Bailey, who had already appeared for St Sidwell's United, made a solitary first-team apearance during the first season the club bore the name of Exeter City.

An occasional player, but never a regular, for St Sidwell’s United during 1902/03 and 1903/04 he played a single first-team game for Exeter City at centre-half against Dawlish on 1 April 1905. Nothing is known of him after this game.

[This was possibly Fred Bailey but not the one who was born in late 1893 and killed at the battle of the Somme in 1916. The 1901 census records a Frederick A Bailey - aged 20 and working as a railway fireman - living in the since-obliterated Rosemary Lane on the old Exe Island off Bonhay Road].