Jim Iley, a notable player of the 1950s and 1960s, had a single season as Exeter City’s manager following the club’s relegation from Division Three in 1984. In what proved to be a disappointing time at the club, the Grecians finished 18th and Mr Iley was sacked in contentious circumstances.

Having been a youth player with Pontefract Collieries, Jim Iley turned professional with Sheffield United in 1953 and played 99 league games before embarking on a two-year stint at Tottenham Hotspur between 1957 and 1959. He then had three seasons with Nottingham Forest before totting up 232 league appearances for Newcastle United between 1962 and 1969. 

Playing for England under-23s earlier in his career he became player-manager of Peterborough United on leaving Newcastle and had also managed Barnsley, Blackburn Rovers and Bury before his appointment by City’s chairman Cliff Hill as the replacement for Gerry Francis in June 1984. 

Recently sacked by Bury, Jim Iley’s background and circumstances were remarkably similar to those of Colin Appleton who eventually replaced him. In spite of a horde of new signings, the Grecians could never rise above the bottom third of the table in the first season after relegation. The two cup competitions failed to enliven proceedings - knocked out of the League Cup by Cardiff City and the FA Cup by non-league Enfield - and none of the new signings really brought much excitement. Although the situation wasn’t nearly as dire as in many seasons before or afterwards, Mr Hill in April 1985 considered it once again time to dismiss the manager. But Jim Iley objected and enjoying surprising support from those supporters who were growing restless over the perceived state of the club, called a public meeting and talked of buying out Cliff Hill.   

In the end he was soon gone to be replaced by Colin Appleton who, although he was in post for longer, wrote a rather similar chapter in the club’s history. Not managing in the Football League again, Mr Iley died in Bolton in November 2018 aged eighty-two.