Tucker, Henry Judson
Henry Tucker, head of a private school in St Leonard's, was an enthusiast for the association football code in Exeter a decade or so before the formation of Exeter City's predecessor club in 1901. He was involved in at least one attempt to establish a viable club in the early 1890s together with encouraging the game in schools.
Born in Totnes, Henry Judson Tucker arrived in Exeter to run Southernhay School which, by 1887, had become Park House School. An enthusiast for soccer, in a city where rugby held the upper hand, he started organising in-house matches and games against other schools from around 1888 (at which time there was already professional football in the north and midlands).
Helped in his efforts by the likes of Alexander Stuart, Mr Tucker encouraged other schools to take up the sport and was instrumental in organising an Exeter Association Club to face Crediton Grammar School in October 1890.
Further efforts were made during the 1891/92 season, with Mr Tucker as secretary, when the club ran on more formal lines and played a number of fixtures with a home ground on Matford Lane in St Leonard's. Although the club soon folded, to be replaced by another Exeter Association club in 1893, a start had been made in putting the game in the city on a firmer footing. By 1898 Exeter United had emerged to appear in a Devon Senior Cup final played in front of 8,000 people in Plymouth to be followed by St Sidwell's United, forerunner of Exeter City, several years later. Mr Tucker had played his part, albeit relatively modest, in the gradual process of football in Exeter catching up with other towns and cities.
Born in Totnes, Henry Judson Tucker arrived in Exeter to run Southernhay School which, by 1887, had become Park House School. An enthusiast for soccer, in a city where rugby held the upper hand, he started organising in-house matches and games against other schools from around 1888 (at which time there was already professional football in the north and midlands).
Helped in his efforts by the likes of Alexander Stuart, Mr Tucker encouraged other schools to take up the sport and was instrumental in organising an Exeter Association Club to face Crediton Grammar School in October 1890.
Further efforts were made during the 1891/92 season, with Mr Tucker as secretary, when the club ran on more formal lines and played a number of fixtures with a home ground on Matford Lane in St Leonard's. Although the club soon folded, to be replaced by another Exeter Association club in 1893, a start had been made in putting the game in the city on a firmer footing. By 1898 Exeter United had emerged to appear in a Devon Senior Cup final played in front of 8,000 people in Plymouth to be followed by St Sidwell's United, forerunner of Exeter City, several years later. Mr Tucker had played his part, albeit relatively modest, in the gradual process of football in Exeter catching up with other towns and cities.
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