Ahead of the club’s transition to professional football in 1908 Exeter City hired Jack Banks, formerly with West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United and Plymouth Argyle, to guide the club through the process as paid player-coach. Playing regularly in the second-half of the final Plymouth and District season, he remained at St James’ Park to assist incoming manager Arthur Chadwick whilst making a couple of Southern League appearances. 

Arriving at St James’ Park aged thirty-two, and making his debut in January 1908, he was effectively Exeter’s first professional as the club plotted entry to the Southern League later that year. Having joined West Bromwich Albion, his local club, as a teenager in 1893 he made over a hundred league appearances as well as playing on the losing side in the 1895 FA Cup final. Moving on to Manchester United in 1901, he joined Plymouth Argyle in 1903 just as the Pilgrims were entering professional football and stayed to make around seventy-five Southern League appearances.     

Keeping a home in Plymouth, Jack subsequently played in London for Leyton before Exeter City secretary Sid Thomas persuaded him to take up a role with the last of Exeter City’s amateur teams. Playing regularly at first, he made 15 Plymouth and District League appearances during the second half of 1907/08 prior to the club recruiting Arthur Chadwick to be its first paid manager. Remaining at the club primarily as a coach, Jack helped settle-in an almost entirely new squad of players predominantly recruited from the north of England. Making just two Southern League appearances himself, against Southend United and New Brighton, he retired from playing at the end of the 1908/09 season. 

Jack Banks died in Barrow-in-Furness in 1947.

Exeter City

Plymouth and District League 15, Southern League 2 (17)

Career Record