CITYS NEAR TRIUMPH HISTORY.

Until this season Exeter City's Football League history has always been one of near triumph without a concrete success, The story started in 1904 when a group of youngsters met in a public house to form a team called St Sidwell United and play at the Horse Shoe field at Mount Pleasant, One day the team challenged Exeter United, who played at St James's Park, They won while United dropped into obscurity, the young side took over St James's Park, The name of the club was changed to Exeter City and a side was entered in the Plymouth and District League in 1907, the club got its first professional player and a year later were elected to the Southern League replacing Tottenham Hotspur who went into the Football League. In 1920 Exeter became one of the original teams of the Third Division South and in 1932-33 season were runners up, Just before that the club made local cup history by getting into the hat for the semi final draw. The club never made it losing the sixth round replay to Sunderland in front of a record attendance of 20,984, In a Third Division career, Exeter City had to seek re-election five times, then in 1958-59 the club dropped into the newly formed Fourth Division. The club's one chance of promotion came that season when City went to Shrewsbury in the last game, needing just one point for promotion, but were beaten by 3-0,

CITY RECEPTION FOR THE VICTORS.

Exeter City will carry on their promotion celebrations this week with a Civic reception tonight at the Guildhall at 5.45 p.m. A lap of honour before tomorrow's home Devon Professional Bowl final with Plymouth Argyle and a private meal afterwards. A reception meal and a stage introduction at the Odeon Cinema and a club invitation dinner which will be fixed later in the week, Club chairman Mr Rose said that Exeter City F,C, have reached Third Division football and we do not want to stop, we are hoping that this is the beginning not the end, There will be a policy meeting and also a finance meeting shortly so that the club will know just how far it can expand, Mr Rose added that there will be a lot of changes by next season, they knew the weak spots and they would be remedied,

MONDAY 27th APRIL 1964.

WELL DONE CITY !

A week of celebrations for Exeter City's promotion winning players started at the Guildhall last night with a Civic reception given by the Mayor of Exeter. First team players, manager Jack Edwards and the whole board of directors were told by Mayor Alderman W.G.Daw "As a former player myself and a keen supporter, I am delighted you have got promotion in my year of office, I congratulate all the players and I am sure Exeter is very proud of you indeed."

FRIDAY 1st MAY 1964.

EXETER CITY RETAIN 16.

16 of Exeter City's 23 professional staff have been retained and will go into the Third Division with the club next season, Only one regular first team man finds himself on the transfer list is John Henderson and is available for a fee of £3,000, With him is John Edgar who is priced at £500, George Spiers and Ray Gough who are both listed at £250 each, Free transfers are given to Jimmy Parkhill, Peter Quarrington and Brian Symington, Retained Goakeeper Alan Barnett, Fullbacks Cecil Smyth, Les MacDonald, Roy Patrick, Halfbacks Arnold Mitchell, Keith Harvey, Des Anderson, Fave Hancock, Derek Grace, Peter Rutley. Forwards Graham Rees, Alan BanksEric Welsh, Dermot Curtis, Adrian Thorne, George ley."

SATURDAY 2nd MAY 1964.

CECIL BORROWS A CAR TO GO ON HONEYMOON.

Exeter City fullback Cecil Smyth was married a few weeks before the season ended, but with promotion hanging in the balance, he could not be spared the time for a honeymoon, but this weekend he had a special present from Hughes of Exeter when he was one of nine players to have a free loan of a new fully automatic car. He will now go on a weeks touring honeymoon, At a short informal ceremony yesterday the company managing director handed over the keys and log books of four cars to club director Mr J, Rodgers. The cars are a mark three Zephyr 6, two Corsairs and a CortinaThey have been lent to the club for two weeks as part of a National Ford Motor Company scheme to promote their automatic drive vehicles, Exeter manager Jack Edwards and players Cecil Smyth, Dave Hancock, Adrian Thorne, Keith Harvey, Les MacDonald, Graham Rees, Alan Barnett and Dermot Curtis are the only drivers in the club and they drew from a hat to decided who should have the cars for the first week and who for the second,

MONDAY 4th MAY 1964.

CITY OFF TO THE ODEON.

Exeter City directors, officials, players and wives continue the club's promotion celebrations tomorrow night with an invitation to a special dinner and film show at the Odeon Cinema, the resteraunt will be decorated out in the club colours, it will be an informal affair to show the City team that the people of Exeter appreciated their efforts throught last season,

WEDNESDAY 13th MAY 1964.

PLANS FOR NEW LOOK EXETER CITY.

Proposals for a new supporters club, a rise in prices and a new contract for team manager Jack Edwards, those are the outcomes of a series of board meetings which the Exeter City directors have been holding since the team won promotion to the Third Division, Chairman Mr Reg Rose said we have got to go forward now and we believe everything we are doing will lead to progress, At last night's meeting, the board met members of the Executive committee of the Grecians Association to outline the plans for expansion. The directors have no intention of by passing the Grecians and they readily agreed to the boards suggestion of hiring a room to hold a public meeting where the formation of a supporters club will be discussed and the possibility of a permanent headquarters for the club will be suggested, The board have decided that there will be an all round price increase next season, Ground season tickets will go up from £7 to £8 but will remain at £7 until June 13th, On the ground, all adult prices will be 4/- and increase of 6d and boys prices will go up from 1/-9d to 2/-. By doing this Mr Rose has said that the club is not crying poverty, but are crying progress, he would like to explain to all those who support City, that the club are doing this to try to bring better football and conditions at St James's Park, Eeveryone knows that Third Division football will be harder and that new players will have to be bought in the close season, A new set of floodlights are needed and these will cost between £8,000 and £10,000, The board offered team manager Jack Edwards a new contract which he readily accepted and signed immediately. Mr Rose said that the board appreciate that Mr Edwards had been very fair in his approach to them an so they were quite willing to agree to his terms,

FRIDAY 15th MAY 1964.

CITYS £4 GROUND SEASONS.

The man on the St James Park terraces gets the chance to buy a season ticket this summer. For Exeter City have decided to issue a limited number of ground season tickets at £4 each. This works out at a saving of 12/- for people who attend every first team game and also a free view of every reserve match,

WEDNESDAY 20th MAY 1964.

LOCAL BUILDER REJOINS BOARD.

Local builder Mr J.R, Cowley has rejoined the board of directors of Exeter City F,CHe is a local man and a former director from August 1958 to February 1962The appointment means that the club have a six strong board.

SATURDAY 23rd MAY 1964.

SIGNING AND A SHOCK.

Exeter City have signed one player today and look like losing another. The new man is top scoring inside forward Wilf Carter from Plymouth Argyle, City have agreed to pay a fee of £2,000. Born in Wednesbury, Carter made his League debut with West Bromwich Albion in 1951-52 and was transferred to Plymouth Argyle in 1957. In his first five seasons at Home Park he was the club's leading goalscorer and all told has got 121 goals in 252 League games for them, While Carter was signing, Exeter City have received a shock transfer request from Derek Grace, The young wing half who played such a big part in City's promotion run in his defensive inside forward role returned to his London home as soon as he was offered terms for next season, He has not been seen since but has written to the club asking to be put on the transfer list. The board are to consider his request,

WEDNESDAY 27th MAY 1964.

NEW SUPPORTERS CLUB FOR CITY.

An overwhelming majority show of hands sparked of the formation of a new Exeter City supporters club when more than 400 people packed the ballroom of the Rougemont Hotel Exeter at a special meeting called jointly by the Exeter City board of directors and the Grecian Association. The meeting was arranged because it was important to the future of Exeter City F.C. Mr Rose the City chairman said "We cannot stay as we are, we are not self supporting on the funds coming in at the moment. We have put the position to the Grecians and in the absence of a better alternative to make money we have decided to form a new club, either to work with the Grecians or to work independantly of them. We do not want any friction, we just want to work for the good of the club," Vice chairman Mr George Gillin explained "Money is needed for players, to cover the popular end of the ground and to provide social amenities, We are not belittling the efforts of the Grecians because this club could not have done what they have without their help in the pastThey stuck with us through hard times and we do not want to forget them we want them to go on with us," Hr Les Seward, President of the Grecian Association and a former director of the club said that the objectives of the propsed new supporters association were those that the Grecians Association were trying to achieve, "In the past the Grecians did build up money for these purposes, but on each occasion, the club came along and wanted the money for some purpose, so we handed it over to them to help them out of their difficulties, I am most anxious to get the fullest support for Exeter City F.C. but there is a danger that the Grecians would be swamped by the new organisation which will have no more success than the Grecians have already had, I would not oppose to the setting up of another club, If necessary for providing facilities and maybe organising another pool but this is the time to get the Grecians to stimulate their activities and extend them in conjunction with you. If you try to set up what must amount to a rival organisation I am afraid there will be friction," Mr Rose replied that the board knew the incomes they could expect from the Grecians and the red and white pool, together with the gate receipts and they were not enough, After more than a two thirds majority on the show of hands was in favour of formation of a new club, Mr Rose said "You have shown the board that you will support the new club. We will now hold another meeeting where you can appoint your officers and elect your committee," Mr Mike Roskins, secretary of the Grecians Association said "We have not yet had a meeting to discuss the situation but I should not imagine that it wil affect us in any way. As far as I know we shall be carrying on all our activities as usual,"

MUSTARD JUNIOR FOR CITY.

Billy Mustard who was with City just after the war has now seen his 16 year old son, Graham sign for Exeter, Graham, a winger or inside forward signed amateur forms for City today and will play in the City Colts side next season.

FRIDAY 29th MAY 1964.

Exeter City directors have agreed to the transfer of the 19 year old wing half Derek Grace and though they have retained him for next season, have put him on the open to transfer list at £6,000, This is not too high a price for a player of Grace's potential, At his age he can cope at wing half or inside forward and he played in 30 League games last season. A London born lad he obviously would like to return nearer his home.

THE CITY! IT'S THE THIRD DIVISION FOR EXETER 

Ninety Nail-biting Minutes to Promotion

"Up the City!" Tens of thousands of voices have echoed this cry over fifty years of football. But it is only now that it has found it's true meaning, for Exeter City are UP at last, promoted to the Third Division.

They got there after 90 nail-biting minutes that were very nearly too much to bear for the five hundred supporters who travelled, day and night, to cover the four hundred miles to Workington. Some of the City's supporters just had to vacate their seats in the grandstand and go down nearer the touch-line for the last quarter of an hour, when the excitement and the tension were so great. When the final whistle went, and the City had their precious point, there was one moment of absolute quiet, and pandemonium, from then on.

SWARMED ON TO THE FIELD.
Workington had got promotion as well, and crowds of both teams' fans swarmed on to the field in front of the grandstand, cheering lustily, shouting, and chanting their heroes' names as each of the twenty-two players appeared in the directors' box.

"It was a great moment," said the City manager, Mr Edwards, "and we are all terrifically proud of the lads. The first sign of promotion to me was when we started to get good results away from home. The players got them through fighting, and they fought this one to-day the hardest of all."

Mr Reg Rose, the chairman, paid his tribute, saying: "I don't think I've ever known the equal of the team spirit that's been shown this season in the club. The players could not have had a better leader than Jack, who has welded them together and commanded goodwill and respect, and in return they have fought for him. "The board have tried to play their part by backing Jack one hundred per-cent."

THE CARLISLE HOTEL.
Back to the dressing room where the players bathed, changed, and had tots of whisky, and then to the Carlisle Hotel for a special dinner. Champagne was bubbling in the glasses, and the fifth course was the "Gateaux Exeter," a special cake made in the City colours with the words "Well Done Exeter" iced on top. Then there were short informal speeches from Mr Rose, Mr Gillin, and Mr Edwards, and none from the captain, that grand old veteran of hundreds of exciting League and Cup games for the City, who said he was so overcome that he might burst into tears if called upon to speak. But later he said: "Speaking for the players we think that most of the credit must go to Mr Edwards. He has built the team up by using each man to the best advantage, and kept us going all the time when we needed encouragement most.
"Next comes the tremendous team-spirit which has come from the most experienced players and the newest professionals, and the untiring efforts which all the lads have put nto every game."

NON STOP CHEERING.

The directors, the manager, and the players were all unanimous in one thing, that the supporters had backed them up so wonderfully. "After travelling 400 miles they gave us a great reception," said Arnold. "It really made the lads feel good to see so many there, and when we heard them shouting for us and cheering us on it really did something for us on the pitch."
And the City's travelling supporters did not stop cheering either. They cheered at 9.30 p.m. on Saturday night when they climbed on to the same train as the team at Carlisle station, and cornered Jack Edwards with chorus after chorus of "For he's a jolly good fellow." They cheered again at 12.30 a.m. on Crewe railway station as they and the team changed trains, and as they reached Exeter and got off at St. David's station on Sunday morning they were joined by a few hundred more. 
Wearing their red and white scarves and rosettes, waving rattles and banners, cheering, singing, and shouting, the waiting crowd surged towards the train as it pulled in.

They surrounded the players inside and outside the station for at least half an hour, cheering first for one and then another, and carrying placards that read: "Thanks Banks and all the ranks," and "Grand Show Exeter City Now Division Two!"

CITY BREAK FOUR RECORDS.

Five years ago an Exeter City side ran out for the last game of the season knowing that a point would get them promotion. They failed. They were beaten 3-0 at Shrewsbury on the Gay Meadow.
On Saturday a different City team ran out on the Borough Park pitch, Workington to try to reverse history.

That they succeeded is now history of course. And it is the first time in the club's Football League career (they have now finished their 37th year of active play in this sphere) that they have won promotion of any kind, and it is a major triumph for everyone at St. James's Park. And Exeter City have had a great season from every angle compared to any one of their four mostly unhappy years between that game on the Gay Meadow and last Saturday's one at Workington. In fact it has been a "record" campaign in all sorts of ways quite apart from the winning of promotion to Division Three.

They have picked up more "away" points than ever before. They have created a record for the fewest number of goals conceded to their opponents in a League season. They have equalled the record for the smallest number of "home" defeats. They have set a post-war record of "doubles" with home and away victories over Bradford City, York City, Oxford, Newport, and Chesterfield.

CONSISTENTLY GOOD FOOTBALL.

On top of all that they have played consistently good football that has brought consistently good results, and consistently keen and appreciative interest from their followers. Last season's gate average for League matches at St. James's Park was 4,444. This year it is 7,500. And all this has been due to four things, the work of the board of directors, the manager, the players, and the encouragement of the supporters.
The board's part was played by the making of brave decisions that meant the spending of money, both on players and incentives and on wages, without being certain that they would get it back. And on leaving the team selections to Mr Edwards. His part has been in moulding the players into a combination which has throughout the campaign been capable of challenging the best in the section for promotion and finally reaching that objective, and all that after having a side which finished up eighth from the tail last year.

SUPERSTITIOUS WAY TO SUCCESS.

Superstition plays a big part in football success or so the Exeter City players believe, while they have been winning, they have been sticking strictly to routines that they followed in previous weeks even to sitting in exactly the same coach seat or wearing a particular tie or dressing in a particular order, This has been extended into the boardroom where director Mr Les Kerslake has been one of the team's "Lucky charms," He had missed only one away match since the end of October and they lost that one. So though he was unable to get away early he drove overnight to be at Workington and avoid breaking the sequence.

CITY'S BEST SIGNING: ALAN BANKS.

Of course, the players must not be forgotten in a summary of this sort. The players who have fought, worked together, and built up a team spirit which has taken them to the top. And the City's "player-of-the-year" must surely be ALAN BANKS, one of the best, if not the very best, value-for-money forwards that anyone can remember the City signing. Not only is he doing the all-important thing, getting the goals, he has also shown all the qualities that people expect from well paid professional footballers but don't always get. When Alan Banks gives one hundred per-cent (and he always does) you can see it. You don't have to be told that this sturdy, stocky man from Liverpool is doing his best. He gives no displays of tantrums, temper, or temperamental exhibitions, for he is a true sportsman, yet he still manages to be a personality on the field, and this in itself is a rare enough thing in the Fourth Division. At the same time Exeter City are not a one-man-team, nor is Banks the only player in the team. There have been improvements all the way round.

In goal, ALAN BARNETT has turned out to be the safest, strongest, most consistent and constructive 'keeper the City have had for a long long time.

At centre half KEITH HARVEY must surely have had his best season of all since joining the club at the age of sixteen years. Harvey has been unbeatable in the air, solid as a rock on the ground, he was the ideal lynch-pin of the defence for Mr Edwards to build his new system around.

THE IRISH TRIO.
Then there is the Irish trio.

At full-back CECIL SMYTH has in the matches of this season continued his improvement, and must rate as high as Theo Foley among Exeter City's best defensive players. At half back there is young DES ANDERSON, another young Irishman who is vital to the City's current playing system, but who, because of his all-purpose role, rarely gets the credit that is his. Time and again Anderson's timely and clever interceptions have saved the City's goal from falling this season. In the forward line DERMOT CURTIS has by sheer perseverance fought himself out of a bad patch and returned to form at just the right time. When he is not scoring he is working for others, and he has more ability and imagination than any other City leader has shown for years.

THE CAPTAIN: ARNOLD MITCHELL.

Finally, if a vote by the City supporters could be taken, asking the question: "Which player in your opinion has done the most in getting the City promotion?" it would probably be a toss up between Banks and ARNOLD MITCHELL. For this "Captain Courageous," the grand old war-horse of the lugubrious features and thinning hair, of the six foot sinewy frame of bone and muscle, who has slogged it out on the field season after season in sunshine, cloud, wind, rain, and sometimes snow, whether at full-back, centre half, wing half, or in the forward line, even now, after twelve strenuous seasons in the service of Exeter City, is still at his best and still at the peak of fitness, and probably more so than any other player since the war is the City's most priceless asset, and a model professional if ever there was one.