Merthyr Imp
Vital Champions League
15th May 1982
Lincoln 2 Exeter City 0 in Division Three
Just as now, 36 years ago today City were playing Exeter at the end of the season looking to win promotion. The visitors, however, on this occasion were not in the promotion chase themselves but had just achieved safety at the other end of the league table and were in 17th place where they remained after the match.
Going in to the game City were fourth, one point behind Fulham in the third promotion place. Away defeats at Swindon and Gillingham had seemed to put City out of the promotion reckoning but a 2-1 win at already-relegated Chester the previous Saturday meant promotion was back in their own hands with two games to play.
The attendance was just under five and a half thousand (sources differ as to the exact figure) and the teams were:
City:
1. David Felgate
2. David Carr
3. Phil Neale
4. Glenn Cockerill
5. Trevor Peake
6. Steve Thompson
7. George Shipley
8. Phil Turner
9. Derek Bell
10. Tony Cunningham
11. Stuart Hibberd
12. David Gilbert for Carr
Exeter:
1. Len Bond
2. Martyn Rogers
3. John Sparrow
4. Paul Giles
5. George Foster
6. Phil Roberts
7. Ray Pratt
8. Peter Rogers
9. Tony Kellow
10. John Delve
11. Peter Hatch
12. Lee Roberts for P.Rogers
City played their usual 4-3-3 formation with Turner, Hibberd and Shipley in midfield, and Cockerill, Cunningham and Bell up front.
David Gilbert on as a substitute would have meant a change to 4-4-2 which was a regular tactic at the time – probably with Phil Turner going to full back in place of Carr. Aged 18, Gilbert was the perennial substitute usually being brought on to effect this formation change.
Stuart Hibberd, aged 20, had developed in City’s Sheffield nursery side along with Phil Turner and had become a first team regular in midfield midway through the season. Derek Bell’s season had been wrecked by injuries but he was currently filling in for the injured Gordon Hobson.
Phil Neale had just been appointed captain of Worcestershire but was being allowed to play for City in their remaining games.
A couple of notable players in the Exeter side were John Sparrow who had started his career with Chelsea, playing over 70 games for them, and George Foster who was on loan from Plymouth for whom he made over 200 appearances. He later spent ten years with Mansfield latterly as player-manager and later of course became assistant to Phil Stant at Lincoln.
The match programme was advertising the ill-fated Country & Western Music Festival to take place at Sincil Bank in June.
Awards were presented prior to the kick-off to Player of the Season Steve Thompson and Young Player of the Year Phil Turner.
Exeter played with an eight-man defensive screen in front of their keeper who gave a brilliant display, including a miraculous save from a Cockerill free kick in the first half.
George Shipley’s flair and imagination caused trouble for Exeter as he switched play from side to side, backed up by a superb display by Phil Turner in midfield.
With City needing to win and the score 0-0 at half time anxiety began to creep in but the supporters gave all they could in sheer volume of noise. Then with 15 minutes to go Steve Thompson was pushed as he went up for header from a free kick and a penalty was given. This was calmly put away by Shipley and the game was made safe seven minutes later when Cockerill seized on a back pass to round the keeper and put the ball into the empty net.
I made Glenn Cockerill man of the match but I’ve no recollection of the game otherwise, apart from going on the pitch at the end – along with most others! – rather tempting fate that the remaining match at Fulham would see promotion being won.
The result saw City stay in fourth place and still a point behind both Fulham, who moved up to second after beating Preston 3-0 at home, and Carlisle who slipped to third by losing 2-1 at home to Bristol Rovers.
Lincoln 2 Exeter City 0 in Division Three
Just as now, 36 years ago today City were playing Exeter at the end of the season looking to win promotion. The visitors, however, on this occasion were not in the promotion chase themselves but had just achieved safety at the other end of the league table and were in 17th place where they remained after the match.
Going in to the game City were fourth, one point behind Fulham in the third promotion place. Away defeats at Swindon and Gillingham had seemed to put City out of the promotion reckoning but a 2-1 win at already-relegated Chester the previous Saturday meant promotion was back in their own hands with two games to play.
The attendance was just under five and a half thousand (sources differ as to the exact figure) and the teams were:
City:
1. David Felgate
2. David Carr
3. Phil Neale
4. Glenn Cockerill
5. Trevor Peake
6. Steve Thompson
7. George Shipley
8. Phil Turner
9. Derek Bell
10. Tony Cunningham
11. Stuart Hibberd
12. David Gilbert for Carr
Exeter:
1. Len Bond
2. Martyn Rogers
3. John Sparrow
4. Paul Giles
5. George Foster
6. Phil Roberts
7. Ray Pratt
8. Peter Rogers
9. Tony Kellow
10. John Delve
11. Peter Hatch
12. Lee Roberts for P.Rogers
City played their usual 4-3-3 formation with Turner, Hibberd and Shipley in midfield, and Cockerill, Cunningham and Bell up front.
David Gilbert on as a substitute would have meant a change to 4-4-2 which was a regular tactic at the time – probably with Phil Turner going to full back in place of Carr. Aged 18, Gilbert was the perennial substitute usually being brought on to effect this formation change.
Stuart Hibberd, aged 20, had developed in City’s Sheffield nursery side along with Phil Turner and had become a first team regular in midfield midway through the season. Derek Bell’s season had been wrecked by injuries but he was currently filling in for the injured Gordon Hobson.
Phil Neale had just been appointed captain of Worcestershire but was being allowed to play for City in their remaining games.
A couple of notable players in the Exeter side were John Sparrow who had started his career with Chelsea, playing over 70 games for them, and George Foster who was on loan from Plymouth for whom he made over 200 appearances. He later spent ten years with Mansfield latterly as player-manager and later of course became assistant to Phil Stant at Lincoln.
The match programme was advertising the ill-fated Country & Western Music Festival to take place at Sincil Bank in June.
Awards were presented prior to the kick-off to Player of the Season Steve Thompson and Young Player of the Year Phil Turner.
Exeter played with an eight-man defensive screen in front of their keeper who gave a brilliant display, including a miraculous save from a Cockerill free kick in the first half.
George Shipley’s flair and imagination caused trouble for Exeter as he switched play from side to side, backed up by a superb display by Phil Turner in midfield.
With City needing to win and the score 0-0 at half time anxiety began to creep in but the supporters gave all they could in sheer volume of noise. Then with 15 minutes to go Steve Thompson was pushed as he went up for header from a free kick and a penalty was given. This was calmly put away by Shipley and the game was made safe seven minutes later when Cockerill seized on a back pass to round the keeper and put the ball into the empty net.
I made Glenn Cockerill man of the match but I’ve no recollection of the game otherwise, apart from going on the pitch at the end – along with most others! – rather tempting fate that the remaining match at Fulham would see promotion being won.
The result saw City stay in fourth place and still a point behind both Fulham, who moved up to second after beating Preston 3-0 at home, and Carlisle who slipped to third by losing 2-1 at home to Bristol Rovers.
