18th July 1888

St Marychurch (Torquay), Devon

Goalkeeper

Goalkeeper Harry Edmund Crute played three Southern League games for Exeter City during 1911/12. Born in Torquay, and signed from Babbacombe, he was one of the relatively few Devon-born players to appear during City’s early days as a professional club albeit as an amateur.  

With both Exeter City’s senior goalkeepers injured, Harry was signed specifically to face Plymouth Argyle at Home Park on Christmas Day 1911. Normally featuring for Torquay club Babbacombe (then struggling in the Plymouth and District League), Harry played valiantly in City's 3-1 defeat and was retained to play in two further Southern League fixtures: at home to Watford (lost 0-1) on 30 December and away to New Brompton (lost 1-4) the following Saturday.

Harry, who started working as a decorator at Watcombe Pottery in Torquay at the age of twelve, later became a notable local landscape painter and his works were still selling after his death in Torquay in 1986.

3