Hanging proudly in the Exeter City Football Club Museum room is a green shirt. It had been worn by Dermot Curtis when he played for Eire against Austria in Vienna on 25 September 1963. In so doing Dermot became the first ever Exeter City player to turn out for his country in a full international match while at the club. It was another 40 years before this feat was repeated (Dwayne Lee for Grenada) and to date only seven have made their mark in this way.

Not only was it the season when Dermot was capped but he was a key player in the promotion triumph playing 32 league games and scoring 9 goals (second to Alan Banks on 18). Curtis had joined City at the start of the season after the Grecians paid out £1000 to Ipswich Town. It was considered quite a coup as the Dublin born Irishman had been part of the squad in the Tractor Boys’ 1961/2 First Division title win under Alf Ramsey and already had 16 international caps to his name.

Dermot’s first goal of the season came in the 1-0 home win against today’s opponents Carlisle United. The Express and Echo report captures the flowing move that led to his finish. ‘A slashing cross field ball from George Ley to Graham Rees. A quick pass inside to Arnold Mitchell. A transfer to Dermot Curtis and a shot from the Eire leader and Exeter City had broken Carlisle United with a goal in the first minute of the game’.

Alan Banks, talking to the Grecian Archive, described Dermot’s qualities. “He was one of those players who, although he wasn’t very tall, had a fantastic leap. Dermot was there all the time for any crosses that came in. He had one of those traits that when he jumped he seemed to hang in the air. He knew where I was and he used to nod them down to me. He set up many goals for me”.

Curtis left Exeter for Torquay in 1966 having played 91 League games and scoring 23 goals. He returned to City a year later and played a further 66 league games, scoring 10 more goals. He bowed out from the game by playing for Bideford, captaining the side to the Western League title in 1970-71. After retiring, Dermot worked close to St James Park as a panel beater for Locomotors in Sidwell Street. He died in November 2008 aged 64. He was one of the original group of players inducted in to City’s Hall of Fame in 2014.

 Promotion Factfile

On 10 January 1963 it was reported that City had appointed a new Director – Fred Dart, a Shaldon businessman. Dart had purchased shares and made a loan of cash. Express and Echo football reporter Tony Court wrote ‘I spoke to the new Director and he would only say “no publicity please”.