Promotion at Workington - 25 April 1964

[Martin Weiler]

It was on this day 60 years ago that City clinched their first ever promotion with a 0-0 draw at Workington. Anyone on here go to the game? Be good to read some memories of the trip and the celebrations back in Exeter.

The Grecian Archive has a series of articles on the promotion season. These have appeared in the match programme this season:

The Grecian Archive - Items

Explore the History and Heritage of Exeter City Football Club

grecianarchive.exeter.ac.uk

 

[Colesman Ballz]

It was on this day 60 years ago that City clinched their first ever promotion with a 0-0 draw at Workington. Anyone on here go to the game? Be good to read some memories of the trip and the celebrations back in Exeter.

The Grecian Archive has a series of articles on the promotion season. These have appeared in the match programme this season:

The Grecian Archive - Items

Explore the History and Heritage of Exeter City Football Club

grecianarchive.exeter.ac.uk

Didn't go to the match, but went down to St David's Station on the Sunday lunch time to welcome the team back. It was packed out with someone holding up the famous banner "Thanks Banks and all the ranks" which features prominently in press photos of the time. Westward Television were in attendance on the platform and footage was duly shown. I don't know if this survives in their old archives down in Plymouth though ?
At that time the 0-0 draw was probably the most important one in our history, with it confirming our first ever promotion. Surpassed subsequently only by the similar result at Old Trafford in 2005 !

 

[Andy_H]

Didn't go to that particular match but had been to watch ECFC v Workington on another occaision, but can't for the life of me remmeber when it was, but it could have been a League Cup match sometime in August but no idea which year, possibly 1963 or 64. However, i'm sure i was 1 of only a handful, if that, of ECFC fans there, i remember standing on a cinder bank held in place by old railway sleepers, a bit like the Cowshed was. My uncle, who i used to work on his farm for during summer holidays, dropped me off and collected me afterwards

 

[andrew p long]

I didn't go either, but know where I was that day - at a classmates 9th birthday party in Exwick. We found out when the (0-0) result came through on, I think, tv once the game finished.

Very few fans would have travelled - going to away games was much more limited then. It was in the day before motorways. The journey to Workington would have taken for ever by car. Tellingly the players came back *on the train* to St Davids. Also on the train very difficult for fans to get to Workington,get to the game and then back home in a day. Even in the early 70s we sometimes went to away games by coach setting off the evening before and travelling through the night.

(hot gravel wasn't available either)

 

[denzel]

Looking at the final table it appeared we may have played out a draw which benefited both sides...wonder what Bradford made of it

 

[Greyhound]

I was on a school trip to Wembley that day, for a Schoolboy International. Our teachers gave us the good news as we were waiting for the train home.

 

[Andy_H]

I didn't go either, but know where I was that day - at a classmates 9th birthday party in Exwick. We found out when the (0-0) result came through on, I think, tv once the game finished.

Very few fans would have travelled - going to away games was much more limited then. It was in the day before motorways. The journey to Workington would have taken for ever by car. Tellingly the players came back *on the train* to St Davids. Also on the train very difficult for fans to get to Workington,get to the game and then back home in a day. Even in the early 70s we sometimes went to away games by coach setting off the evening before and travelling through the night.

(hot gravel wasn't available either)

Did that journey several times from Crediton to Stainburn, a 'suberb' of Workington, and yes it did take for ever, in fact about 11/12 hours.
In late 60s after a '24 hr duty' in Plymouth i often saw ECFC team on St David's station heading off some place or other, one thing that always stood out was the whicker pannier with all the matchday kit in.

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

When did the team stop travelling by train to the majority of away fixtures ? They certainly could not do it these days for numerous reasons.

 

[tea stand]

When did the team stop travelling by train to the majority of away fixtures ? They certainly could not do it these days for numerous reasons.

cheaper to fly?

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

cheaper to fly?

Probably would be...