After falling back into Division Four after the 1965/66 season, City had spent several years battling their way through the Fourth Division, until they were finally promoted back to Division Three in 1977, after finishing in a respectable 2nd place in the league table.

Exeter tallied a total of sixty-two points from the forty-six league games played in that season. Meanwhile, City unfortunately dropped out of the FA Cup in the first round, and the League Cup in the second round, following low-scoring losses against Southend United and Norwich City respectively. Nevertheless, finishing 2nd in the league confidently sealed promotion for the Grecians.