On Saturday 26th August 2023, Exeter City will host Reading at St James Park for the first time since October 1993. The visitors won that game 4-6! I will take a 6-4 win for City on Saturday.

Both clubs have had varied success in those near 30 years, with City, perennial Division Three (League Two) strugglers, eventually relegated to the Conference in 2003, a club suffocated by it’s awful owners.

Relegation to the Conference brought new hope to City, who had to start again from the ground up. Once the wretched owners had been placed under arrest (the pair later admitting to charges in relation to fraud and financial irregularities), the Supporters Trust eventually assumed control, and the rebuilding of the club, and it’s reputation, was to start in earnest.

20 years later, us City fans should be immensely proud how far we have come both on and off the pitch. In those early days after relegation and with the club in very real financial trouble, one man stepped up to the plate to lead the first team into it’s first season in Non League football. That man was Eamonn Dolan, more affectionately known as Eamo.

Dolan led City to a 6th place finish, with 69 points, missing out on the playoffs on the final day of the season. It was very much “City vs the world” in those early Conference days, with clubs & managers calling for points deductions. Eamo stood with us.

Reading enjoyed much better fortunes, until recent times. They reached the promised land of the Premier League in 2006, enjoying a fantastic 8th place finish in their first season. The prior season, they won the Championship with a truly remarkable points total of 106, the highest points total ever achieved at that level.

Last season saw them relegated to the 3rd tier for the first time since the 2001/2002 season. A 6 point deduction for failing to comply with financial regulations sealed their fate. The Royals finished the season 5 points from safety.

This season has again started in acrimonious circumstances for Reading, who have just received another 1 point deduction, with a further 3 suspended, for failing to pay players on time on the 3 separate occasions. Another club that has been hamstrung by its ownership.

Between the years of 2004 and 2016, Eamonn Dolan was the academy manager at Reading Football Club, where he joined from City. During his spell at the club, he oversaw the integration of 32 academy players into the first team squad.

My personal experiences of Eamo date back to his time working as the Community Officer for City. He used to coach the summer training camps for school kids during the holidays, which I always attended.

I can still clearly remember some of those sessions. They were always fun. There would always be a new drill to try. Eamo and his trusty assistants went the extra mile to ensure that us kids had a fantastic experience. I can remember playing footgolf, trying our hand at American penalties and much more.

The one thing that always sticks in my mind the most, is just what a great, funny and kind guy he was.

Eamo started working in this capacity after his playing career was cut short while at City. In 1993, Eamonn was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

A testimonial match was played at City against West Ham in September 1994.

Dolan had started his career with the Hammers and made 15 appearances for them, scoring 3 goals. He also enjoyed a short spell at Birmingham City, where he made 12 appearances, before joining City in 1993. He made 26 appearances for the Grecians, scoring 4 goals. Dolan was also capped 5 times (scoring once) by the Republic Of Ireland U21’s.

Eamo sadly passed away on the 20th June 2016, aged 48, after another battle with cancer.

On his passing, John Madjeski (ex Reading Chairman & owner) said, “the most amazing gentleman you could wish to meet”.

This Saturday, the 2 clubs that Eamo devoted so much of his life to, will pay tribute to him in the 48th minute with a period of applause. Hopefully, for those old enough to remember the great man, we will be able to fill SJP with chants of “Eamo, Eamo” once again.