EXETER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
The Grecians:
Season 1924 1925

The last two or three weeks have been interesting ones in the history of the Exeter City Club. August 11th saw the players, old and new, assembling for their first week of training for what will undoubtedly be a momentous campaign for the Club. It is some years now since the senior team occupied a respectable place in the League table at the end of the season. Since the first season that followed on the war they have always wagged with the League tail, or drooped with it. They finished up in the tenth position in that season (1919-20), and then in the next one, 1920-21, came the ominous drop to nineteen out of twenty-two, and the next after that twenty-one out of the same number, and, like the "fly who has dropped into the milk," Exeter City has been struggling ever since. But there was something in the persistent flounderings of this particular fly in the latter part of last season that leads. to prospect of it climbing the side of the jug once more, and drying its wings in preparation of further flight. There seems to be no reason at all why the Club should not continue this season in the same strain that chacterized the play during the first few months of this year, when St. James's Park proved the Waterloo of a number of the most Napoleonic teams, and away matches yielded so few points to opponents. 

THE OLD BRIGADE
The chief requisite of a continuation of this success the Club already, to a large extent, possesses, namely, the men responsible for it.
Harry Bailey, Bob Pollard, Stanley Charlton, Andrew Flynn, Joe Colburne, Ellis Crompton, Albert Potter, Billy Crawshaw, "Jazzo" Kirk, Alfred Matthews, Wilfred Lievesley, Jack Davis, James Murray, and George Shelton all did their bit in that big effort to keep the Club's head above water in the closing months of last season, and all are ready to give of their best again. The one member, and one of the most highly regarded men ever to wear the red and white of the Grecians, of the "old brigade" who will not be reporting again for duty, is John Dockray, who has accepted the post of player and coach to Bideford Town. The "Carlisle Express" will be missed. The City have also lost Hunter, last year's skipper until injury cost him his place with Coleburne succeeding to that same place and the captaincy, and George has gone back up North, to Workington. McIntosh, Gilchrist, Gallogley, Batten, and Lowson have all gone, and there will be an ex-Grecian colony at Barrow this season, for in addition to signing Frank Lowson they have also picked up Carrick from Stockport County, and Charlie Vowles. Other former Grecians on the move include Harry Fryer, from Torquay United to Halifax Town, and Len Southway from Aberdare to Merthyr Town. The Wolves, who are back in the Second Division after a season in the Third, have added to their playing staff that grand half-back, John Mitton, who has been at Sunderland for three and a half seasons.

AN IMPORTANT SEASON FOR THE CLUB

And reference is now made to the second important event in the preparation for and opening of the new season. The word "important" is used because every event which has gone to make up the augury of this season for Exeter City is important, because of its effect in the future on a season which shows every prospect of being a very important one for the Club. The second event was the first public practice match on the 16th of August, when everyone had their first view of the new players. The view was extremely satisfactory. For a first test the players showed very good form. The new men playing were Appleyard, of Barnsley, Compton and Jones, winger and half-back, both of Bristol City, and Pullan, of Rochdale. There was also Newman, the little outside-right who has rejoined Exeter City after one season away, and two amateurs, Harold Blackmore, inside right or centre-forward, and B.Burdon, right-back. The game left the impression that the Club should not find much difficulty in constructing a thoroughly reliable defence, and that a lively, clever attack can be evolved after a little experimenting.

AMATEURS ONLY
The event of the following Wednesday actually made history, for a trial match exclusively for amateurs was played for the first time as far as Exeter City are concerned. The experiment is likely to be repeated at intervals throughout the season, and it might develop into a regular custom. It is a convenient means of keeping the City Club familiar with the talent in the district, and it is, furthermore, an encouragement to the amateur. This game contained some very useful footballers, among them Twoze, of Wellington, who scored four goals, Hurst, who has played for Cleethorpes, also for Boston, Chapman (Willey's Cadets), Perry (Friernhay), and the two goalkeepers, Croft (St. James's), and Letheren, who is doing his best to maintain the traditions which Dick Pym made for Topsham.

OPTIMISM PREVAILS AT ST. JAMES'S PARK

There is an air of comradeship at the Exeter City headquarters that augurs well, and the Directors' policy in retaining from last season all the men that really mattered, apart from John Dockray, and securing in addition just a few keen young men of the right sort to fit in as occasion demands is one that commends itself to everybody. The optimism to which expression is given in official quarters and in the training room would appear to be particularly justified at the present time. A good, fighting side should be available in each of the two main competitions, the Football and Southern, with the "Chiefs" proving a force to be reckoned with in away matches, as well as on their own ground. There should be a lot less in the unfortunate matter of injuries which came the way of the Club last season, and not merely because of the reversion to the old system of League fixtures, but also because the wet summer has kept the playing fields just right for football.

The manager, Mr Fred Mavin, has the assistance again of the trainer, Andrew Tucker, and Jim Orchard is trimming the turf.

BIOGRAPHIES OF THE NEW GRECIANS

RICHARD JONES'S first club of note was Skelmersdale United. Whilst playing regularly for them at left half he helped them to win both the Liverpool County Combination and the Liverpool Cup in 1919-20. Then he removed to Oldham Athletic, where he had Stanley Charlton as one of his colleagues, also Bob Stewart and Jimmy Carrick. In his first season with Oldham, Jones took part in sixteen League matches, but suffered a knee injury in a second round Cup-tie, at Barnsley, which kept him out for the rest of the season. Making a complete recovery, he appeared in Oldham's Football League side on nine occasions in 1921-22, and then joined Rochdale, for which team he made 32 appearances in the Northern Section of Division Three in the season before last. Last year Jones played for Stockport, and made fourteen appearances with the "chiefs," including Lancashire Cup-ties, and always operating at left half. Now Jones and Charlton have come together again, and the performances of this hefty man, who comes from Ashton-in-Makerfield, will be watched by Exonians with eager interest.

GEORGE C. APPLEYARD, of Rotherham, who was with Barnsley all last season, is an earnest young player of medium build. Playing for his school team at centre-forward, he had to snatch his football when he could, as his connection with the fish trade kept him at work on most match days. He then obtained employment in the Mills at Rotherham Forge, and along with his brother joined the Works Football Club. It was during this time that, playing centre half in an emergency, he created a sensation and astonshed himself and all who knew him, for he took a shot at goal and the force of the ball dislodged the crossbar, which fell on the goalkeeper's neck and put him out for the rest of the game. Appleyard at the time was only 5 ft 5 ins. It may have been the fame of this feat that attracted Rotherham Town's attention, for the next season found him on that club's books, playing centre-forward, inside left, and even outside left, and scoring fifteen goals. From Rotherham Town, the young Appleyard went to Rawmarsh Athletic, who play in one of the Sheffield and District Leagues, and in his first season there he scored 42 goals in 28 matches, following this up with a bag of 35 goals in the next campaign. Barnsley sat up and took notice, and he was signed on by the "Colliers" last season, during the course of which he took part in four Second Division matches and scored in the ones against Leeds United and Bury.

WILLIAM A. COMPTON, who is giving a Bristol flavour to the Exeter City forward line at outside-left, just as Alf Matthews and Harry Kirk are doing on the right, has had rather a curious experience. Taking up the left full-back position in his early 'teens, he kept to it when assisting successively the South Street School XI., the Victoria Albions, the Gloucester Regiment, and the Bristol Motor Works (Tramways.) Then, more for amusement than with any ideas of taking up Soccer as a profession, he went to Ashton Gate, the home of Bristol City, by invitation, and found himself pitchforked into a vacancy at outside-left. And outside-left it has been from that day till this, a matter of four seasons. With Joe Harris, and then Pocock, available for the outside-left berth in the Bristol camp, Compton was given few chances of distinguishing himself, and hopes. to get an opportunity now. Last season he scored thirteen goals in Southern League matches for the Bristol City Reserves.

ROBERT LAUDER PULLAN, who appeared at centre-half in Exeter City's first practice match, is a native of Darlington, but has lived in Sunderland for most of his life. He commenced playing soccer for the Dawden Colliery team, which he captained for two seasons from the inside right position. From the North-East Pullan migrated to Bristol City, where he has spent the last four years, generally playing at right half. Most of his games were with the Reserves, in the Southern League, but last winter he was drafted into the first eleven for the Cup-ties, and appeared with the "Chiefs" in eight matches, reverting to his old position of inside right. He made the acquaintance of Alf Matthews and Harry Kirk whilst with the "Babes," playing alongside and behind Matthews.

FRANK NEWMAN'S inclusion in the list of new players is necessary because last winter he was on the books of Halifax Town, after he had spent two seasons with Exeter City, whom he joined originally from Port Vale. "There isn't much to say about my reason up at Halifax," he declared, "except that I was in and out of the team all the time, and the weather there was awful compared with what one gets down this way." Newman, whose every centre is a serious threat to the opposing defence, and who wastes no time dallying with the ball, should have a very good season at Exeter. He seems likely to drop back almost at once into his excellent form of three seasons ago.

EDWIN HAMPSON, the young and enthusiastic centre half back from Yorkshire, who came down last week for a month's trial, has created a very favourable impression already. A native of Sheffield, and a tall, well built player, he has had four seasons experience with the Treeton Reading Room club, a miners' organisation engaged in the Association League. Hampson had a trial with the West Bromwich Albion club last season, but nothing materialised.

HAROLD A. BLACKMORE, of Silverton, assisted the Reserves in one or two matches towards the end of last season, and has now been signed on regularly as an amateur. With the right training it is thought that he will develop into a very good player, either in one of the inside positions or at centre-forward. Among other attributes, he is the possessor of a cracking left-foot shot, and he scored many goals for Silverton United by this method.

A Soccer Skirmish

EXETER CITY'S OPENING PRACTICE MATCH
Saturday, August 16th,
at St. James's Park.

Close upon four thousand people watched Exeter City's opening public practice match on Saturday evening, following on the City Supporters' Club's annual sports meeting. The only change in the teams as compared with the overnight announcement was that in the White's attack Appleyard and Blackmore exchanged positions, the new man from Barnsley taking the centre berth with the Silverton amateur on his right. The players lined up as follows:
Whites:- Bailey; Pollard, and Charlton; Crawshaw, Pullan, and Jones; Newman, Blackmore, Appleyard, Davis, and Compton.
Stripes: - Pavey; Burdon, and Flynn ; Coleburne, Crompton, and Potter; Matthews, Kirk, Lievesley, Murray, and Shelton.

Captains: Charlton and Coleburne.

Thirty-five minutes each way was the extent of the game, and no scoring occurred until three-quarter time. Potter, who shares with Coleburne the instinct for pushing an attack right home, then took the ball through, and from the outside-left position turned it over very neatly to Lievesley, who beat Bailey with a smart header into the top of the net. The dogged persistence of Davis led to the equaliser, some five minutes later, for the Plymothian did all the necessary donkey work to permit of Compton capping the attack with a very cool goal after Davis had lured Pavey from his charge. Coleburne initiated the movement which brought about the goal by which the Stripes won, and Matthews and Murray carried it out with admirable skill, the little Scot scoring at his leisure, with the Whites defence all at sea for the moment.

PRETTY COMBINED MOVES AND CLEVER INDIVIDUAL WORK.

Because so many of Exeter's players are already well acquainted with one another's style and methods, the game was better than any of the kind seen on the ground in recent years. There were some very pretty combined moves, as well as a whole lot of quick and clever individual work. Both goalkeepers were safe. Charlton was better than ever, his tackling and positional play being superb, and his partner, Bob Pollard, was also in his well known hustling and eager form. Flynn and Burdon, though lacking the class of the first team backs, look like making a workmanlike partnership when they settle down together; they showed themselves to be resourceful in their methods of repelling the rival attack.

COLEBURNE, CROMPTON, AND CRAWSHAW.

Crompton and Coleburne were outstanding among the half backs, particularly for their shrewdness and confidence in breaking up the Whites attack in the second half, when everybody had warmed to the game, and for the cleverness with which they supported the Red and White forwards. Crawshaw's classical feeding of his right wing was quite a feature, as also was "Darkie" Potter's all-round ability, anticipation, and genius for attack. The Pinhoe man would be very useful in either the first or second line. Pullan plodded along, patiently and persistently at centre-half for the Whites, giving the impression that he will never be guilty of any slackening of effort, and that he will fight to the bitter end when needs be. Jones is a strong and quick player who prefers to get the ball before his opponent has a chance, and, once having got the ball he does not waste it.

THE WORK OF THE FORWARDS.
In considering the work of the forwards it has to be borne in mind the quality of the opposition they had to contend with. More experienced players than Appleyard have been bottled up and made to look like novices by Ellis Crompton, and the newcomer need not feel discouraged. Matthews revelled in his return to action, and played a topping game. Frank Newman gave the crowd more than a glimpse of the form which made him so popular with the Grecians three seasons ago. Kirk was "up against it" in the person of Stanley Charlton, and fared badly. Lievesley led his forwards nicely, and does right in cultivating his shooting powers. Murray's skill and trickiness, and Davis's dash and fearlessness were the other features. Shelton had a mixed game, not faring too well whether faced by Crawshaw or Pollard. Blackmore gave an exceedingly promising display, although not at centre-forward, and even if he got no chances at short range gave further evidence of his unusual gift of marksmanship. He was the most dangerous man on view in this respect in spite of his limited experience in first-class football, and even at this early stage he has the makings of an Exeter City "star" of the future. Of the new signings Compton was perhaps the most impressive. Quick and fearless, he loses no time, swinging the ball across to the place where it counts most, or making a bee-line towards goal, rather in the manner of a well remembered Exeter winger, Ben Ives, of prewar days. Compton does what is best according to circumstances.
Some few scoring chances were wasted, and at one period certain of the forwards seemed to have forgotten about the offside law, but generally speaking the play was good, and the second practice match next Saturday evening, when the "gate" will go to charities, should attract a big crowd.

Result:
Red and white stripes 2, Whites 1.

SOCCER SENSATION!

City "Probables" Beaten By Four Clear Goals.

SMART WORK BY NEWCOMERS.

Exeter City's final public practice match on Saturday evening, August 23rd, took a sensational turn, the Possibles beating the Probables by four clear goals. Appleyard opened the scoring with a brilliant spectacular dash through, almost from the half-way line, and the ex-Barnsley centre-forward scored No. 2 with a very smart opportunist effort, early in the second half. Newman then added the third goal with a well-directed first-time shot, and Blackmore the fourth from twenty yards range with the opposition standing idly by. The teams were:

STRIPES:- Bailey; Pollard, and Charlton; Coleburne, Crompton, and Jones; Matthews, Kirk, Lievesley, Murray, and Compton.

WHITES:- Pavey; Flynn, and Burdon; Crawshaw, Pullan, and Potter; Newman, Blackmore, Appleyard, Davis, and Shelton.

The course of the game was influenced to some extent through the absence of Charlton in the second half, his place being filled by Lowton, the Heavitree United full-back, who has been engaged as an amateur by Exeter City. But this hardly accounts for the poorness of the Stripes forwards, who disappointed again and again when in front of goal. Owing their success to all-round enthusiasm and sound teamwork, the White's attack was led splendidly by Appleyard, whose smooth and consistently good football all through the 90 minutes stamped him as a player of more than average ability. Again watched very closely by Ellis Crompton, the Barnsley man showed nimbleness and great skill in gathering and making use of the ball, whether in the air or on the turf. He owed a great deal to the splendid support accorded by Jack Davis, the City's top scorer of last season.

THE OUTSTANDING FORWARDS OF THE DAY.
Davis played dashing football at inside-left, and showed marked improvement in the matter of finishing, for instead of attempting the impossible and getting thrust to one side for his pains, he had an eye to the whole situation, and plied his colleagues with the ball at the proper moment and in the most approved manner. In fact, Davis and Appleyard were the outstanding forwards of the day, with all four wingers in good form, even though Shelton was able to do very little till the second half, when the opposing defence changed. Pullan, from Bristol City, ordinarily an inside-forward or wing half-back, played determined football in this, his second game at centre-half. A prodigious worker, he was continually scrounging for the ball and bringing it along to the White attack, when he seemed to be almost in the role of a sixth forward. Like Appleyard and Davis, he played a very intelligent game. Another man who excelled was Potter. At breaking up the opposing forward moves he was a masterpiece, while he gave his own front liners ready and splendid assistance. Potter is an "artist" at the game, and a cool one, of the thoughtful type.

THE DETERMINATION OF PAVEY.

Crawshaw's cleverness had some thing to do with the prominence of the Whites in the first half, when the foundations for the ultimate success were laid. Hurst, of Boston and Cleethorpes, who took part in the mid-week amateur trial, took Crawshaw's place in the half back line during the second period. Flynn and Burdon were stubborn defenders, with "Andy" in his very best style, and his partner re vealing a remarkable knack of embarrassing the opposing forwards.
Pavey gave a remarkably fine display, his game all through being characterized by great confidence, extraordinary agility, and a tremendous determination to keep his charge intact. In this last he succeeded, and he deserved it richly. The defensive combination of Bailey, Pollard, and Charlton was splendid while it lasted. Later, one saw the effect on the whole side of the withdrawal from game of Charlton, who stayed off the field during the second half to prevent any risk of serious injury to a muscle which the had made itself felt. It will be remembered that Charlton was kept out of Exeter's team in the opening match of last season by an injury sustained in the practices. Coleburne and Crompton were in good form in the intermediate line of the Red and White Stripes, with Jones playing quite a useful game although hardly justifying his position in preference to Potter.

INSIDE FORWARDS PATCHY.

Matthews was outstanding in the forward line, his enthusiasm and enjoyment of the game being most noticeable. Compton was also very good. The inside men gave a patchy display, with Lievesley the most energetic, even though all his attempts at scoring seemed doomed to failure. Kirk's best feature was his judicious use of the ball in supplying Matthews. Murray showed good ball control, but never at any time threatened danger. 
On the whole, while showing up the old and known weaknesses of the 1923-24 attack, a weakness which it would be the height of folly to ignore, the game was most encouraging from the point of view of the Club's prospects in the new season. The new men, and especially Appleyard and Pullan, promise to be able to help materially in the tuning-up process, while the talent available for the Southern League side is decidedly good.
Result:-
Whites 4, Red and White Stripes 0.

Headquarters and ground:-
St. James's Park, Exeter.
Club colours:- Red and white stripes, dark blue knickers.

Directors:- Mr M.J.McGahey (Chairman), J.I.Pengelly, F.P.Nichols, A.G.Chamberlain, A.N.Kendall, F. Parkhouse, T. Neal, F.P.Cottey, W.Hurford.

Secretary: Mr S.H.Thomas.
Manager:- Mr F.J.Mavin.

Trainer:- Mr H.J.Tucker.
Captain:- J.Coleburne.
Vice-Captain:- E.Crompton.