John Hurst – best of his generation.

JOHN Hurst and I became close friends “at a very early age” at the Old Landscore School “football academy” now some 72 years ago!

Throughout our school years with Hayward’s Primary, and Q.E.Grammar School we were good friends and eventually both played together in all sports, Rugby, Hockey and Cricket at Q.E.School First team level.

The only sport he wasn’t good at was swimming!

Over the years John became known as “Stan” after his father who, originally a railway porter at Tipton St John, became a successful pre-war professional footballer with Exeter City, Watford, Brighton and Hove Albion and Reading.

Despite few chances of “learning” soccer at Hayward’s – we had only two matches a season, against Sandford and Exeter’s Ladysmith School but weren’t allowed to kick footballs in the playground.

We were however able to enjoy games with our friends in Newcombes Playing fields in the summer months and particularly during school holidays. The game of soccer in those days was not played at either Hayward’s or the Q.E. Grammar School.

In our early teens we were lucky that Crediton United was running youth teams and we were able to develop our game with them.

At 16, having taken O-Levels, we both left school and I became involved in the family business and John eventually started work with a business in Exeter.

However his career didn’t last long as he must’ve been restless and made a life changing decision to go back to Q.E.School - the only person I’ve ever known to do that - and study for his A levels.

He subsequently went to Lampeter University where he studied English and History and whilst there represented the University of Wales. It was here that he also met his future wife Daphne.

John also played for Exeter City as an amateur with Exeter City Reserves in his late teens and also had a spell with Bideford Town. He studied for his teaching qualifications at Loughborough and in the early 1970’s played for Chippenham Town. Following their marriage in 1970 he and Daphne settled down in Milbourne near Malmesbury.

John taught English at Headlands School in Swindon and was later head of English at Lingsdown School from 1975 to 1984. He then moved to New College in Swindon where he worked until retirement in 2000.

During his time at New College, he produced many fine football teams. He was also instrumental in the establishment of Swindon Town’s Youth Academy during the mid-1990s, and also fostered links between the college and Forest Green Rovers. Sadly John died, aged 69 on April 26, 2014.

His sporting prowess was inherited by his three children and he was very proud of Kathy his eldest who represented Oxford University at football.

John also had another daughter Suzy and a son Christopher, with whom he enjoyed playing cricket.

John always maintained a keen interest in the fortunes of Crediton United and Exeter and was in regular contact with friend and former team manager Ian Grinney.

He was at Exeter City’s final home game of the 2014 season against Scunthorpe United but returning to his car collapsed and was rushed to the R.D and E Hospital after the game but didn’t recover and passed away later that evening.

Eakers family – a team of their own

ONE of the keenest families ever of football in the Crediton area has to be the Eakers family.

The family first lived in Hookway and although father, a farm hand, showed no interest in football, their mum Winnie must’ve been the inspiration to their children.

Terry, the oldest of the boys, played all his career with Fordton and next eldest Michael also started at Fordton but later joined Crediton United.

The next, Jack a skilful inside-forward, started his football in the Crediton Youth team but played for both the first and second team for a number of years.

Unfortunately Jack broke his leg playing for the first team home game against Kingsteignton on November 28, 1959.

He did recover, however, as the Club records confirm that on December 17, 1960 Jack scored three goals in a reserves match at Clyst Valley just over 12 months later.

Norman was the next in line having played with Jack in the Colts team but admits as a Reserves team player he wasn’t the best in the world.

Probably his greatest contribution to the Club was being the main man in the construction of the new changing rooms in the old Tannery building overlooking the Newcombes bowling green.

The youngest of the Eakers players Rodney turned out to be probably the best player of the family and was part of the team which won the then Exeter and District League First division in 1962/3.

This team included all three former post war Exeter City professionals Fred Davey, Bill Ellaway and Ian Grinney.

A skilful left footed winger Rodney should have played for many more years than he did and could have played at a higher level but he succumbed to knee problems which eventually ended his football career.

Apart from the five brothers who played football there were several others, including Tony and Collin who didn’t take up the game but the football enthusiasts in the family weren’t limited to the lads.

Both their sisters Valerie and Sally were keen supporters of Exeter City and even their mum Winnie could be seen with them in the same spot at every home game, just inside the ground on the “Big Bank” rails, wielding their “rattles” and banging the advertising hoarding in support.

Not only were they keen football supporters but both Val and Sally married players who played for Crediton.

Val was married to long-term nippy inside forward, and later club treasurer, Colin Smith and Sally married speedy winger Johnny Harris, probably the best player ever from Newton St Cyres. So Saturday evenings must’ve brought about very interesting conversations in the Eakers households and probably a few bruises needing attention as well.

Melvyn Steer – One Club Player

PROBABLY the longest serving player for Crediton United was Melvyn Steer who was, at 15 years old, the youngest player in the 1962/3 Devon and Exeter League Senior One Division side.

Apart from ex professional players who played for Crediton at various times, Melv must be considered the best central defender at Crediton United ever even taking into account United’s Western League teams in later years!

Considering his sports playing brothers were all oval ball enthusiasts Melvyn benefited from the coaching of Ray Ellis, the Hayward’s and Shelley School football coach.

Having joined Crediton United aged 15 in 1961 as a player in Ron Millard’s Colts team, by the start of the 1962 season he was a regular in the First team.

As a teenager, through Fred Davey’s professional contacts, Melvyn had the opportunity to go for a trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the early 1960’s. He was however a Kirton lad and enjoyed his social life as much as football so didn’t follow the opportunity through.

One of his strong assets was that he was able to mark any player the manager considered dangerous out of a game. Probably his best conquest was Andy Gorfin, considered to be one of the best forwards at Crediton’s level in those days and who played for various clubs in Exeter and also at Axminster.

Whenever Crediton played a team with Andy in it Melvyn was always given the job of close marking him out of the game. When he celebrated his 25th season with Crediton a surprise party was arranged at the Clubhouse organised by his family and Club Committee. Andy was invited as a special “guest of honour” and was pleased to accept.

Unfortunately Melvyn broke a leg on tour in London playing at Whitebread’s Brewery headquarters and as a result he was out of football for a couple of seasons.

Not only did he have to spend a night in hospital but he missed the generous hospitality in the bar after the game as well as the chance of going to watch a, then, First Division game in the afternoon.

He eventually returned to First team football and played through into his 30s.

In total he must’ve played for the First team for nearly 20 years in all. Melvyn played competitive football regularly until he was 49 years old helping the young lads in the Club’s three reserves teams. So overall he must’ve enjoyed nearly 34 years playing football, which must be a record for any Crediton player ever.

Alan Matten – Joker in the team

ALAN Matten – AKA “Whiffer” (still don’t know why 50 years later) - was one of the most skilful ball players ever to play for Crediton United. He was a regular left winger but occasionally played centre forward.

Skilful with both feet he used to mesmerise all his right back opponents with his ball control sending them the wrong way as he left them for dead.

As a regular goal scorer he must’ve played first team football for at least 10 or 12 years.

I don’t ever recall seeing him at a training session but he always seemed naturally fit with little excess weight to worry about. He first started playing for Crediton in 1948 in their youth team.

As a teenager he had been recommended to Exeter City by fellow players Ian Grinney and Bill Ellaway.

But because he was born with sight in one eye only this ruled him out of a chance of a trial with City.

He played for Crediton regularly into his early 30s and eventually took over as team manager in 1974 for a couple of seasons.

Alan had a mischievous sense of humour and in one game against the Exeter City “A” team at King George 5th playing fields, Exeter, he had possession of the ball when Bill Ellaway shouted to him “Hold it – Hold it”!

Alan stopped, picked up the ball and turned round to Bill with an enquiring look as if to ask what to do with it. The referee was not amused and gave him a good telling off.

He was also a practical joker not averse, according to Ian Grinney, to hiding his false teeth in someone’s beer glass without them knowing.

Ian also recalls him telephoning him in the old White Hart pub and saying he was stuck in Exeter and could he drive in and pick him up. Ian went outside got in his car and Whiffer jumped in beside him.

Alan was First team manager between 1974 and 1976, taking over from Ian Grinney after his five years spell but he also spent several years on the Club’s Committee and was social secretary for some time.

Following the Club’s move to Lords Meadow he favoured watching his football on Saturday afternoons in the comfort at the The Three Little Pigs. Sadly he passed away in May 2007 - one of the great characters of football in Crediton.

Chris Gillard