Although he did not appear for Exeter City's first-team in league or cup football there is a case for including Basil Cook in the archives of first-team players by dint of the high-profile and unusual nature of the friendly in which he featured in December 1953.     

South African-born, Basil joined Leeds United from Benoni near Johannesburg in 1952. Without making a first-team appearance whilst at Elland Road, he also failed to make a breakthrough when with Torquay United. Signing for Exeter late in 1953 and playing several times for the reserves,, he was given his opportunity in a floodlit friendly against FC Wien on 17 February 1954. Playing in a strong starting XI in front of a 6,000 crowd Basil had taken Andy Donaldson's place for the night but was never given another opportunity.