Exeter City v Plymouth Argyle – Our First League Meeting in 1908 – Pt 1

Our first league meeting took place on Wednesday 11th November 1908. It was a Southern League match, and both teams were doing well in the league.

This story will be presented in two parts, the match report will feature tomorrow.

The Yorkshire Telegraph and Star reported in their evening edition of Saturday 7th November that Exeter City had signed a new player:-

A Famous Custodian.

Considerable interest has been aroused in football circles by the announcement that Jack Robinson, the ex-International, Plymouth Argyle, and Southampton goalkeeper, has signed professional form for Exeter City.

Three seasons have elapsed since Robinson took active part in first-class football, though last winter regularly assisted Green Waves, Plymouth and District League club. He then proved that he was of value as a goalkeeper, and he may be valuable acquisition to the Exonians. Robinson will at once into training, and it is possible that will be on duty under Exeter’s cross-bar in the match with Plymouth Argyle Exeter next Wednesday.

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The thoughts of “Linesman” in the Devon and Exeter Gazette on the day of the match takes up the story of whether the new keeper should play, and the line-up of the two teams.

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.
EXETER CITY V. PLYMOUTH ARGYLE.
ROBINSON OR FLETCHER?

The meeting Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle, in the Southern League, at St. James’s, this afternoon, is exciting an extraordinary amount interest among the supporters of both clubs, and there is every prospect of the game attracting an even gate than that which assembled a week or two since to witness the Wednesday match with Southampton.

On their performances the League this season, there is little to choose between the two clubs, but Argyle occupy slightly the better position in the table, for, whereas better position in the table, for, whereas both have secured an equal number of wins, Plymouth have shared the points on four occasions, while Exeter have had to be content with this but on three. Apart from its League importance, much local interest its League importance, much local interest attaches to the match, for it will be the first and we can rely upon each side straining and we can utmost to win.

Whatever the result, the game promises to be strenuously contested,  and the spectators may be assured of plenty of excitement. Exeter will only make one change in their team compared with that which did service against Whiteheads (in the FA Cup), on Saturday, and this will be in goal, where Robinson comes in in place of Fletcher.

The old Plymouth, Southampton and International custodian was signed on last week, but his inclusion in to-day’s XI, comes somewhat in the nature of a surprise, and may be regarded in the light of a risky experiment. be regarded in the light of a risky experiment. In Fletcher we have a keeper who has been thoroughly tested, whose performances this season has won nothing but praise, and who may said to be as fit as  the proverbial fiddle. It seems a little strange, therefore, to find him suddenly dropped – especially in the light of the importance which attaches to this afternoon’s match – and his place given to Robinson who has not been playing regularly for the past two seasons.

On his day, the old International has few equals in goal, and it is to be hoped he will this afternoon reproduce that form which made his name one to conjure with in the football world a few seasons ago. If he does, those responsible for his selection will congratulated. If, on the other hand, absence from regular first-class football has resulted in a deterioration of Robinson’s play, and the side let down, then they will be rightly censured for”changing horses when crossing the stream”, and dropping one they know to be reliable for player who might have been great in his day, but who, for reasons I have mentioned, may not to-day be able reproduce the same form that won him his place the English team.

From what I can gather the directors have not made up their minds to permanently displace Fletcher by Robinson, but there seems to be some idea that the latter’s inclusion in today’s team will act somewhat in the nature of  a “draw” with the many people who are expected to come up from Plymouth to witness the match. For the sake of the City I hope the experiment will be justified by the result. By the way, there some little doubt even now whether Robinson will turn out – everything connected with his signing on, etc., did not appear to have been completed to last night.

Plymouth are unfortunate in not being able to put out their full strength, but are bringing an XI. which may relied upon to put up a good fight, and make Exeter go all the way to win which, I think, the advantage of their playing at home should just result in their doing.

Teams: Exeter City: Robinson (or Fletcher); Craig and Bulcock; Ambler, Chadwick, Johnson; White, Watson, McGuigan, Bell, and Copestake. Argyle: Sutcliffe; Cudlipp and Atterburv; McCormick, Clark or Evenson. Mclntyre; Cook. Ingham, Wilcox, H. Raymond, and Holden.