1974-1982 and 1991-1993 Gerald Vallance
Biographical Text
Gerald Vallance, who ran a warehousing and road haulage business near Newton Abbot, was initially chair of Exeter City between 1974 and 1982 when he presided over some of the most successful times in the club's history. He later returned to the role between 1991 and 1993.
Aged around fifty, Gerald Vallance first joined City's board in 1970 when Fred Dart was chair of the board. With Mr Dart stepping aside in 1974, Mr Vallance took over the club towards the end of John Newman's seven-year stint as manager and was to appoint Bobby Saxton as his replacement. As Saxton soon enjoyed success in steering the Grecians to promotion to Division Three, he was tempted elsewhere leading to the arrival of Brian Godfrey at the club. 9th and 8th place finishes in Division Three soon followed together with the memorable run to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1981. City were starting to look a more viable option to new 'investors' and, with Cliff Hill seeking to buy a majority shareholding, Mr Vallance stepped to one side.
Remaining on the board, he then saw the arrival of a number of new directors - including Ivor Doble who took the chair between 1985 and 1991. The Division Four championship was won in 1990 but then affairs took a turn for the worse when Ivor Doble was suspended by the Football Association in 1991. Of Cliff Hill and himself, Gerald Vallance was slightly the younger and took the role as stop-gap chairman whilst Mr Hill started to consider the eventual sale of his stake in the club.
Ivor Doble eventually returned to the hot seat although Lewis Gerald Vallance remained on the Exeter City board until his death in Torquay at the age of eighty in 2000.
Aged around fifty, Gerald Vallance first joined City's board in 1970 when Fred Dart was chair of the board. With Mr Dart stepping aside in 1974, Mr Vallance took over the club towards the end of John Newman's seven-year stint as manager and was to appoint Bobby Saxton as his replacement. As Saxton soon enjoyed success in steering the Grecians to promotion to Division Three, he was tempted elsewhere leading to the arrival of Brian Godfrey at the club. 9th and 8th place finishes in Division Three soon followed together with the memorable run to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1981. City were starting to look a more viable option to new 'investors' and, with Cliff Hill seeking to buy a majority shareholding, Mr Vallance stepped to one side.
Remaining on the board, he then saw the arrival of a number of new directors - including Ivor Doble who took the chair between 1985 and 1991. The Division Four championship was won in 1990 but then affairs took a turn for the worse when Ivor Doble was suspended by the Football Association in 1991. Of Cliff Hill and himself, Gerald Vallance was slightly the younger and took the role as stop-gap chairman whilst Mr Hill started to consider the eventual sale of his stake in the club.
Ivor Doble eventually returned to the hot seat although Lewis Gerald Vallance remained on the Exeter City board until his death in Torquay at the age of eighty in 2000.
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