Hopes for the season 

The Squad 

Pre-Season Matches 

23rd July 1987
Friendly 
Tottenham H (h) 

DUTCH TREAT

EXETER CITY 0-1 SPURS

by Trina Lake

METGOD MAGIC sank Exeter City in their first pre-season friendly against the Tottenham Hotspur all-stars at St James's Park last night.

Stylish Dutchman Johnny Metgod marked his Spurs debut with a brilliantly taken 54th- minute goal. The big-money close-season signing from Nottingham Forest glided into the penalty area to receive an immaculately weighted pass from Clive Allen and drilled the ball inside the post from six yards. It was a perfect start for the man bought to fill the cavernous midfield gap left by Eng- land hero Glenn Hoddle, now playing in Monaco.

Metgod certainly did enough in his 45-minute appear- ance as a second half subs- titute to convince one canny observer that Spurs have invested wisely. “I think he can do more for them than Hoddle because he sees things so early and releases the ball quickly to set so many things in motion. And he takes up some great positions," said City manager Colin Appleton. “And I don't think Hoddle would have scored a goal like that. It was hit so cleanly," he added.

Metgod was one of a quartet of internationals who came to liven up the second half and give the bumper crowd of nearly 4,000 something to savour. The slick skills of men like Clive Allen, Chris Waddle and Ossie Ardiles came to the fore as Spurs gradually began to turn on the style. But to City's credit, they weren't overawed by their multi-million pound opponents and kept their composure well under mounting pressure. Nick Marker had a particularly impressive game in the middle of City's back four no sign of the sweeper system this time- and didn't give Nico Claesen much room to exploit his goal-scoring flair. City looked defensively sound and there was a more solid look about their midfield. Dean Edwards, Brendon O'Connell and Paul Batty showed some neat attacking touches but never had quite enough guile to upset the likes of the oh-so-reliable Gary Mabbutt and sharp-Scot Richard Gough.

Against such exalted opposition, it was hard for City's new boys to make their mark but Appleton was pretty pleased with the overall performance of his reshaped squad. “I feel there is a bit more to work with than we had last season. There were a few things we didn't get right tonight but that's what pre-season games are about. We've got time to improve," he said. There was general disappointment that Spurs didn't bring former City winger Mark Robson back to St James's Park for a farewell appearance. He was left at home in London while the more established first teamers did their stuff.

But for hundreds of young fans, the First Division aristocrats made up for that with some excellent public relations work. The players willingly posed for photographs and signed autographs before and long after the match.

Exeter City:

Shaw, Nisbet, Viney, Marker, Taylor, Carter, Harrower, Edwards, O'Connell, Batty, Olsson. Subs Kellow, Williams, Cooper (on for O'Connell, Edwards and Olsson, 67 minutes).

Spurs: Clemence, Polston, M. Thomas, Gough, Fairclough, Mabbutt, C. Allen, P. Allen, Claeson, Samways, Galvin. Subs Metgod, Hodge, Waddle, Ardiles (on for Thomas, Samways, Galvin, P. Allen, 45 minutes).

Attendance: 3,930.

3rd August 1987
Devon Bowl Final 
Exeter 1-0 Plymouth Argyle