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| Full name | Exeter City Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Grecians | ||
| Founded | 1904 | ||
| Ground | St James Park, Exeter | ||
| Capacity | 8,830 | ||
| Chairman |  Denise Watts | ||
| Manager | Paul Tisdale | ||
| League | Nationwide Conference | ||
| 2005-06 | Nationwide Conference, 7th | ||
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Exeter City F.C. (also known as The Grecians) are an English professional football club, based in Exeter. They currently play in the Nationwide Conference, but have played in the Football League for most of its history.
History
edit Early history
editExeter City FC was formed from two predecessor clubs: - Exeter United F.C. and St Sidwell's United. Exeter United FC was a club which first appeared around 1890. St Sidwell's United (which had also been known as St Sidwell's Wesleyans and St Sidwell's Old Boys) was a club that had formed from the regulars who frequented the Foresters Inn in Sidwell Street, Exeter; although the public house was always known as the Drum and Monkey. They played in green and white quartered shirts.
In 1904, When St Sidwell's beat Exeter United 3-1, it was agreed that the two teams should merge. It was decided to make the home of the new combined club St James' Park - Exeter United's pitch. Exeter City initially played in St Sidwell's old colours of Green and White.
On Sept. 10th, 1904, Exeter City played their first ever competitive match: - a 2-1 victory at St James's over 110th Battery of the Royal Artillery, in the East Devon League. The attendance was 600, and the winning goal scored by Sid Thomas, who was to serve the club in various capacities for 70 years. City topped the East Devon League with 11 wins, 2 draws, 1 defeat in their 1st season, and transferred to the Plymouth & District League for next 3 seasons.
In 1908, Exeter City AFC became a limited company. City become a full-time professional team, and applied successfully for membership of the Southern League, replacing Tottenham Hotspur. A wooden grandstand was erected, and the club entered into a leasing arrangement over the ground.
On Oct. 3rd, 1908, City got their record highest FA Cup win: - Exeter City 14 Weymouth 0. The match was in the 1st Qualifying Round. James ("Daisy") Bell scored 6 goals, and 10 of Exeters 14 goals came in the first half.
City changed to their modern colours of red and white in 1910. This was after having had a poor start to the season (only 2 wins out of 11). City abandon supposedly unlucky green and white kit, and turned out for the first time in red and white striped shirts at home to West Ham United on Nov. 12th. The result of the game was a 0-0 draw, but 5 consecutive League wins came for the club in December.
City made an historic tour of South America in 1914, during which time they played 8 matches against teams in Argentina and Brazil. Brazil's 1st international match was against City on July 27, at the Laranjeiras stadium, Rio de Janeiro, home of Fluminense Football Club. City lost 2-0. That was the last match of the tour, which yielded 5 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats. The only other loss was in a match that kicked off 12 hours after the players got off the boat.
Exeter City were invited by the Football League to become founder members of the Third Division in 1920.
Football League Era (1920-2003)
editCity's historic first match in the Football League took place on Saturday 28 August 1920, when Brentford were the visitors to St James Park. Exeter won 3-0.
In 1931, City reached the sixth round of the FA Cup, losing a replay 4-2 to Sunderland in front of their largest ever home gate. Fifty years later, City reached the sixth round again, but lost 2-0 to eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur. Earlier they had beaten Newcastle United 4-0, perhaps City's greatest ever result.
City's only major trophy was the Fourth Division Championship which they won in 1990. In that incredible season, City won 20 league games at St James Park, and remained undefeated in 31 home matches, including dramatic draws against Norwich (FA Cup) and Sunderland (League Cup 4th round) both of which featured heart-breaking late equalisers for the visitors.
Following that promotion, City rarely shone at the higher level. The departure of manager Terry Cooper and key players such as Shaun Taylor, Richard Dryden, Clive Whitehead, Brian McDermott and Steve Neville left new boss Alan Ball to pick up the pieces. There were some happy times under the former World Cup winner - including taking six points off local rivals Plymouth in the clubs' first derbies for a decade - but Ball left for Southampton and the returning Cooper spent money the club couldn't afford trying, and failing, to avoid relegation.
Back in the bottom division, City struggled for several seasons, with chairman Ivor Doble taking the club into Administration and starting a chain of events which resulted in the sale of the club's ground for what was considered a very low sum.
In 2003, City finished 23rd in Division Three and were relegated to the Nationwide Conference as a result - the first club to suffer automatic relegation without finishing bottom of the league. Over 9,000 fans were at St James Park to see Steve Flack give City a 1-0 win, but Swansea's victory over Hull left the Grecians one point short of safety.
Recent History
editFollowing relegation to the Conference, the club was taken over by the Exeter City Supporters Trust. (There are outstanding criminal proceedings relating to the previous administration).
Several million pounds in debt and with no big investor in sight, the Trust kept the club alive through desperate fund-raising amongst rank and file supporters. Complex legal arguments with both the Inland Revenue and the football authorities meant that City's first season of non league football was a nightmare of never-ending off the field uncertainty.
In 2004, a Creditors Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) was finally put in place to reduce the club's debts. Hundreds of fans pledged at least £500 each to fund the CVA repayments, but the FA Cup proved to be the miracle the Grecians had been praying for.
City beat Braintree, Grimsby of League 2 and Doncaster of League 1 to reach the third round, and the Sunday afternoon Cup draw proved to be the saving of the club: "Manchester United will play - number 64 - Exeter City". City drew 0-0 at Old Trafford in January 2005, and the romance of the Cup brought with it £653,511 as City's share of receipts from the near 70,000 attendance.
Further income from a televised replay - won 2-0 by United - coupled with ongoing fund-raising and unpaid work from the club's dedicated supporters helped the club to finally repay its debts, and the CVA was cleared in December 2005.
The club continues to strive to bring League football back to Exeter, while also working to involve the community. Its Youth Development work is a key success, with Exeter City reaching the FA Youth Cup 3rd Round in 2006, when they lost at home to Newcastle United.
The Grecians
editThe club's nickname has a disputed history, with many theories being proposed for its origin. No one is sure of the definitive answer to why Exeter City became known as the Grecians but one source suggests that the club voted for the name in 1908[1] because of its association with St Sidwells parish:
The Parish Of St Sidwells Theory:
Exeter City football club formed from the predecessor club St Sidwells United in 1904. People living in the parish of St Sidwells in Exeter have been know as "Greeks" or "Grecians" for many centuries, as noted in Southey's Common-Place Book in 1669.[2] This is possibly due to the parish's location outside the city walls. In Homer's epic poem "The Illiad" the Greek forces laid siege to the walls of Troy. The association possibly arrose because of rivalries between city boys and St Sidwellians during the annual beating the bounds.[3]
It has also been suggested that there was a group of children in St Sidwells who were referred to as the 'Greasy Un's' and another possible, but unlikely source for the name was from clock that hung outside a jeweller's shop in Sidwell Street, close to the ground, which had the word 'Grecians' engraved or painted on the face.
The Caerwysc Theory:
A further possible source for the name is that it is a corruption of Caerwysc, a Roman name for Exeter. Citizens would have been called Caer Iscuns which became Grecians.
The "we hate green scum" theory:
It has been suggested that after a derby game against fierce rivals Plymouth Argyle, Exeter fans were reported by a bemused local newspaper as chanting "we are Grecians". In fact, they were chanting "we hate green scum". Nevertheless, the name stuck. [citation needed]
This is unlikely for a number of reasons, as the club were known as "The Grecians" from their earliest days, before they even played Plymouth in a competitive match. Also, Exeter's first strip was green.
Centenary celebrations
editIn May 2004 in commemoration of the club's centenary a friendly fixture was arranged against a Brazilian masters team at St James Park. Which, bearing in mind the 1914 fixture in Brazil, meant things had come full circle. The Brazilian team contained such notable players as Careca and Dunga. Brazil won 1-0.
Famous players and managers
editFamous players who have played for Exeter City include Cliff Bastin, who went on to play for Arsenal F.C. and England and goalkeeper Dick Pym, who went on to play for Bolton Wanderers F.C. and England. Other club legends included prolific 1930s striker Fred Whitlow, Arnold Mitchell, who played 495 games for City, Tony Kellow, City's record goalscorer, Ian Main, the gifted goalkeeper from the club's most successful years who died very young, and Darran Rowbotham in the 1980s and early 90s. Former England winger Lee Sharpe played four games for Exeter at the beginning of their 2002-03 Division Three campaign, scoring two goals.
After managing the club to a famous F.A. Cup Third Round draw at Old Trafford with Manchester United in 2005, Alex Inglethorpe left the club in June 2006 and Paul Tisdale was appointed. Past managers include the former England internationals Gerry Francis, Terry Cooper and Alan Ball.
Facts and records
editCity were founded in 1904 and moved to their current home, St James Park (not to be confused with the home of Newcastle United), in 1906. The club is nicknamed "The Grecians". City's home kit consists of red and white shirts, black shorts, and black socks. Their away kit is blue. City's record league victories are their 8-1 triumphs against Coventry City in 1926 and Aldershot in 1935 (the score was 0-0 against Aldershot at half-time!). In the FA Cup, they beat Aberdare Athletic 9-1 in 1927. City's record league defeat are the 9-0 defeats against Notts County in 1948 and Northampton Town in 1958. In January 2005, Exeter City Drew 0-0 with Manchester United at Old Trafford in the FA Cup Third Round in one of the round's greatest shocks. Then back at St James' Park Exeter lost 2-0
Incomplete Honours
edit- Division Four Champions: 1
- 1989-90
- Division Four Runner-up: 1
- 1976-77
- Division Three South Runner-up: 1
- 1932-33
- FA Devon St. Lukes Challenge Bowl: Too many to count
- 2004-05 (Most Recent)
All-time Grecian Managers
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Season-by-season record
edit- Complete season-by-season record since 1908.
| Season | Division | Position | Notes |
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| 1997-98 | Division Three | 22nd | |
| 1997-98 | Division Three | 15th | |
| 1998-99 | Division Three | 12th | |
| 1999-00 | Division Three | 21st | |
| 2000-01 | Division Three | 19th | |
| 2001-02 | Division Three | 16th | |
| 2002-03 | Division Three | 23rd | |
| 2003 | Relegated to Conference National | ||
| 2003-04 | Conference National | 6th | |
| 2004-05 | Conference National | 6th | |
| 2005-06 | Conference National | 7th | |
Source: Exeter City at the Football Club History Database
Current Squad
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Players out on loan
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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2006-07 Transfers
editIn:
edit
Adam Stansfield (ST) - Hereford United- Jon Richardson (DF) - Forest Green Rovers
Patrick Ada (DF) - St Albans City
Bertie Cozic (MF) - Team Bath
Rob Edwards (DF) - Blackpool- Danny Clay (MF) - Unattached[4]
Wayne Carlisle (MF) - Unattached[5]- Neal Barrett (MF) - Unattached
- Lee Elam (MF) - Weymouth
- Steve Tully (DF) - Weymouth
Out:
edit- Gary Sawyer (DF) - Plymouth Argyle (Loan return)
Santos Gaia (DF) - Stevenage Borough
Glenn Cronin (MF) - Chester- Chris Vinnicombe (DF) - Tiverton Town
- Les Afful (MF) - Forest Green Rovers
- Craig Farrell (FW) - York City
- Steve Flack (FW) - Tiverton Town
- Danny Clay (MF) - Released,[4] Salisbury City
- Craig Watkins (FW) - Havant & Waterlooville
Rytis Leliuga (FW) - Bryne FK- Jake Edwards (FW) - Crawley Town
- Wayne Carlisle (MF) - Released[5]
- Loris Ghiglia (MF) - Taunton Town
- Neal Barrett (MF) - Released
Rivalry
editTraditionally, Exeter City's two greatest rivals are the local teams Plymouth Argyle and Torquay United.
Exeter City's last competitive game against Plymouth Argyle was held in 2005 at Home Park in the FA Devon St. Lukes Challenge Bowl Final that Exeter City won 2-0.
Exeter City's last competitive game against Torquay United was in 2003 in Division 3 at Plainmoor in a fixture that Torquay United won 1-0. This was Torquay United's first double over Exeter City for 40 years.
Notes and references
edit- ^ http://www.exetercityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/WhyGrecians/0,,10436,00.html
- ^ Southey's Common-Place Book. 4th Series. 21 July 1669. Exeter. (p380.)
- ^ http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/EM/StJamesP.html
- ^ a b Danny Clay was released by then manager Alex Inglethorpe, who then left, to be replaced by Paul Tisdale, who re-signed Clay. Clay then moved on to {{subst:Fc|Salisbury City}} in October 2006.
- ^ a b Wayne Carlisle's contract expired at the end of the 2005-06 season and was released by then manager Alex Inglethorpe, who then left, to be replaced by Paul Tisdale, who re-signed Carlisle after a trial match on 4 October, 2006 against Dawlish Town.
See also
editExternal links
edit- Official Website
- Supporters Trust
- Exeter City Online Shop
- ExeWeb - Fan Forum
- ZoAr/Exeter City on BBC Sport: Club news – Recent results and fixtures