George West was the secretary and motivating force behind Exeter Wesleyan United in the early years of the twentieth century. He was also to serve as the founding secretary of the St Sidwell's United club that eventually evolved into Exeter City.

With schools football established in the city several years previously, Exeter church and youth organisations also started to field teams from around 1900. Some of these were either church lads' brigade or boys club sides, one of which was Exeter Wesleyan United - formed for the 1900/01 season - which had links to both the chapel and Sunday school on Sidwell Street. And, with many of its' members either current or recent pupils of St Sidwell's School, there was an obvious overlap with the St Sidwell's United club which emerged in 1901.