MONDAY 14th APRIL 1969 .

ALAN BANKS IS EXETER CITY PLAYER OF THE YEAR.

Alan Banks is Exeter City's Player of the Year for the 1968-69 season, He received the award on Saturday evening at the Exeter City Supporters Club annual Player of the Year dance at St George's Hall, Banks has missed almost half the season with a knee injury, which was operated on in January. Despite playing only one game since then he is still the club's leading scorer. The Supporters Club dance was attended by players and officials of Exeter City and members of the supporters club,

FRIDAY 18th APRIL 1969.

JOHN NEWMAN OFFERED CITY PLAYER MANAGER POSITION.

John Newman, 35, captain of Exeter City has been offered the position of Player Manager at St James Park, His decision is expected to be known after City's trip to Chester and Wrexham this weekend, The offer came at last night's meeting of the board of directors, Newman and trainer Bert Edwards took joint control at the City following the sacking of Frank Broome at the beginning of February, Since the duo were put in temporary charge the City have hauled themselves away from the bottom four positions, having taken 18 points from 14 games. Newman has plenty of experience as a player and joined Exeter from Plymouth Argyle in November 1967he said today that he wants to think the offer over and will give the board his decision next week.

FRIDAY 2nd MAY 1969.

NEWMAN TAKES OVER AS PLAYER MANAGER.

John Newman has accepted the position of player manager with Exeter City, The 35 year old City skipper takes up his duties immediately at St James Park after saying yes at last night's board meeting. His acceptance will not surprise anyone following his success together with trainer Bert Edwards since February, lifting Exeter clear of the re-election zone. He said after his appointment; "It is a big challenge and a big step. I am going into it with my eyes open and I hope I can do a good job. I have thought it over for a long time and certain things have been resolved between the directors and myself, Let us hope I have done the right thing and that we can all pull together,"

PLAYERS RELEASED AND RETAINED 

Exeter City have released four players on free transfers including 34 year old Keith Harvey, Crediton born centre half who has been at St James Park for 17 years. The club are hoping to arrange a testimonial match for Harvey in recognition of his loyal service at St James' Park. The other three players given free transfers are Dermot Curtis, Keith Whatling, and John Kirkham,

Retained players at the City are:- Peter Shearing, Cecil Smyth, Jimmy Blain, Campbell Crawford, Graham Parker, John Newman, Mike Balson, John Corr, Alan Banks, John Wingate, John Mitten, and David Pleat,

Exeter City's two loan players, Brian Sharples, and Fred Binney, will return to their own clubs, Birmingham City and Torquay United respectively. Amateur centre forward Alan Pinkney will not be with Exeter next season, for he is to return to the London area after completing his course at St Lukes College.

SATURDAY 10th MAY 1969.

GILES JOINS CITY.

Exeter City today signed 21 year old midfield player John Giles from Bristol City for a fee which player manager John Newman described as being reasonable, Giles played for the Bristol schools side when they reached the final of the English Schools Trophy and five years ago signed for the Ashton Gate club. He was a part time professional for 18 months before becoming a full timer. A fee of £2,000 is thought to be involved.

FRIDAY 16th MAY 1969.

67 YEAR OLD AMONG THE WALKERS.

More than 300 people will be taking part on Sunday in the Exeter City Supporters Club 15 mile sponsored walk which will start from St James' Park, Possibly the oldest walker will be 67% year old Mrs Hoare, a season ticket holder who has been a season ticket holder since 1912. One of her Uncles was a founder of the club, The organisers of the walk hope to raise £500 for the club, Several players including player manager John Newman are taking part, The walk starts at 10am, and all entrants are asked to enter the ground through the St James' Road entrance,

MONDAY 19th MAY 1969.

GRANNIES COMPLETE THE TREK.

Two women in their late 60's were amongst almost 200 people who despite the blustery showers yesterday completed a 15 mile sponsored walk organised by the Exeter City Supporters Club, First home in 2hrs 10mins was Marine Corporal David Collings, Three girls who took part in the walk had to walk 7 miles in Exeter from Dunsford before tackling the 15 mile course. It is hoped that over £500 will be raised from the event,

THURSDAY 22nd MAY 1969.

CITY SIGN FORMER BATH CITY PLAYER.

Bob Bearpark, a former Devon and Gloucestershire County player has signed forms for Exeter City. A utility player, Bearpark has also played for Bath City and the national training college side. He is  teaching at Totnes at present but will shortly be moving to Exeter University. Bristol born, Bearpark 26, is a qualified coach and is the brother of former City goalkeeper Ian Bearpark.

WEDNESDAY 28th MAY 1969.

CECIL SMYTH ASKS FOR A TRANSFER.

Cecil Smyth, Exeter City's 28 year old Irish full back is on the transfer list at his own request. The club are asking for a fee but have not disclosed the figure, Smyth who has been with City for seven seasons feels that a change of club will do him good, He originally wanted to go to South Africa if he was granted a free transfer but City said he was too good a player to let go for nothing. Smyth joined Exeter from Irish League club Distillery and has made around 300 League and Cup appearances.

FRIDAY 30th MAY 1969.

SOCCER HISTORY AT CREDITON.

A unique tribute to Crediton born Keith Harvey, Exeter City's longest serving player released at the end of last season was paid at last night's presentation evening of Shelley School Football Club in Crediton, Gathered in his honour were 23 past and present players and officials of exeter City Football Club who represented six decades of soccer at St JamesPark, The gathering was the idea of Ray Ellis who is in charge of soccer at the school, he spent three weeks tracing ex City playershe found 40 but not all were able to be present, The senior ex professionals present and probably the best remembered was Dick Pym, City goalkeeper in the years before the first World War. Others present included Harold Blackmore, Digger Ebdon, Steve Walker, Frank Houghton, Arnold Mitchell, and present player manager John Newman, Mr Ellis said that he thought this gathering was the most fitting way to pay tribute to a player who has shown such loyalty to Exeter City.

THE FOURTH FORM FANS WILL BOOST CITY FUNDS.

A group of 20 young Exmouth school supporters of Exeter City FC plan to help the club's finances with a 30 mile walk to the St James Park ground from Torquay United's ground at Plainmoor on Sunday, Already two of the walkers have been sponsored for £25 and they have not yet finished their canvasAll the walkers are fourth formers at Exmouth School and they will set out from Plainmoor at 11am and hope to do the walk in about 9 hours.

SATURDAY 14th JUNE 1969.

WINGATE SIGNS PROFESSIONAL FORMS.

John Wingate Exeter City's 20 year old amateur centre forward starts as a full time professional for the club from 1st July. Wingate signed amateur forms for Exeter in February and made his debut on 6th March, He is a former Devon County and Dawlish Town player.

FRIDAY 20th JUNE 1969.

STEVE MORRIS FOR CITY.

Exeter City manager John Newman today signed another of the men he hopes will help take the club into the Third Division, He is 19 year old utility player, Steve Morris, who has been signed from Bristol City at a fee which Newman describes as reasonableMorris, 5'9" and 10st 10lbs did not play in Bristol City's first team but was on the fringe of doing so on several occasions. He joined Bristol City from school as an apprentice professional four years ago, progressing through their youth teams to the Football Combination side of which he was a regular member last season,

SATURDAY 21st JUNE 1969.

BRIAN SHARPLES REJOINS EXETER CITY.

Exeter City completed their close season signings yeaterday by securing Bruce Walker from Bradford City and Brian Sharples from Birmingham City, both on free transfers, Walker is a 22 year old left winger, direct, fast, and clever, He was a regular at bradford City and joined them 18 months ago from Swindon Town, Centre half Sharples was with Exeter last season of course, on loan from Birmingham City, but the Midlands club have released him on a free transfer and Exeter City resigned him in competition with three other League clubs, he had a knee operation but he has now fully recovered,

TUESDAY 24th JUNE 1969.

EDWARDS TO JOIN BARNSLEY.

There was a surprise announcement from St James' Park today that Bert Edwards, the Exeter City trainer for nearly two years, is leaving the club at the end of the week to join Barnsley as physio/trainer. The new full time trainer will be Keith Harvey who was released by Exeter nearly two months ago after being with the club for 17 years, Edwards was associated with the coaching at City for some years before taking over as trainer in July 1967, giving up his job as a GPO telephone engineer, Harvey did the trainers job when Edwards was ill last year, he also had a spell as trainer three years ago, but was later recalled as a player, he will take over his new duties on Monday, he is pleased to be back at the Park and said it would be a good opportunity for him.

FRIDAY 27th JUNE 1969.

FRUSTRATING FOR NEWMAN.

This Summer there is a definite shortage of players in the transfer market and one manager who is finding his search for new signings particularly frustrating is Exeter City's John Newman, The City boss has made definite enquiries for more than 20 players who interested him, and had actually interviewed at least eight of them. These have either rejected the City offer or are stalling for as long as possible in case they get a better offer elsewhere,

TUESDAY 1st JULY 1969.
HARD WORKER ALAN GOAD.

Alan Goad was 19 when Exeter City gave him a free transfer. That  was in the Summer of 1967, Hartlepool United made him an offer and Goad was glad of the chance to try his luck a second time. It proved to be much more rewarding with the Durham club giving Goad a League chance that never came at Exeter, Now he looks back on two seasons with Hartlepool and is rated hard working and tenacious by his current manager Gus McLean,

MONDAY 7th JULY 1969.

CURTIS SIGNS AS A BIDEFORD DEFENDER.

Dermot Curtis, the former Exeter City player has signed for Western Leaguers BidefordBut another former City player, manager Graham Bond, has not signed Curtis for use as a striker, he is to play the former Eire International at centre half Curtis, 34, has had two spells with Exeter and has vast playing experience which should prove useful to Bideford.