1955
Harry Browne
Harry Browne was born and brought up in Burnthouse Lane, Exeter, until he joined the Royal Engineers for three years.
During that time he played a lot of sport including soccer for Fleet Utd in the Hampshire League and for the REs in Aldershot, when he played with and against many young professionals several of whom went on to represent their country.
On terminating his service late 1955 he returned to his parents’ home (Chestnut Avenue) which is when he was invited for a trial at SJP.
Harry wrote to the Grecian Archive in 2020 and wrote
"Throughout these couple of months while in Exeter, I continued playing football and enjoyed the highlight of my footballing career. One Wednesday just before Xmas (1955) and just after lunch a person turned up to our house with the message that I had been invited up to St. James Park for a trial with the Exeter City Football Club. Evidently, Hedley Sheppard, my ex coach at Fleet Utd, had written to the Club with a recommendation. I was taken to St James Park and then told that I would be playing (at right half) for the first team in a friendly match against St Luke’s College. The College, at the time was a Physical Training establishment and a force in both football as a prominent member of the Western League and rugby enjoying first class fixtures. I took Fred Davey’s place in the team and other players I can recall were Bill Short (goal), Dick Walton, Arnold Mitchell (captain), Theo Foley, Ted Buckle, David Robinson. Ronnie Burke, “Spud” Murphy and William Whiteside (another young player, from Northern Ireland, having a trial). I thoroughly enjoyed the match especially as I was particularly fit in those days and was told that I had performed really well. Exeter ran out winners by 10 – 0 and I was very pleased with myself. Unfortunately, as I was just twenty-one years old, the Manager (Norman Dodgin) felt I was just too old to be taken on as an apprentice and he had no room for another professional. He recommended me to Topsham Town which club participated in the Exeter & District Premier League and where I played for the few weeks before taking up residence in Truro."
In 2020 Harry was living in Perth in Western Australia and still follows the City’s fortunes.
He returned to the UK to watch the Grecians in 2007, the first time City played at Wembley (from where his photo was taken).
During that time he played a lot of sport including soccer for Fleet Utd in the Hampshire League and for the REs in Aldershot, when he played with and against many young professionals several of whom went on to represent their country.
On terminating his service late 1955 he returned to his parents’ home (Chestnut Avenue) which is when he was invited for a trial at SJP.
Harry wrote to the Grecian Archive in 2020 and wrote
"Throughout these couple of months while in Exeter, I continued playing football and enjoyed the highlight of my footballing career. One Wednesday just before Xmas (1955) and just after lunch a person turned up to our house with the message that I had been invited up to St. James Park for a trial with the Exeter City Football Club. Evidently, Hedley Sheppard, my ex coach at Fleet Utd, had written to the Club with a recommendation. I was taken to St James Park and then told that I would be playing (at right half) for the first team in a friendly match against St Luke’s College. The College, at the time was a Physical Training establishment and a force in both football as a prominent member of the Western League and rugby enjoying first class fixtures. I took Fred Davey’s place in the team and other players I can recall were Bill Short (goal), Dick Walton, Arnold Mitchell (captain), Theo Foley, Ted Buckle, David Robinson. Ronnie Burke, “Spud” Murphy and William Whiteside (another young player, from Northern Ireland, having a trial). I thoroughly enjoyed the match especially as I was particularly fit in those days and was told that I had performed really well. Exeter ran out winners by 10 – 0 and I was very pleased with myself. Unfortunately, as I was just twenty-one years old, the Manager (Norman Dodgin) felt I was just too old to be taken on as an apprentice and he had no room for another professional. He recommended me to Topsham Town which club participated in the Exeter & District Premier League and where I played for the few weeks before taking up residence in Truro."
In 2020 Harry was living in Perth in Western Australia and still follows the City’s fortunes.
He returned to the UK to watch the Grecians in 2007, the first time City played at Wembley (from where his photo was taken).
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Paul
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Harry Browne
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