 12 September winning 2-0 with goals by Russell and Aplin. They also played League games at the Park against St David’s on 19 September (won 1-0) and versus Exmouth Albion (won 1-0) prior to the first team’s Paignton game a week later.

Despite exploring alternatives including Barnfield (1907) and Matford (1995), St James’ Park has remained, bar a few FA Cup games and friendlies at the County Ground, the club’s home stadium ever since.