ALAN BANKS SIGNS FOR THE GRECIANS

October was not the best of months for City as they faltered in their promotion push. The first three games were all home draws (0-0 v Aldershot; 1-1 v Darlington and 0-0 v Halifax). These were then followed by two 2-0 away defeats at Chester and Halifax.

With only one goal scored in 5 games it was clear where the problem lay and City’s Chairman, Reg Rose, was very public about the search for a striker to add to the squad. An attempt to sign Ron Cairns from Rochdale fell through.

Maybe this talk of a new player galvanised the City squad. They beat York City 1-0 at St James Park although local journalists were unconvinced. One wrote ‘What is keeping Exeter City in the promotion race? Well if this game is anything to go by it is just blind luck, for City deserved to lose by three goals’.

Then on 23 October ‘everything that had gone wrong with Exeter City’s much maligned and moaned about forward line went right against Tranmere Rovers. City clicked at last’. The Grecians won 5-0 with goals from Peter Phoenix, Arnold Mitchell, Dermot Curtis, John Henderson and Graham Rees.

Despite the two home wins the City Directors were still out to strengthen the team. Finally on Friday 25 October it was announced that a club record fee had secured 25 year old Alan Banks, an inside forward from Cambridge City. The club were reported to have paid £3000 plus add ons to Cambridge and a further £2000 to his former club, Liverpool.

After playing at Liverpool for 4 years (seven goals in eight appearances) Alan had scored 120 goals in two and a half seasons at Cambridge. In one period he scored in 25 consecutive games.

So City fans were licking their lips while Alan and his wife Mary were enjoying some late October sunshine.  In an interview on the Grecian Archive Alan recalls leaving “foul weather” in Cambridge and arriving at Exeter Central in “roasting sunshine”. Taken on a drive around the area by City Director Les Kerslake, Alan recalls seeing people sunbathing on Exmouth Beach. “We couldn’t believe it and thought this is alright. We’ve been here ever since. Exeter City is my club”.

The following day City drew 1-1 at Barrow and Alan made his debut in a 2-1 defeat at Tranmere on the Monday night. A loss maybe but Express and Echo reporter Tony Court had seen something he liked: ‘Alan Banks is a success. A big success. At Tranmere last night he came into Exeter City’s side like a blood donor after an accident...a vitally important carrier of new life’.

By the end of the season Alan had played 28 games and scored 18 goals - a crucial contribution to our promotion. He went on to become one of only three City players to score over 100 League goals. A true Grecian legend.  

Promotion Factfile

Today’s opponents Lincoln City are one of only three teams in League 1 this year that we played in the promotion season. The others were Carlisle United and Oxford United. One – Brighton are now in the Premier League and 12 have dropped to non-league.