Edited by Chris Gillard

Guests of the Army (Pat Head)

ON September 16, 1948, Crediton United travelled to Honiton and played REME, beating them 5-3.

Twenty years later Pat Head wrote: “We are fortunate at Crediton today to have in the Clubhouse a modern kitchen and a willing band of ladies who give up their time to provide refreshments at half-time and splendid food after matches and at the various social functions.

“In the Devon and Exeter League food was not provided until recent years when more and more Clubs obtained their own premises.

“An exception however, was to be found at Heathfield Camp, Honiton. The REME were stationed there and entered a team in the League.

“Players and supporters alike were given a marvellous cooked meal after the game followed by a mug of ‘army tea’.

“Word soon got around and on subsequent visits to REME we had no difficulty in filling the coach with supporters, most of whom rarely came to away fixtures.

“Then came the day when REME left Honiton and their place was taken by the Durham Light Infantry.

“On the day of our visit, the coach left the Oatsheaf Hotel already half-full and after picking up at the cinema and White Hart all the seats were taken.

“I can’t remember who won the match but, as was usual against service teams, it was a tough encounter.

“Returning to the camp afterwards we were greeted in the changing hut by an NCO and two privates carrying crates of beer while the coach load of supporters sat in the coach awaiting the call to the mess which never came.”

Bill’s skills – Bill Ellaway

(unknown author in a 1990’s match programme - could have been me C.G.)

I was privileged to play with Bill Ellaway for several years and had my fair share of tongue lashing during that time.

It was through him, however, that I and many others, no doubt, learned that you can only get out of the game what you put into it. Although the mists of time have blurred the memory, I can recall Bill playing as if it were only 50 years ago!

He had excellent control and passing and shooting skills with both feet and could head the ball equally as well. Bill is a perfectionist and nowhere is this illustrated better than on our ground where Bill, with others, looks after the pitch and surroundings. A few years ago when our mowing equipment was out of commission, Bill, on more than one occasion, cut the whole of the pitch playing surface with an 18” rotary mower, travelling around four miles behind the mower to do it.

Bill is also a “stripe” fanatic and, on another occasion brushed the whole pitch with a 24” broom to achieve the stripe affect. More recently, after spending three years telling the Committee to get rid of the heavy, cumbersome furniture in the Clubhouse he decided that perhaps it wasn’t quite the right decision after all and is still in two minds.

Any of his friends who really know him though knows he’s a complex character. One minute he’ll be verbally assaulting an unsuspecting referee or players or chastising someone for a wrongdoing and the next he’ll be encouraging a young kid or refilling the sauce bottles, just to show he really is an old softy deep down.

Bill has great pride in himself, even more in our Club and is never afraid to speak his mind. But he is always prepared to match his words with action.

Bill’s first encounter with the professional ranks was with Barnstaple Town, with whom he won a Western League Championship medal in 1953.

Bill played in a trial match for Exeter City in August 1953, having had a trial with Arsenal the previous season. His first appearance for City was on February 27, 1954 when he scored in City’s 2-1 defeat at Brighton and Hove Albion.

At the end of the 1955-6 season, having played 32 games for City, scoring nine goals, Bill was transferred to Bournemouth and Boscombe AFC.

After his spell with Bournemouth, Bill, if my memory serves me right, moved a few miles along the coast to Poole Town before returning to Crediton in the early 60s to help the Club win the Senior One Division of the then Exeter and District league.

P.S I never saw Stan Hurst play but of the four Crediton players who played for Exeter City - Post War – Bill’s all-round skills were the best of them all.

He has been a regular supporter and groundsman at both the Crediton Football and Sandford Cricket Clubs – I understand also he used to assist the QE School groundsman in the school holidays.

His health is not what it was but he always has a cheerful smile when I see him out with wife June.

The Club’s Generosity (Colin White)

There is a delightful minute from November 12, 1956 when “the secretary was asked to write to the Crediton Urban District Council to find out if a seat could be put under the tree at the Church end of the Newcombes Playing fields for the old people to see the football from”.

That the committee were good people is clear from their proposition to give the proceeds from the match against Topsham on November 24 to the Hungarian Relief Fund.