Norman Kirkman, the second of Exeter City’s managers after World War Two, was only in post for twelve months between March 1952 and March 1953 before accepting the manager’s job at Bradford (Park Avenue) where his term was little longer than his time at St James’ Park. 

A full-back, he had been a fringe player at Burnley before the war prior to signing for Rochdale in 1946 and later playing for Chesterfield, Leicester City and Southampton. Never appearing in a great number of games wherever he played, his total number of league appearances for his four clubs was just 126 over a six-year period. 

Arriving at St James’ Park from Southampton in March 1952 as player-manager, and successor to Geoge Roughton who was heading in the opposite direction, Norman played eight league games during the remainder of the 1951/52 campaign but just three the next time around. He was unable to rescue the Grecians from finishing 23rd (of 24) in what was left of his first season but there was an improvement in 1952/53 when City eventually finished six places higher than the season before. Mr Kirkman had signed the likes of  Hugh Kelly, Jim Dailey, Eddie Murphy and Jackie Knight - as well as introducing future stalwarts Keith Harvey and Arnold Mitchell to the club - when, somewhat out-of-the-blue, he accepted the better-paid job of boss of Bradford (Park Avenue) in March 1953.

As it transpired his stay in the West Riding lasted little longer than his time at Exeter and he departed the scene in 1954 to work as a baker and scout for various clubs whilst also briefly returning to management with Northwich Victoria in the mid-1960s. 

Norman Kirkman died in Bolton, where he was born, at the age of seventy-five in November 1995.