The beginning of a new era 

In the Summer of 2003  the chance to step in and help the club arrived, the Exeter City Supporters Trust were in a very good position to run Exeter City on a day to day basis, albeit, at first on a temporary arrangement. This happened after Devon and Cornwall Police raided the club offices and the homes of Russell and Lewis, and took them, along with Russell's wife, off for questioning. The Police also took away various paperwork as part of their investigation into financial irregularities at St James' Park. Former chairman Ivor Doble asked the Trust to take charge, and in the meantime, after long and detailed discussions, he passed his majority shareholding to the Trust. At one stage it looked as if the deal might fall through, but by then the leading members of the Trust were determined not to see Exeter City FC die.

Squad as of December 2003


EXETER CITY

Team Colours: Red & White

Manager: Eamonn Dolan

1 JAMES BITTNER
2 SCOTT HILEY
3
4 MARTIN THOMAS
5 SANTOS GAIA
6 CHRIS TODD
7 JAMES COPPINGER
8 GLENN CRONIN
9 REINIER MOOR
10 SEAN DEVINE
11 GARETH SHELDON
12 DANIEL CLAY
13 JOHN ALBON (sponsor)
14 STEVE FLACK
15 BARRY MCCONNELL
16 LEWIS REED
17 MARTIN RICE
18 SEAN CANHAM
19 KWAME AMPADU
20 ALEX JEANNIN
21 DEAN MOXEY
22 LES AFFUL
23 GRAHAM CHEESEMAN
24 DOMINIC RIVANS
25 DANIEL SEABORNE
26 DWANE LEE
28 ANDY TAYLOR
29 LYNDON DUNCAN
And sponsored shirt 
30 MATT HODGSON

Backroom 

WHO'S WHO

Honorary Life President: Clifford Hill
Honorary President: Ivor Doble

Board of Directors: David Trehane (Chairman) lan Huxham (Managing Director); Geoffrey Styles (Company Secretary): Julian Tagg (Vice Chairman); Barry Sansom; Roger Monksummers, Roger Hamilton- Kendall

Associate Directors: Dave Bennett, Paul Dobson, Keith Hartshorn, Dave Newbery, Steve Perryman MBE, Malcolm Shelbourne, Norman Warne

Director of Football: Steve Perryman MBE

Team Manager: Eamonn Dolan

Player-Assistant Manager: Scott Hiley

Team Assistants: Dick Bedford, John Wills Centre of Excellence Manager: Tiv Lowe
Youth Development Officer: Mike Radford
Physio:- Claire Turner
Football in the Community: Jamie Vittles
Club Doctor: Dr. David Kernick
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon: Peter Schranz FRCS
Football Administrator. Sally Cooke
Commercial Manager: Andy Gillard
Shop Manager. Kelly Ingleson
Club Chaplain: Richard Chewter
Head Groundsman: Martin Vaughan
Assistant Groundsman: Dave Richards, John Fox
St James' Centre Manager. Ann Aldridge
St James' Centre Ass. Manager: Ellie Busby
St James' Centre Bar Manager: Emily Kay
Ground Safety Officer: Malcolm Thompson
Match Officials Co-ordinator: Tony Ellis

The views of Barry Sansom

This time last year many of us were looking forward to the start of a new season and with the prospect of our club gaining promotion or reaching the play offs etc. Instead we had a nightmare season which has seen extravaganza, Star Wars incursions, mystical powers people, magical person and a pop Idol.

We saw Uri Geller enter the 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Outta Here'; we had promise upon promise of a brighter future, a former Premiership star player, Lee Sharpe; other loan players who never amounted to much, save George Pilkington from Everton and another couple. We had rising debts, threats of court action, nepotism off the pitch, a failing 'Centre Spot' social club, caterers pulling out, industrial tribunal, players not getting paid, Directors being arrested!

The list is endless. To cap it all we are now entering our Centenary Season in the Nationwide Conference after a real rollercoaster of a season. I look back and think of the good times there are few. Our FA Cup run was one and the support we had from the Express & Echo, and of course the gallant attempt from former manager Gary Peters to keep us up and continue to play in the Nationwide Football League Division Three.

The biggest and best thing, in my opinion, to come from all of that nightmare season is the fact that since the departure of John Russell and Mike Lewis, we have seen three chaps, namely Ian Huxham, Terry Pavey and Julian Tagg, who are dedicated to the Club and are doing all they can with the assistance of the Exeter City Trust, Express & Echo, Grecians' fans and others to help stabilise our Club and try to get us out of the mess we are in. The problems stretch back much further than last season though, as we all know. We seem now to be looking to the future a future where our Club is a Community Club, one of which we will in time all be able to look back and feel proud once again and not be embarrassed as we were last season. No more the laughing stock. No more gimmicks. We all have a part to play in the future of our Club, whether it be helping with work parties that have been taking place at St James' Park, selling the weekly Bond draw, joining the Exeter City Trust, going to the matches, buying Club merchandise, sponsorship, and so on. I have my three season tickets for the same seats we have had since the Cowshed was reopened into an all seated stand. It is great to watch the Big Bank from where we sit and join in chanting from afar and I am sure the Big Bank will swell with pride in the coming months.

If we give the players and management the support, they will give you 100% in return. There is a 'feel good' atmosphere around the Club at the moment and the Centre Spot seems to be a happier place to be of late. I listen to the feedback from the working parties at the ground in recent weeks, and Grecians in the Spot, and I have not heard one negative comment to how things are progressing at the moment with our Club. So that is indeed good news. I personally am disgusted with the amount of work we have had to do around the ground and the begging we have had to do to secure labour and materials to get the repairs done (Still loads to do). The ground has been neglected terribly, not only the Park but the Cat and Fiddle Training Ground as well! It is plainly obvious that NO money had been spent on these problems and of course just allowed to get worse. The groundsmen who I have got to know pretty well these past few weeks have had a torrid time in the past, no materials, inadequate machinery, lack of manpower etc. They have done the best they can under ridiculous circumstances, so all the help we can give them is appreciated.

The road ahead is a long one. Let's not be under any illusion and a quick return to Division Three is not the priority (although it would be terrific), The priority is to get Exeter City Football Club back on a sound financial footing and to put the Club in the hands of the Community in a way it has never been before.

The day where we see our lads running on to the pitch in our colours is close (3pm today!). We should be full of optimism and be thinking how best we can serve our Club and players. Like I said above we all have a part to play.

Exciting times ahead!!!

No more embarrassment, no more gimmicks football. just enjoyable City

I remember the days in the Cowshed where I used to stand in the mid 60's and travel to the local derbies, great times, great atmosphere!. Let's bring them back to the Park big time!!!

YOUTHFUL PROMISE

There was no one more happier than Youth Development Officer Mike Radford when it was announced that Exeter City FC were to be placed in the hands of the Supporters Trust by majority shareholder, Ivor Doble. For rumours which had surfaced about cuts involving the Grecians' youth scheme were firmly scotched.

"There was never any danger of the youth scheme folding," said Radford. "If anything the new men in charge of the Club want to promote and expand the set- up, but obviously the first priority has to be getting the senior team right and the finances sorted.

This season, City have taken on new trainees - Peter Monks from Yeovil; Danny Seaborne from Holsworthy; Jak Martin, Exeter; Matt Wonncaott from Newton Abbot. They join second year trainees, Martin Rice, Danny Clay, Eddie Forbes, Jimmy Alexander, Dominic Rivans, Dean Moxey, Dave O'Connor and Jonathan Harris.

"All the lads on the scheme are ambitious and are all hungry for first team football. People have seen from Eamonn Dolan's selections that he is not afraid to use the young lads if they have the right ability, attitude, and application.

"Eamonn is very youth orientated and he is well aware of the potential for producing our own players and bringing them them through for the first team, via the Centre of Excellence managed by Tiv Lowe, then into the under 19s and on to the senior squad."