Post by Budleigh on Dec 9, 2009 22:38:58 GMT
A bit of a mystery programme for me as I can find no record of this game, no doubt the full story of it will be revealed in no time at all by the historians amongst us!
And considering our woes in trying to get the FA Cup game with Stockport played there is an interesting link contained within the pages between United and County.
This programme is for a friendly at St. James’s Park between Exeter City and Torquay United on Saturday the 28th of January, 1961. What makes it also interesting is the ‘Club Chatter’ by Maurice Goldsworthy who uses figures from the ‘F.A. News’ to show the financial problems many clubs found themselves in nearly fifty years ago. Then he goes on to paint a rosy picture of Torquay United and their manager ‘the genial Mr. Webber’ who was expected to field a full strength Third Division team whilst taking the opportunity of ‘blooding’ a new player, Mike Eckersall.
And this is where the connection lies as Eckersall went on to play over thirty times during the next few seasons for United before being transferred to Stockport County. At the time they were going through a financial crisis of there own whilst languishing at the foot of the table. Sound familiar? Indeed it was only the fact that they reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, gaining a draw at Anfield against Liverpool before losing at home, that staved off the inevitable and kept both the fans and the bank manager happy. Hopefully not an omen for next weeks encounter.
The photo on the cover is also quite interesting as it shows the ‘Regent’ advertising on the roof of the main stand. Over the next few seasons the City programme had exactly the same picture on the front but with the advertising ‘removed’ and the roof now blank. No doubt a trick of the darkroom after the ending of the agreement.
Anyway, here’s the programme for the game…
And considering our woes in trying to get the FA Cup game with Stockport played there is an interesting link contained within the pages between United and County.
This programme is for a friendly at St. James’s Park between Exeter City and Torquay United on Saturday the 28th of January, 1961. What makes it also interesting is the ‘Club Chatter’ by Maurice Goldsworthy who uses figures from the ‘F.A. News’ to show the financial problems many clubs found themselves in nearly fifty years ago. Then he goes on to paint a rosy picture of Torquay United and their manager ‘the genial Mr. Webber’ who was expected to field a full strength Third Division team whilst taking the opportunity of ‘blooding’ a new player, Mike Eckersall.
And this is where the connection lies as Eckersall went on to play over thirty times during the next few seasons for United before being transferred to Stockport County. At the time they were going through a financial crisis of there own whilst languishing at the foot of the table. Sound familiar? Indeed it was only the fact that they reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, gaining a draw at Anfield against Liverpool before losing at home, that staved off the inevitable and kept both the fans and the bank manager happy. Hopefully not an omen for next weeks encounter.
The photo on the cover is also quite interesting as it shows the ‘Regent’ advertising on the roof of the main stand. Over the next few seasons the City programme had exactly the same picture on the front but with the advertising ‘removed’ and the roof now blank. No doubt a trick of the darkroom after the ending of the agreement.
Anyway, here’s the programme for the game…
