Remembered for his fourteen goals in 1933/34 and as the scorer of the goal when Exeter City defeated Torquay United to win the Division Three (South) Cup that season, locally-born Stan Hurst played for Exeter City between 1932 and 1936. He joined the club from Tipton St John and later played for Watford, Brighton and Aldershot before returning to play an active role with Crediton United for many years.

Working as a railway porter at Tipton St John station and playing for the village club, he was given a chance to shine by the Exeter City reserve team towards the end of the 1931-32 season. Prior to playing for Tipton St John, he had appeared for Jackson’s United (Crediton) and Newton Poppleford.

He made his Football League debut, whilst still registered as an amateur in the game against Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic in October 1932. Playing in eight league games during 1932-33, Hurst was finally given a professional contract, and the following season he really established himself as a first team regular with 14 goals in 34 league games, making him top goalscorer. He remained at Exeter City until 1936, and had the honour of scoring the club’s 1,000th league goal against Brighton and Hove Albion that year. He also scored the winner when City beat Torquay United 1-0 to win the Division Three South Cup at Home Park, Plymouth on 2 May 1934.  

He then had one season with Watford where he scored 12 goals in 29 league outings. He then signed for Brighton and Hove Albion and spent two seasons there, netting 11 goals in 33 league games. His final league club was Aldershot in 1939-40, playing and scoring once. He played for Reading in the London League during the Second World War before retiring. 

He was to return to Devon and played for Crediton United in 1947-48, later becoming chairman of the club, before being banned from football sine die after a cup defeat in the 1950s ended in disorder. 

An appreciation of Stan’s career appeared in the Exeter City programme on the centenary of his birth and can be found elsewhere on the archive.