Exeter City 1964-65 – our first taste of Division 3 football
- by Fred Pound.

My original plan had been to simply write about 1963-64 promotion season, but due to the encouragement I have received “the prequel” (1962-63 a season of harsh lessons) followed, and now the “sequel” which will be the final part of the story. Thanks are due, once again, to Malcolm Tipper for his contributions. The excitement that was at fever pitch in April as we gained our first ever promotion only slightly subsided during the close season. Of course, there had never been much money in the coffers at the club and promotion was an expensive business. Several players had departed at the end of last season and there was to be less transfer activity than we had seen in previous breaks. Three new faces appeared;
Peter Shearing – a goalkeeper from Portsmouth; Bryce Fulton a defender (who had started his career at Manchester United but in 4 seasons did not get a start) 

Wilf Carter – a prolific goal scorer at “Argyle” (134 goals in 254 games) both from Plymouth.
Alan Riding who had scored many goals for the reserves as an amateur is given a professional contract as a part timer.
Three former “colts” had signed as apprentices, winger Bruce Stuckey: striker Barry Redwood and Peter Arbury, a full back. Peter Davis from Plymouth also arrived as an apprentice.

Anticipation grows as August arrives especially at the prospect of a home game to kick the season off against Peterborough - a team of “big names”. The big day arrived on Saturday the 22nd. A crowd of 10,218 (that will prove to be our biggest home gate of the season) was there to witness history. Without key players due to injury the City line up that day was: Barnett, Smyth, McDonald, Mitchell, Harvey, Anderson, Welsh, Curtis, Carter, Hancock, Rees. Of course, there are still no substitutes, that would follow the next campaign – one per team.
After only 16 minutes we fall behind, Keith Smith (who would move to Second Division Crystal Palace later in the season) scoring. Two minutes later we are level as Keith Harvey slots in from the penalty spot. On 28 minutes the crowd erupts as Graham Rees gives us the lead. Nine minutes into the second half and Smith gets his second. Again, we do not have long to dwell on the disappointment as Arnold Mitchell puts us back ahead on 58 minutes. Pandemonium ten minutes later when Dermot Curtis opens his account with what proves to be the last goal of a memorable and ground-breaking encounter. We are up and running!  The Peterborough line up that day included the controversial Northern Ireland international centre forward Derek Dougan (The “Doog”), who like Smith, had a goal scoring ratio of nearly 1 every 2 games. He had been signed from Villa the previous year for £21,000. He will enjoy much greater success when he moves to Wolves and go on to score over 250 career goals. Willie Duff who had been the goalkeeper hero of Hearts’ success in the 1956 Scottish Cup final, Welsh international Vic Crowe at left half who had just joined after 350 games for Villa and two future international players Frank Rankmore (Wales) and inside right Ollie Conmy (Republic of Ireland).

The following Wednesday and a nice summer evening in Bournemouth. I have accompanied my neighbour and friend Derek Singleton who has “arranged for” his parents to drive us there in their old Austin Westminster. They were one of only two or three car owners in our humble street! We leave his parents to their own devices and make our way to Dean Court. A crowd of 12,342 (which will prove to be our largest away attendance the season) is there to enjoy the match. Again, we fall behind, an O’Neill goal after 28 minutes. A minute after half time and Dave Hancock scores his first ever for City, eight minutes later and a John Compton own goal gives us the lead. Woods equalises after 76 and the match finishes 2-2, it seems this Division 3 lark is not too difficult after all– as we will find out this is wishful thinking.

The following Saturday and the team travels to Grimsby and suffer a 2-1 defeat, our first at this level. Having been a goal down at half time, Wilf Carter opens his account with a 47^th minute equaliser. A 68^th minute goal seals it for the hosts. Alan Banks makes his first start of what will prove to be an injury hit campaign. Their centre forward “Big” George McLean will join City at the start of the following season. Our last league meeting had been over 43 years earlier (unbelievably in Division 3 South a 1-1 draw away on 12 February and a 2-0 home win on 19 February, 1921).  Wednesday evening 2^nd September and a home game against another promoted side from last season, Gillingham, in the 1^st round of the League Cup. A crowd of 7,788 witness a 2-0 win. Carter and Banks on target. Another of our old Division 4 foes on Saturday when Mansfield visit. A 2-3 home defeat despite another Carter effort and an 89^th minute Harvey penalty. For once their top striker, Ken Wagstaff, fails to register! Watch this space!
Another defeat 0-1 at Shrewsbury follows. At Luton on 12^th and our first away win 2-1, despite being behind at half time to a goal from 19-year-old John O’Rourke who will go on to score 64 goals in 84 games for them before moving to a higher level and retire in 1976 with 165 goals from 327 games. Carter and Curtis the scorers for City in a match that sees Peter Shearing make his first appearance for the club. He will not miss a game for the rest of the season. At home to Shrewsbury on 16^th of September and again a 0-1 defeat, Ross with an 88^th minute winner for the visitors. Their right half Ted Hemsley will soon follow manager Arthur Rowley to 2nd division Sheffield United and win promotion to the First Division with them. He will go on to play over 500 games, whilst also enjoying a 20-year first class cricket career with Worcestershire. Their centre forward is one of the five professional footballing Clarke brothers, Frank.
At the weekend we entertain Carlisle and draw 0-0. Gates are beginning to decline “only” 7502 watch us play these, by now familiar, opponents, who had been promoted along with us. On the right wing for them is future Grecian Jimmy Blain. Centre forward Hugh McIlmoyle, a prolific goal-scorer, is kept quiet today. He will move to Wolves for “big money” in October (next month).

• This will prove to be the last occasion on which I collect autographs.

Eight matches down and we have 6 points and are in 18^th position. This level is not going to be as easy as we might have dreamed. It seems as if we will have to “punch above our weight” and hope for consolidation, at best, this season.

• Derek has become a founder member of the newly reformed “Exeter City Supporters Club” committee. He tells me volunteers are required to sell programmes before the match. My patch is generally outside the Kendall Gate off Old Tiverton Road. The price of a programme has increased by 50% since last year and now costs 6d (2 ½ pence in today’s money).As the season unfolds my duties increase and I will be co-opted on to the committee myself, aged just 15, its youngest member. Amongst the other tasks I am asked to undertake include helping in the refreshment booths, acquiring, and selling programmes from around the leagues and taking huge pots of “already milked” tea to the changing rooms for the players, ready for half time. During the interval, I would sometimes be asked to walk around the pitch displaying the winning lucky programme number! I wonder sometimes if they “saw me coming”!! I am, however, still able to watch matches but now I have complimentary access!

At home to Bradford City under floodlights in round 2 of the League Cup we are beaten 5-3. Curtis 2 and Hancock with our goals. George Ley and Peter Rutley make their first starts of the season.

A double header away trip follows. At Port Vale on Saturday and Derek Grace makes his first appearance of the campaign. We earn a 1.0-win with Banks on target. The following Monday at Oldham we suffer a 0.2 defeat, a Hancock own goal on seven minutes helps them on their way. This sees an end to a busy, nine match, September.

October starts with a 2.0 win at home to Colchester. Eric Welsh and Rees with the goals, followed by another home win this time 2.1 against Oldham, Welsh again and Hancock on target. At inside left for the visitors is Albert Quixall signed by Matt Busby for Man United for£ 45,000 from Sheffield Wednesday after the Munich air disaster, in 1958. Also playing that evening Bobby Johnstone and Jimmy Frizzell, mentioned in my 1962-63 account. 

The 10^th October starts exceedingly early on a bitterly cold morning. I have been talked in to going on a coach trip, organised by the Supporters Club, to watch us play at Southend. On the way I feel ill, ill enough for the coach to be stopped. I had probably gone with little or no breakfast. Someone suggested I try a tot of brandy. It did not make me feel any better! The match finished 0.0 and not a great deal to get excited about! then another long, long journey home – never again! (well perhaps not never!).

Another 0.0 at home to table-topping Brentford follows in midweek. An electrical failure causes a 45-minute delay to the kick-off and results in an adverse report to the FA by the referee. This appears to add fuel to criticism of the much-maligned floodlights. The opposition right winger is Mark Lazarus, who, in a long league career, will score 134 goals in 442 games, none tonight however! He will though go on to score the winner for Third Division QPR in their 3.2 victory in the 1967 League Cup final against First Division West Bromwich Albion at Wembley.

Saturday soon comes around and a 3.0 win against struggling Barnsley. This is the first time the teams have ever met. Rees, Harvey (pen) and Curtis the scorers. Midweek and Brentford away a 1.2 defeat, Mitchell with the consolation. Another scoreless draw on Wednesday at Scunthorpe who have Northern Ireland international Ian Lawther at inside right. He will move to Brentford for £17,000 in a couple of weeks’ time. A 0.1 home loss to Walsall on 31^st follows and a 0.1 loss at Watford on November 7^th.

We have now played 19 league games, have 17 points, and lie in 17th position. We have won 6, drawn 5 and lost 8. We are just about holding our own, not conceding many goals (19) and not being “hammered”. Scoring has been a problem, just 20 goals, after managing six in our first two fixtures. 

A home draw in the 1^st round of the FA Cup, against amateurs Hayes, gives hope of improving the situation. Perhaps a big win to put an end to those goal scoring difficulties. In the event we scrape a 1.0-win George Ley with the goal after 9 minutes.

The following Saturday November 21st and we lose 1.3 at Hull. Ken Wagstaff signed from Mansfield just a week earlier, amongst the goals (inevitably!). Dermot Curtis had reduced the deficit a minute before half time. A four-match month ends at home to Gillingham as we are held 1.1 Rees equalising in the second half. At right back for the visitors is Geoff Hudson who had a season with us in 1961-62.

December starts in an unorthodox manner. The floodlights at The Park had long been the subject of grumbles from opposition teams and fans alike and the FA had effectively condemned them. New lighting described at the time, as “a first-class installation – 90 lamps totalling 180kw” had been put in place. To mark the “switch-on” a friendly against Arsenal had been arranged for Wednesday 2^nd.

Their manager, Billy Wright – the first Englishman to win 100 international caps during his playing career – brought a full first team squad for the game. The City team was far from a preferred line-up. The visitors won the encounter 1.4 with Scottish international, Frank McLintock, signed in October from Leicester for a club record £80,000, scoring a hat-trick, Alan Skirton with the other. Adrian Thorne netted for us. Probably not a well-timed friendly, given that three days later we are at home to Shrewsbury in the second round of the FA cup. For the third time in as many months they beat us. This time 1-2. Mitchell with an 86^th minute consolation. Allan Riding makes his only first team appearance of the campaign.

A week later we are back in league action and secure a 0-0 draw at Peterborough.

The next game is one to gladden the hearts of any City supporter (then and now!). Saturday 19th December and nineteenth placed City entertain top of the league Grimsby. It is a bitterly cold winter afternoon. As rarely happens Westward TV have brought the cameras – many fans consider the station to have an almost total Plymouth bias and their front man Don Arnold especially so. As it happens the form book is totally turned on its head. We unbelievably go four goals up before half time. Des Anderson, with a rare “collectors-item” sets us on the way, followed by Thorne, Banks, on his come-back match from another injury, and Curtis also on target. Matt Tees, a prolific goal scorer throughout his career (between 1960-1973 he will score over 150 goals in 364 games) pulls one back in the second half. We win 4.1. Banks is back and we are scoring goals – could it be coincidence!? At left back for the Lincolnshire team is 20-year-old future England manager Graham Taylor.

On Monday night many fans will have been glued to their TV sets watching “Westward Sports Desk” to review the glory that had been a superb victory, only for the aforementioned Arnold to announce that the cameras had “frozen” and there was no footage to show!! Sounds “fishy”- most of us felt they had only turned up to see us get hammered and were left disappointed (surely just another conspiracy theory?). 

Saturday, and it is Boxing Day. We entertain Reading and draw 2.2 in front of an 8,712 gate. Banks and Thorne get our goals. Their inside right Peter Shreeves will go on to have a spell as Tottenham manager in the mid-1980s, only to be replaced by (our own!) David Pleat. The return fixture due to be played on Monday is postponed due to the weather.

The year ends with us on 22 points after 24 games and in 19^th position. We are far from comfortable but continue to keep our heads above water.

The new year starts with a 1.2 loss at Mansfield. Their winner comes four minutes from time after Rees had equalised. Notes I recorded at the time indicate that press reports suggested that the game should not have taken place at all and that City players had to borrow basketball boots!! due to the harsh underfoot conditions.

Then a 1.3 home loss to Scunthorpe on the 9th, this is their first ever visit to St James Park. We are 0.3 down in just 24 minutes. Prolific centre forward Barrie Thomas, recently re-signed from Newcastle, scoring twice within two minutes. The visitors’ results had begun to improve following the appointment of former Manchester United and Leeds defender Freddie Goodwin as manager. The performance upsets the home fans whose mood turns. There are genuine signs of discontent. Banks scores our consolation.

As a preamble to his “club chatter” notes in the matchday programme Maurice Golesworthy highlights the fuss we, on the Supporters Club committee, have been having, with a Mr Meek, in our endeavours to have a clubhouse built on the old training ground behind the popular bank. Fans are invited to sign a petition of support of its construction. The “battle” will rumble on for a long, long time though eventually the original “Centre Spot” will become reality, years later.

Better things when visitors Luton visit a week later and find themselves the wrong side of a 5.1 pasting. Typically, in front of our lowest home attendance of the season a mere 4685. Their experienced keeper, Ron Baynham, who had played for them in the 1959 Cup Final, was taken off injured with 20 minutes to play whilst they were already 4.1 down. Goals from Curtis, Banks, Harvey (pen), Thorne and Mitchell. McKechnie, their scorer, took over in goal. Their right winger is 20-year-old David Pleat who will go on to join the City in 1968. He will also become manager at Luton (twice) and manager/caretaker at Tottenham (four times).

Jack Edwards leaves the club during the month, after a disagreement with the board over the hiring, in an “advisory” capacity, of Ellis Stuttard. On the 28th The Moody Blues hit no.1 with “Go Now”!  Fans are extremely saddened, feeling that Edwards, an immensely popular and hard-working manager, was the victim of a shockingly handled situation. Only time will tell. Stuttard gets the vacant managers job.

On the 30^th an away jaunt. This time as pillion on Derek’s 650cc Matchless to see us at Bristol City. A decent 1.1 draw after Banks had given us the lead on 69 minutes.

During this period, I now realise, I was “spreading myself a little too thinly”. Not only was I attending committee meetings, watching matches and carrying out match day duties I was also playing competitive 5-a-side football under lights on what is now the match-day players car park with my pal Malcolm and brother Stewart, amongst others, alongside. Oh yes, I was a 15-year-old studying for my “O” levels, not to mention before and after school paper rounds (in contravention of school rules).

February begins with another devastating event on 6th. In a 2.1 home win against Port Vale, Alan Banks, who had scored both goals, and is finding his old form, suffers a broken leg and will miss the remainder of the season. Our two talismanic figures from last season both out of the picture. Disappointment and anger verges on dismay. But fans, in general, are loyal to the team and will continue to support them.

Over the two following weeks two 1.1 draws. At Colchester (Curtis with the opener) and at home to Southend (Welsh with an equaliser). The month ends with a 0.0 draw at Barnsley.

By the end of the month we have played 32 games, have accumulated 30 points, and lie in 17^th position.

March starts badly with three successive defeats. 0.1 at home to Bristol City on 6^th then 1.2 at Carlisle the following Tuesday, Curtis with our goal. Bottom of the table Walsall are the visitors on 13^th. Their centre forward is Alan Clarke, in his first full season, and who had celebrated his 19^th birthday two months earlier. He scores twice in the opening five minutes the first from the penalty spot. He is a brother of Shrewsbury’s Frank and another of the five footballing Clarkes. [“Sniffer” will go on to achieve fame with Leeds and England and head the only goal in the Centenary Cup Final in 1972]. Meanwhile back at SJP, it was Hancock who scored our consolation.

At home to Watford a week later and the losing streak ends with a 1.0 win. Welsh after 73 minutes. The home game with Workington takes place, under lights, two days later and ends 0.0.

Friday night and the return match at Workington. The supporters club committee has one of its regular meetings. Although usually held in an upstairs room at the Flying Horse pub, tonight we are in the dingy Board room in the grandstand at St James Park. We linger after the business of the evening has been concluded awaiting the result of the game. There was no local radio, mobile phones have not been invented nor had other tech such as we are used to these days, so we wait and wait for the old-fashioned telephone to ring. Clearly someone had been made aware of our being there, possibly Dick Miller. Eventually news comes through. We had won 1.0 Curtis netting a minute before half time.

Wednesday 31^st and a home match with QPR. We draw 2.2, Rees and Welsh score. At inside right for the visitors is 18-year-old Mick Leach, in his first season. He will enjoy a 14-year spell at the club. Their rugged “archetypal” centre forward is Billy McAdams a 30-year-old, Northern Irish international who had spent all his early career at Manchester City.

On Saturday, a familiar face will haunt us once again. Ken Wagstaff with one of the two goals as Hull beat us 2-1, Curtis with our consolation before half-time. The Hull forward line boasts Chris Chilton (415 games for Hull – 222 goals), Ian Butler (305 – 66) “Waggy” (318 – 173) and Ken Houghton a midfielder in today’s language (264 – 79). Wagstaff will end the season as top scorer in Division 3 with 35 goals.  Midweek and the re-arranged game at Elm Park Reading ends as a 2-2 draw. Rees and Harvey on target.

Saturday 10^th and a headline making result at Gillingham, a difficult side to beat at the Priestfield Stadium. A wonderful 1.0 win. The Sunday newspaper account appears below. Arnold Mitchell would no doubt have loved to claim the “thunderbolt” goal as his own! As the report suggests it does affect their promotion push and they will finish seventh.

Good Friday 16^th and another away day to Bristol, this time to Eastville, to see us draw 1.1 at Rovers. Welsh on target for us Alfie Biggs, their local hero, in his second spell with the Pirates, for the home team. In a career taking in 513 games he will total 213 goals (178 in two spells with Rovers). Visiting fans give him “stick” outside the ground as we await the arrival of the teams (and hope in vain for complimentary tickets!).

Easter Monday and the return fixture does not go our way as we are beaten 0.1. Harold Jarman, their scorer, is another Bristolian and another player who mixes football with first class cricket. He plays over 450 games (177 goals) for Rovers and 10 seasons for Gloucestershire.

The final away game is at QPR and is goal-less. The season ends with a re-arranged home game with Bournemouth. We go down 1.3. George Ley with a second half consolation and his only league goal of the campaign. Their centre forward, Dennis Coughlin, will play 13 games for City on loan in 1968.

Although our season is over there is the small matter of a cup final on May 1st. I arrive late to start my paper round as the match is not resolved until after extra time. Fortunately, Mr Cox (the newsagent) is very understanding! after all watching the final was one of the major events of any year. Liverpool beat Leeds 2.1.

City’s aim of consolidation has been achieved. Goals have been hard to come by – with no-one in double figures, but the defence has, generally been frugal. The only team in the bottom half of the league with a better goal average is Reading (1.00). We have scored 51 and conceded 52 (goal average 0.981) we finish in 17^th position with 41 points eight above the relegation zone.

We have won 12, drawn 17 and lost 17. Home 8-7-8. 33 goals for, 27 against.

Away 4-10-9 18 goals against 25. Four of the away draws occurred in the only four away trips I went on.

We have kept 14 clean sheets including 8 scoreless draws.

The table at the conclusion of our first taste of Division 3 football shows:

Carlisle champions with 60 points, (and a second successive promotion).

Bristol City runners up 59 points.

Mansfield also on 59 points miss promotion on goal average.

At the bottom:

21^st     Luton                     33 points

22^nd    Port Vale                32

23^rd    Colchester             30

24^th     Barnsley                 29      

Appearances: Smyth; Mitchell; Harvey; Anderson; Shearing; Welsh and Curtis have all played at least 40 games. Hancock and Rees over 30. Five played fewer than 10. A very settled defence certainly contributed to the effort. Due to injury Alan Banks only managed 19 league starts contributing 8 goals.  

The following players are retained for next season: Barnett; Shearing; Fulton; Smyth; Anderson; Harvey; Mitchell; Banks; Carter; Curtis; Ley; Rees; Riding; Stuckey; Welsh.

Released: Grace who will sign (albeit briefly) for Gillingham; Hancock (South Africa); Patrick (Burton); Rutley (Leicester, though he will not play league football again); Thorne (Leyton Orient); Les McDonald (he will be re-signed then finally released at the end of the 65-66 season); Barry Redwood (who has to retire due to a serious eye injury). In an end of season testimonial for him we defeat Swindon, just relegated from Division 2, three nil, in front of a meagre 1882 crowd - his son Toby will wear City colours in the early 1990s.

At the end of season Supporters Club Player of the Year presentation, at the St George’s Hall, if memory serves, Arnold Mitchell becomes the inaugural holder of the award.

In the close season only three new players are signed: George McLean a centre forward from Grimsby who had started his career at Rangers in 1959; Jeff Tolchard (“the fizz kid”) a young inexperienced winger from Torquay; Denis Peapell a 19 year-old defender from Swindon. The warning signs were there. Experience out and, apart from “Big” George, inexperience in. The omens were not good.

And what came next?

Sadly, a season of struggles ending in relegation. The manager only lasted until January and was replaced by his assistant Jock Basford, who brought a flood of new, mainly younger, players to the club (they became known as “The Basford Babes”). Basford’s tenure would also be short-lived. A procession of managers would then come and go.

Following the return to Division 4 three of the old guard from Division 3 South days, Arnold Mitchell; Les MacDonald; and Graham Rees were released as well as Curtis (though he will return for a second spell); Carter; Barnett and Fulton.

Eric Welsh had already moved to Division 2 Carlisle and went on to win four Northern Ireland international caps, scoring in his debut against Wales. Bruce Stuckey enjoyed some success at Division 1 Sunderland. George Ley won fame at Division 2 Portsmouth and became a “pin-up” with fans across the land!

Arnold Mitchell still holds the all-time appearances record for City with 495.

Keith Harvey became trainer once his playing days were over.

Alan Banks (in two stints) was the first to pass 100 goals for City.

As one year blended into the next the club continued to endure financial hardships off the field and highs and lows on the field.

Fans have generally remained loyal through thick and thin. There are many highlights, including promotions, long cup runs, some wonderful players, and rather good managers that will always be remembered fondly. There have also been some memorable chants!

We are a hopeful bunch at heart, we must be, that is what being a true fan is about!

Long suffering? YES …….  but it is worth it!

Why would anyone not support their local team?

Especially our local team – “The Grecians” – our very own EXETER CITY.