R's on the Road........... To Exeter City.

Lee Brown brings you some info, hints and tips for those R's fans making the first away trip of the season down to Exeter City.



The League Cup campaign begins for all the Football League Clubs in the first midweek games of the season. Rangers first test of the competition comes in the form of League 1 new boys Exeter City.

The Stadium.

St James Park. Current Capacity – 8,830

Having looked at pictures of the ground, thank you Google images, I can say that I am looking forward to the trip down to the South-West.
Two of the stands have been recently developed. The Flybe Stand was built up in 2001 and seats 2116 fans. Next to the Flybe Stand, behind one of the goals, is the Big Bank Terrace. This was built up in 2000 and holds nearly 4000 fans in there. As you again move around you get to a very old looking Grandstand. Having researched this it seems as if this was originally built in 1908 when Exeter City successfully applied and gained membership for the Southern League and replaced Tottenham Hotspur in the process. This Grandstand has since had wind shields fixed on one side of the stand. This holds 1690 fans in there, of which we have been allocated 150 of them. Finally we get to the St James Road Terrace. This looks very shallow behind one of the goals. You will be able to look behind the terrace and clearly see the houses that are behind it. This will hold 1053 Rangers fans; let’s pray that we have good weather that day!

Before St James Park was built as a sports facility it was previously a site that was rented out for fattening pigs by Lady Anne Clifford back in 1654. All the proceeds that she made were donated to a charity set up to pay for the apprenticeship of a poor child from the parish of St Stephen. This arrangement was supposed to be renewed yearly until the worlds end.

Exeter City was formed by two others teams that were local rivals. These were Exeter United and St. Sidwell’s United. Exeter United were formed in 1890 and played until 1904 at St James Park and after losing to St Sidwell’s 3-1 the two teams agreed that they should merge as one and this was the birth of Exeter City. The continued to play at St James Park and inherited St Sidwell’s kit colours of green and white. In 1910 Exeter City changed the colours of their kit after winning only 2 of their opening 11 games and deemed the current kit unlucky, they swapped over to res and white stripes and to this day they still wear the colours proudly.



The History between the teams.

At Exeter City (29)

Exeter 10
QPR 9
Draw 10

The last competitive fixture between the two teams was way back on 12th March 1966 when Rangers were 1-0 winners at Loftus Road. The last 4 games at Exeter have ended in draws, 3 of them 0-0 and one 2-2.

How to get there.

By Car: -
For those of you with the benefit of having a sat nav. Punch in the postcode EX4 6PX.

For those without and prefer doing it the old fashioned way then here is a rough guide for you.
Once you get onto the M5 follow it all the way down to junction29. From here follow signs for the City Centre which take you on the A3015 and B3183. The road you will end up on is Heavitree Road. You will then approach a large roundabout, take the 4th exit which will take you onto Western Way. At the next roundabout take the 3rd exit onto Old Tiverton Road and then take a left onto St James Road and you will arrive at the destination.
There is street parking available but it is a little way from the ground as there is a local residents scheme at the nearby houses. I would advice leaving half an hour early just so you can find somewhere to park and then navigate your way to the ground by foot.

By Train: -

Most trains will arrive at either Exeter Central or Exeter St Davids stations. From either station you can grab a local train down to St James Park or you can walk through the City Centre to the ground.

Pubs 'n' Grub.

Having read reviews by other fans it does seem as if the Exeter fans are very friendly and welcoming and there are no real no-go areas from what I have read. A few places that have been given good reviews are – The Social Club which is at the ground, The Victoria which is situated down Victoria Road behind the Grandstand, and finally the Bowling Green pub which is up Blackboy Road, just off of the Old Tiverton Road and is roughly a quarter of a mile from the ground.