Exeter City: Service honours club's first professional manager

Exeter City's first professional manager is to be remembered at an event marking the restoration of his grave.

Exeter City Football Club Museum said it had restored Arthur Chadwick's grave after a successful fundraising drive.

He first joined the side in 1908 and died on 21 March 1936 while attending an Exeter City match at St James Park.

Gary Caldwell, the Grecians' current manager, will lay flowers on his restored grave at a service later.

The museum trust said during Covid-19 lockdowns it collected money from a variety of donors to refurbish his grave at Higher Cemetery, in the Heavitree area of the city.

Paul Farley, chair of the Exeter City Football Club Museum Trust, said supporters were "delighted" with the restoration.

"How appropriate that our current manager should pay tribute to our very first professional manager," he said.

The trust said he had an "outstanding" playing career that included stints at Southern League title-winning teams Southampton and Portsmouth.

He joined Exeter as player/manager in 1908 when the side turned professional.

He continued to manage the side when Exeter joined the Football League in 1920, the trust said.

After standing down from Exeter in 1922, he had spells as manager of Reading and Southampton.

The trust said all were welcome to attend the ceremony at his grave beginning at 16:00 GMT on Friday.

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