1959 Lovegrove, Vic
Birth Date
1st January 1970
Occupation
Goalkeeper
Biographical Text
Teenager Vic Lovegrove played in goal for Exeter City 'A' in the South Western League on several occasions during 1959/60.
Originally a centre-forward, Vic had enjoyed an impressive goalscoring record for both Ladysmith School and the district representative team in the English Schools' Trophy. According to the local press he attracted the interest of around twenty clubs - including both Exeter City and Everton - before accepting the offer of a place on the groundstaff at Portsmouth early in 1959 having just turned sixteen.
Soon leaving Fratton Park and returning to home to Devon, Vic found himself taking on a goalkeeping duties for City's 'A' team and, with John Lobbett and Alan Jones sharing duties for the first-team, other clubs were reportedly soon looking at Vic should he be deemed surplus to requirements at St James' Park. This led to the offer of at least one trial and, in Vic's subsequent absence from the scene, prompted the club to once again call upon the services of Barney Singleton after a gap of five years.
Vic, who later played for Bideford in the Western League during which time he faced City's reserves, died in Exeter in 2021 aged seventy-eight.
Originally a centre-forward, Vic had enjoyed an impressive goalscoring record for both Ladysmith School and the district representative team in the English Schools' Trophy. According to the local press he attracted the interest of around twenty clubs - including both Exeter City and Everton - before accepting the offer of a place on the groundstaff at Portsmouth early in 1959 having just turned sixteen.
Soon leaving Fratton Park and returning to home to Devon, Vic found himself taking on a goalkeeping duties for City's 'A' team and, with John Lobbett and Alan Jones sharing duties for the first-team, other clubs were reportedly soon looking at Vic should he be deemed surplus to requirements at St James' Park. This led to the offer of at least one trial and, in Vic's subsequent absence from the scene, prompted the club to once again call upon the services of Barney Singleton after a gap of five years.
Vic, who later played for Bideford in the Western League during which time he faced City's reserves, died in Exeter in 2021 aged seventy-eight.
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Comments
Jay
Your second paragraph is in fact related to the same person. Source, I'm his son and have all the letters from Portsmouth.
Hope that helps.