WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
We catch up with Exeter City’s 1989-90 Division Four champions
TERRY COOPER might have been a product of Don Revie’s allconquering Leeds United side, but he didn’t have anything like the same resources at St James’ Park.
Instead, Cooper picked up players from wherever he could and built a side that round romp away with the Fourth Division title.
The Grecians, who were invincible at home, won 20 of their last 23 games to lift their first-ever piece of silverware by ten points from second-placed Grimsby Town.
One of the players that Cooper signed on a free transfer was goalkeeper Kevin Miller from Non-League Newquay Town after he’d impressed during a three-game trial the season before.
“That was my first season in. I had signed in the summer but played three games the season before as a non-contract player,” said Miller.
“Dave Walter had got sent off and was suspended and Mel Gwinnett split the webbing in his hand, so I was the only other goalkeeper contracted to the club.
“Then, at the end of the third game, Terry Copper asked if I would sign for the following season, so that was my first in the pro game,” he said.
A quick glance shows the PFA Fourth Division Team of the Season was packed with Exeter players. Scott Hiley, Shaun Taylor, Danny Bailey, Darren Rowbotham and Steve Neville were all named.
Rowbotham scored 30 goals in all competitions and looked to be heading for a big-money transfer until picking up a serious injury that would keep him out of action for a year.
Opportunity
“We had an amazing side,” said Miller. “Chris Vinnicombe went to Rangers at 17 to 18-yearsold, Richard Dryden, Jim McNichol, Shaun Taylor and Scott Hiley, while Brian McDermott came down from Arsenal.
“Terry didn’t have money for players. We might have paid a couple of grand for Richard Dryden, but most of us were free transfers.
“Darren Rowbotham was going to Chelsea that year, but he snapped his cruciate in a collision with Tony Godden, the Peterborough goalkeeper.
“He caught Darren with a block tackle in March after he’s got 30 goals for us.
“That was going to be his big opportunity. It was a shame as he was a good player.”. As well as running away with the league title, Exeter reached the fourth round of the League Cup before going out to Second Division Sunderland in a replay at Roker Park.
In the FA Cup third round, they drew with First Division Norwich City at home before losing the replay at Carrow Road.
“I do remember we had an horrendous away record,” said Miller. “Iit wasn’t until the end of the season that we started to win some away games.
“It was bizarre. We were so dominant at home, yet we were so poor away from home. Our best win was 5-1 at Lincoln on the last day of the season.
“I was playing in front of some crowds of 18-19,000 that season when, only a year before, for Newquay, I was playing in front of 18 or 19..
“When we were getting the league trophy, I remember thinking to myself ‘This is OK, isn’t it’ and Jim McNichol said ‘Treasure this moment because we may never win another trophy.’
“And do you know what? He was right. I got into a couple of play-offs and a final, but I never won another trophy.” 1. Richard Young:
Burly forward last known to be living in his home town of Nottingham having completely dropped off the radar. 2. Dave Walter: A goalkeeper who combined playing with being a sheep farmer. He is now farming at Sessacott Park in West Putford, Holsworthy. 3. Kevin Miller: Goalkeeper who retired from playing with Bodmin Town only last season. He has coached at Truro College and is now Torquay United’s goalkeeping coach. 4. Lee Rogers: The defender returned to live in his native Bristol where he worked for the Royal Mail after retiring from football. 5. Steve Neville: Striker who is now living in Western Australia, where he works as a plasterer and has coached Sorrento FC. 6. Herbie Heath: Central defender who arrived on a non- contract basis. Back living in his native Wolverhampton, where he works. 7. Richard Dryden: Midfielder who managed Worcester City and was a coach at Notts County. Now assistant manager of East Bengal in India’s I-League 8. Ian Benjamin: Midfielder who worked for the post office but now runs a construction business. He has managed Warboys Town and then Soham Town Rangers. 9. Shaun Taylor: Defender who managed Forest Green Rovers, ran Exeter’s youth set-up, served Torquay United as assistant manager and is now development phase coach at Plymouth Argyle. 10. Jim McNichol: Scotland Under-21 defender who went into the pub trade and is licensee of the Exeter Inn at Ashburton, Devon. 11. Phil Lock: Utility player who went into wealth management with NatWest for 24 years and is now a director of Coutts, Exeter. 12. Clive Whitehead: Defender whose older brother, Alan, played for Birmingham. He managed Yeovil before going to work for the PFA as director of sales with PFA Financial Management. 13. Paul Batty: Midfielder who worked in a sports shop and then for BMW for 11 years, before starting his own property maintenance business. 14. Danny Bailey: Midfielder who’s back living in East London, where he runs an academy with his brother, and has also coached at Charlton Athletic’s academy. 15. Scott Hiley: The midfielder runs the Eastcote guest house with his wife in the village of Clyst St Mary, near Exeter. 16. Darren Rowbotham: Striker who is now living in the Newton Abbot area and works for Leyland Daf in Heathfield, South Devon. 17. Chris Vinnicombe: England Under-21 international defender who has managed Non-League sides in Devon and has also run a foot spa in Exeter. 18. Brian McDermott: Forward whose second spell as Reading manager ended in May. He also managed Leeds and was Arsenal’s chief scout. NOT PICTURED Steve Harrower: Midfielder whose father, Bill, also played for Exeter. Steve still lives in the local area and works as a plumber.