The main Grandstand at St James Park - now the oldest part of the ground Photo © 2009 Ciderspace

The Grecians, along with Shrewsbury Town, were of course the clubs we and Doncaster Rovers replaced in the Football League in 2003, so we missed them again. Exeter were something of a joke around that period, in financial chaos, embarrassing associations with Uri Geller and Michael Jackson, and falling into the hands of John Russell and Mike Lewis. Both had previous of ruining other clubs, and eventually Russell received a prison term and Lewis a community service sentence for their fraudulent activities at St James Park.

However, back to the beginning. Exeter City were formed in 1904 out of two earlier clubs in the area, St Sidwell's United and Exeter United, and set up home at St James Park at the same time. They joined the East Devon League, and their first ever match was a 2-1 win against 110th Battery of the Royal Artillery (you don't get clubs like that today). Winning the East Devon League at something of a canter, the next season they moved up to the Plymouth & District League where they spent three years. In 1908 the club turned professional, and was elected into the Southern League to replace Tottenham Hotspur who had in turn moved into the Football League despite finishing seventh. Exeter's first season in the Southern League was a pretty impressive sixth, and they also racked up what still remains their record victory, a 14-0 demolition of our Weymouth friends (so worth mentioning) in an F.A. Cup First Qualifying Round. However that was as good as it got in the SL, and from then until football was suspended for the Great War the Grecians were generally a mediocre outfit treading water in the middle of the pack. It was during this period that they abandoned their green and white kit, deciding it was 'unlucky', and adopted the red and white striped shirts they wear today. In 1914 they made their famous tour of South America and are reputed to be the first ever opponents played by the newly formed Brazil national side.

Once football resumed in 1919-1920 they were back in the Southern League and back finishing mid-table. At the end of that season they were one of the twenty-two clubs invited to form Football League Division Three, finishing 19th. When Division Three South and Division Three North were set up for the following campaign it goes without saying Exeter found themselves in the former. The Grecians were to remain in Division Three South throughout its existence, a runners-up spot in 1932-33 being the only bright spot in four decades of mid-table finishes interspersed by six re-elections. Ahead of the Football League restructuring of 1958 they finished bottom and thus ended up in the new Fourth Division.

In 1963-64 Exeter, rather out of the blue since their previous three seasons had been fairly dire and required yet another re-election, finished 4th and so got promoted to the Third Division. They lasted two seasons before retreating into the basement for another eleven campaigns. The mid Seventies and into the early Eighties was the club's best spell to date. A runners-up spot in 1976-77 saw them then sustain Division Three status for seven seasons.

They were relegated to the Fourth Division again in 1984 and had the dubious honour of being one of the final clubs to be re-elected in 1986, after which that system was scrapped. Again somewhat out of the blue, after several seasons of stuggle, Exeter suddenly won the Fourth Division, the first title since that East Devon League one back in their founding season. Relegated in 1993-94 the next season saw them about to go out of the Football League when they finished 92nd, only to be saved at the eleventh hour when Conference Champions Macclesfield Town were deemed not to have a suitable ground. Year after year of lower mid-table followed until fate finally caught up with them in the season the Football League and the Conference agreed two up / two down for the first time and they inconveniently finished 23rd. This time there were no supposed ground issues to save them and the Grecians were back in Non-League.

It took the club five seasons to get back out, and it was ex-Glover Paul Tisdale who did the trick, managing them to a losing Play-off Final against Morecambe in 2006-07 but returning to Wembley the following year to defeat Cambridge United. This then became back-to-back promotions when Exeter finished runners-up to Brentford to head from the Conference to League One in two years.

That almost looked like a step too far during the 2009-10 season when they hovered just above the relegation zone and almost went down on the final day - during the 'live' League One tables across that Saturday, they occupied the relegation zone with just eight minutes remaining. They survived, with midfielder Ryan Harley their hero, and the 2010-11 season saw them improve substantially upon that finishing a highly creditable 8th and for a while with an outside chance of the play-offs.

Yeovil Town and Exeter City have the theoretical chance to develop some serious local rivalry, despite only first meeting in a 'proper' League (we'll ignore the Western Counties Floodlit League meetings here) environment during the 2009-10 season. Both clubs are of a relatively similar size and it's probably only the historical underachievement of the Glovers that has stopped the two clubs from meeting more often in the past. Sometimes though, rivalry doesn't develop, and at present if anything the two clubs are tightly bonded by the untimely death of Grecians striker Adam Stansfield during 2010 that shocked and united both sets of supporters. With Paul Tisdale and Terry Skiverton having lined up in the same Yeovil Town side back in their playing days, we're unlikely to see games against the Grecians ignite with a bout of Bristol Rovers Atkins-style tea throwing either. Hence at present, this one is likely to be a rivalry of competitive but friendly respect and sometimes that is no bad thing.

The Big Bank Terrace - situated opposite the away end Photo © 2009 Ciderspace

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RECENT RESULTS

03/11/2012

Bury

Away

FAC1

L

0-1

1821

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

CLUB GOALSCORERS

Name

LGE

FAC

FAT

LGC

CC

Total

ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

Highest League Attendance: Not Applicable
Lowest League Attendance: Not Applicable
Average League Attendance: Not Applicable

CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS

Games Without A Win:	0		Games Without A Home Win:	0
Games Without An Away Win:	0		Games Without Defeat:	0
Games Without A Home Defeat:	0		Games Without An Away Defeat:	0
Games Without A Draw:	0		Games Without A Score Draw:	0
Games Without A No-Score Draw:	0		Games Without Scoring:	0
Games Without Conceding:	0		Home Results Sequence:
Away Results Sequence:			Overall Results Sequence:

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The St James Road Terrace - as basic and open as it looks Photo © 2009 Ciderspace

General

Most Yeovil fans are going to know where Exeter is.

By Road

If approaching on the M5 exit at Junction 30, and then follow the signs for Middlemoor. Take the second exit at Middlemoor roundabout, signed Heavitree. Follow signs for City Centre, going through Heavitree for approximately two miles. Past the police station on your right, then at the bottom of the hill turn right at the roundabout into Western Way (signed Pinhoe and Broadclyst). At the next roundabout, take the second Exit into Old Tiverton Road and then second left into Stadium Way.

Approaching via the A303 / A30, go past Exeter Airport and under the M5 bridge (J29). Carry straight on at the next set of lights, past the Met Office on your right to the next roundabout. Straight across this roundabout to the next set of lights (T Junction). Turn right at these lights then follow directions for the City Centre and the subsequently the stadium as detailed above.

Parking

Parking at the stadium is limited and therefore reserved for staff, visiting directors and sponsors. Most of the streets around St James Park are reserved for residents and permit holders only. According to the Exeter end this is vigorously enforced. Penalty charges range from £50 to £70.

The nearest council car park is Belmont Road. It's open 24 hours, but is tiny so unless you arrive very early and are very very lucky....... More realistic is the multi-storey King William Street with 730 spaces. Although normally closed at 9.00 p.m don't panic if you've returned and it looks locked up: the entrance/exit off Leighton Terrace is kept open until 11.00 p.m. when City have evening matches. Other car parks within an easy walk are: Triangle (24 hours, 288 spaces) and Howell Road (24 hours, 322 spaces). All the council car parks become free of charge after 6.00 p.m. but charge on Saturdays.

NOTE CAREFULLY: The 2011-12 League One match takes place on a Monday, but also takes place on a Bank Holiday. When parking up, particularly on side-streets, pay careful attention to parking bays that charge for a 'Monday' but make no reference to Bank Holidays.

By Supporters Coaches

The Green and White Supporters Club are running coaches to the match for this 2011-12 season League One fixture as follows:

Coaches will depart from from Yeovil Bus Station at 11.15a.m. and from Huish Park at 11.30a.m. Cost of travel will be £10.00. On this occasion there are no concessions available. Non-GWSC members are welcomed and will pay two pounds extra.

To place your booking, call Paul Hadlow on 07736 044570 or Rich Rendell on 01935 427072 (Evenings). You can also contact the GWSC office at Huish Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10.30am and 1.30pm on 01935-847879. An answer machine service is also available on this number.

By Rail

The stadium is adjacent to St James Park Station. This station is two minutes (by rail) east of Exeter Central and served by a 'branch line' starting at Exeter St David's, going via Exeter Central and ending at Exmouth. Given the walk from St James Park Station to Exeter Central is only ten to fifteen minutes, you might decide it's not worth the hassle of dealing with changing trains. You can use Exeter St David's, but that station is a longer walk from the ground, 15 to 20 minutes, than Central.

South West Trains run roughly one train an hour for the majority of the day from Yeovil Junction to Exeter Central and Exeter St David's. Journey time is just under or just over the hour. The connection through to Exeter St James runs only once per hour so if you plan to make use of that then make sure you're aware of your connection times.

By Bus

The main Bus Station is only about five mintes walk away from the ground. St James Park Stadium is close enough to the city centre that buses probably won't be a concern, but should you want one the services running closest past the stadium are the B, E and F1/2. A bus route map can be found here.

By Taxi

A selection of Exeter taxi companies can be found here.

The Flybe Stand - a new stand situated side-on to the pitch Photo © 2009 Ciderspace

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Club Bar :

Exeter City's Social Club at the ground is normally open to away fans. Inside the stadium food is the usual football ground fare.

Local Pubs :

When I first knew Exeter there was at least one pub that only served cider, and there weren't many that didn't have a barrel of the real stuff somewhere on the premises. Those days are long gone, but there are still a reasonable number of outlets around the city where a decent pint can be found, amongst them: Double Locks (Gray's Devon Farmhouse) - sadly, although one of the best pubs, at three and a half miles from the ground, too far to get a write up; First'n'Last (Thatchers Heritage and Taunton Traditional); Old Firehouse (Winkleigh Sam's Dry and Thatchers); Well House Tavern (Rich's Medium Farmhouse). If beer is your preference over cider, there are plenty of small local breweries in Devon, and one in Exeter itself: The Exeter Brewery.

Bowling Green: Standard old style boozer with the advantage of being five or six minutes walk from the stadium (a bit further for the away end). Has some unidentified real ale, a beer garden, juke box, pool table. Live music on a Saturday night. Bowling Green, 29-30, Blackboy Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 6ST. Tel: 01392 422527. Map: Click Here.

Great Western Hotel: As Brunel did nothing on a small scale this is not a little place. Has two bars on different levels and a restaurant. Only 150 yards from Exeter St David's Station it is most useful for those alighting there. It's then about 20 minutes walk to the stadium. Opening is 10.00 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. There are up to fourteen real ales on at a time, with Branscombe Vale Branoc, Dartmoor Jail Ale, O'Hanlon's Yellowhammer and Original Port Stout and Fuller's London Pride regulars. Food is served all day. Disabled, child and dog friendly. Has an outside smoking area. Great Western Hotel, St David's Station Approach, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4NU. Tel: 01392 274039. Website: Click Here. Map: Click Here.

Imperial: Huge Wetherspoon - one of four in the city - close by Exeter St David's Railway Station, which makes it a 20 minute walk from St James Park, converted from the old Imperial Hotel in 1996. Has the usual strengths and weaknesses of that chain. Wide range of ales, with more effort than some in the stable make to source local beers. The majority of Wetherspoon pubs do a real cider these days, and this one's no exception. It will probably be Weston's, which is what the chain mostly dispenses though you do see other varieties occasionally. Large beer garden, and a number of distinct drinking areas inside. Standard Wetherspoon menu served all day. Opening is 9.00 a.m. - midnight Sunday to Thursday, 9.00 a.m. - 1.00 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Imperial, New North Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4AH. Tel: 01392 434050. Map: Click Here.

Old Firehouse: Close by Exeter Central Railway Station and the main Bus Station and about ten minutes walk from St James Park. Opening is officially noon - 3.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m - 2.00 a.m. weekdays, noon - 3.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m. - 3.00 a.m. Saturday, and noon - 1.00 a.m Sunday (though reports from customers suggest opening times, especially for the earlier parts of the day, can be somewhat random and it rarely seems to be open Saturday lunchtime for example). That said, when punters do manage to get inside reports are almost universally glowing. The pub spreads across three floors and food is served lunch times and in the evening. Very reasonably priced as it goes for the student market in term time. There are two house real ales, Sharp's Doom Bar and Wychwood Hobgoblin, and two changing guests, usually from local West Country breweries. Live music features on Saturday and Sunday nights. Beer garden for smokers and others. Old Firehouse, 50, New North Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4EP. Tel: 01392 277279. Map: Click Here.

Victoria Inn: Other side of St James Park from the city centre, across the railway line. A recent change of management, and the new team are getting good reviews. Clearly making an effort to build trade as the landlord, Ben, posted a number of messages on the Green Room welcoming Yeovil fans to sample his hospitality. Does real ale and good cheap food. A Tony Fort on Duncan Adams' generally very good Football Ground Guide also recommends this pub, but claims it's fifteen minutes from the stadium. Without wishing to cast aspersions, he either got lost or was staggeringly (pun intended) drunk. The landlord says two minutes but I'd give it five. Well used by home fans, but no issues. Victoria Inn, 36, Victoria Street, Exeter, Devon, EX4 6JQ. Tel: 01392 477740. Map: Click Here.

Well House Tavern: Fifteen minutes walk to the ground. The pub is attached to the Royal Clarence Hotel. Food is served lunchtimes from noon to 2.30 p.m. The pub and hotel are owned by renown chef Michael Caines, but as he owns at least half a dozen venues scattered all round the country it's not that likely he'll be on site frying your chips. Otter Bitter is the house ale, with three changing guests. There's Rich's Medium Farmhouse Scrumpy for those that like their real cider, and Becks Vier, Grolsch, Skinners Cornish Lager, Worthingtons, Guinness and Old English Cider for keg drinkers. Prices are at the more expensive end of the market but not outrageous. Currently O'Hanlon's Yellowhammer is on a special offer at £2.00 a pint between 5.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. Nowhere to smoke except the street. Opening times are: 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 11.00 a.m. - midnight Friday and Saturday; noon - 10.30 p.m. Sunday. Well House Tavern, 16-17, Cathedral Yard, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1HD. Tel: 01392 223611. Website: Click Here. Map: Click Here.

Wells Tavern: Closest pub to the stadium, in fact right by it, but reports are that away fans are welcome and there are no issues. Was the Brook Green Tavern until very recently, but has had a name change. That also made for new ownership and so we could do with a few more up to date reports. However, they advertise "five Cask Marque accredited real ales featuring local ales predominantly from Devon & Cornwall" and also "Chicago Town pizzas and authentic curries" available all day, with other bar snacks including toasties available up until 9.00p.m. There is parking available, plus wi-fi. There is a small garden for smokers and others. Opening: Monday to Thursday 3.00 p.m. - 11.00p.m.; Friday 3.00p.m. - midnight; Saturday 12.00 noon - midnight; Sunday 12.00 noon - 11.00p.m. Wells Tavern, 31, Well Street, Exeter, Devon, EX4 6QL. Tel: 01392 495699. Email: wellstavernexeter@westcountrypubtrail.co.uk. Website: Click Here. Map: Click Here.

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

Tis proper West Countree m' luvver.

Top-Tip :

Make a day of it. Exeter's not a bad city. Not exactly cosmopolitan on a World scale, but in West Country terms it's big and sophisticated enough to have abandoned witch trials and smocks while being small enough that most things are accessible with a stroll.

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[No responsibilty is taken for any inaccuracies. This page is entirely the product of bias and prejudice.]

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