Brent Edwards
Columnist
EXETER CITY
Fan since: 1973
Favourite player: Tony Kellow.
Greatest moment: Drawing 0-0 with Manchester United in third-round FA Cup tie before a crowd of almost 70,000 at Old Trafford in 2005.
Been to St James' Park?: Yes.
You couldn't work at the Express and Echo newspaper in Exeter in the 1970s and not support Exeter City.
The football writer, Tony Phillips, a generously-built, ruddy-faced man, lived for the game and his mood swings were directly attributable to Exeter's form.
Exeter City in those days was in the old fourth division and Phillips would traverse the motorways of England as he chronicled Exeter's battles against Wigan, Darlington, Mansfield, Crewe, Northampton and other giants.
Phillips had two spiritual homes. One was St James' Park, Exeter's cosy little home ground about 1km from the city centre which, when full, could cram in about 9000 fans.
The other was the Greyhound pub, next door to the Express and Echo.
In those two places Phillips met players, managers, administrators and other contacts and built up a dossier on what was happening on and off the field.
Football dominated conversation in the office. Phillips was goaded unmercifully by female members of the staff who knew for certain he would bite if they teased him after a loss.
The job was his life.
I was assigned to Exeter City stories on his days off but he didn't take many days off in winter. He zealously guarded his territory.
Exeter City was founded in 1904 and has been a member of the Football League since 1920, rejoining it this year after spending five seasons in the obscurity of the Conference league.
Its best achievement was to finish eighth in the third division in 1979-80 and there was another high when it was fourth division champion in 1990.
It won 20 league matches at home that season and was unbeaten at home in 31 games, including draws against Norwich City in the FA Cup and Sunderland in the League Cup.
One of its best players was Tony Kellow, who scored a hat trick in Exeter's 3-1 win over Leicester City on its run to the FA Cup quarterfinals in 1981 and who netted 25 goals that season.
There were hard times after Exeter was relegated from the league five years ago and the club was 5 million in debt.
But it gradually rebuilt and the debts were whittled down, helped substantially by a third round FA Cup tie 0-0 draw against Manchester United before a crowd of almost 70,000 at Old Trafford in 2005.
Afterwards, while Sir Alex Ferguson apologised to United fans, the Exeter City players remained on the pitch for 20min to savour the moment in front of the 9000 Devonians who had travelled north.
The last year has, by City standards, been a dream. It gained promotion back into the league and it is at present in sixth place in Championship League two, only two points off second place.
Last weekend it beat Lincoln City 2-1 before a crowd of 4000.
Someone else writes football for the Express and Echo these days, the newspaper offices have moved from Sidwell Street to an industrial estate and the Greyhound pub is no more but the Grecians, as they are known, have survived.
My brother-in-law supports Brighton, where he was brought up, and West Ham - he now works in London for the Metropolitan Police - but one of my first tasks each Sunday is to check the website for Exeter City's latest result.
And, just lately, there's been much more good news than bad.
