🔍 Opposition: Scunthorpe United (A)

An in-depth look at our host's on Saturday.

10 September 2021

Exeter City have another trek across the country on Saturday, where their travels will take them to Scunthorpe.

This is the lowdown on the Lincolnshire Club...

Founded: 1899
Nickname: The Iron
Honours: League 1 (2006/07), Division 3 North (1957/58)
Home Kit: MACRON claret shirts with blue trim and sleeves, claret shorts, light blue socks
Away Kit: MACRON Black shirt with yellow claw strikes, black shorts with yellow trim, black socks.
Form: DDLWL (19^th in League Two)

The year of formation for Scunthorpe United is often cited as 1910, but the club can trace its history back to 1899, when Brumby Hall FC, who played at the Old Showground, consolidated their position by merging with other clubs and becoming Scunthorpe United. In 1910, that club amalgamated with North Lindsey United becoming the modern version of the club today.

As is obvious, the club’s nickname reflects its industrial past. Scunthorpe’s Iron and steel industry was established in the mid-19^th century after the discovery of ironstone just east of the town. Initially the iron ore was sent to Sheffield until the 1860’s, when better transport links enabled local production to be possible. Total iron production from Scunthorpe at the height of the First World War reached 520,000 tonnes a year, by 1918 and the end of the war, production had raised to 650,000 tonnes.

(Image: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Wire)

The Club made their football league debut in August 1950 in a 0-0 draw with Shrewsbury at the Old Showground. A month later Ted Goris became the first Scunthorpe player to score a hat-trick in the League with his only treble of his career. In 1958 Scunthorpe were promoted to Division 2 for the first time in their history after winning the Division 3 North title, but after relegation in 1964 Scunthorpe would wait a while before threatening the second tier again.

In 1968 Scunthorpe found themselves in the Football Leagues basement tier, where they would yo-yo between Division’s 3 and 4 for the rest of the 20^th Century. In 2006/07 under Nigel Adkins, Scunthorpe returned to the Championship after winning League 1- finishing 16pts clear of second place Bristol City. The Iron bounced between League 1 and the Championship for the next 3 years but dropped back down to Tier 4 in 2013.

The Iron had a nervy escape from relegation last season, finishing just three points over the drop zone. This season the clarets have started stronger, with six points for six and sit in 19^th, prior to City’s visit.

The Manager

Neil Cox

Back at his boyhood club, Cox returned in August after Paul Hurst said his farewells. Currently in his first league management role, the 49-year-old has been assistant at Wimbledon in the midst of their meteoric rise up the football pyramid, and most recently Notts County in the National League.

The former England Under 21 international had a strong playing career. Coming up through the Iron Youth, the defender joined Aston Villa in 1991 and helped the Birmingham side win the League Cup in 1994. At the start of the 94/95 season, Cox became Middlesbrough’s then most expensive signing, also being the first to break the million-pound mark. Neil had spells at Bolton, Cardiff, and Crewe after, but the bulk of his playing career was at Vicarage Road with Watford. Cox made over 200 appearances for the Hornets in a 6-year stay.

The Ground

Name: The Sands Venue Stadium (Glanford Park)
Capacity: 9,088
Year opened: 1988
Address: John Brownsword Way, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, DN15 8TD

In 1988, The £2.5m project was the first purpose-built football stadium for 33 years since Southend’s Root’s Hall. Scunthorpe originally played at the Old Showground but realised that the substantial improvements needed to renovate the ground were not viable after the 1985 Bradford City Disaster.

Glanford Park.JPG

After redevelopments to the two end terraces, the capacity of Glanford Park was reduced from 11,000 to its current value. The Stadium has hosted some of the big names in English football. In 2010, Scunthorpe welcomed Manchester United in the League Cup which brought in a record attendance of 9,077 fans. The Premier League giants ran out 5-2 winners.

In July 2019, Scunthorpe United confirmed planning permission to build a completely new 12,000-seater stadium on the site. The redevelopment of Glanford Park will be built on a stand-by-stand basis over multiple seasons, allowing the Iron to continue playing there without the need to relocate.

One to Watch

Ryan Loft

The former-Exeter loanee has made a solid start for Scunthorpe this season. Loft opened United’s account for the season against Swindon Town as he calmly dispatched a penalty.

The Tottenham youth graduate had spells at Braintree and Stevenage before joining Exeter in January 2018, where he made the one solitary appearance- in a 1-0 away loss to Mansfield.

The 6-foot-2 striker will be the point of attack for The Iron and will look to create openings in front of the City box.

Head-to-Head

At just over 3 goals a game, fixtures against Scunthorpe are usually quite open affairs. Both teams have handed out their fair share of thrashings too. Exeter have scored more than 4 against Scunthorpe no less than seven times, on some occasions that still wasn’t enough to win the game.

Over the 56-year history of the fixture there have been 5-4’s; 4-3’s; and a 7-1, though the latter did not favour Exeter. City’s ‘recent’ form against Scunny (dating back to 2011) marks: WWLWW.

Exeter City wins: 19

Draws: 14

Scunthorpe United Wins: 23

Recent Encounters

Scunthorpe United 0-2 Exeter City | Sky Bet League Two | Sands View Stadium | 9^th March 2021

A superb Matt Jay free kick and a Sparkes solo effort did the damage as Exeter left Lincolnshire with all three points.

Exeter City 3-1 Scunthorpe United | Sky Bet League Two | St James Park | 24^th October 2020

Joel Randall, Matt Jay and Jake Taylor were all on target as the Grecians coasted to a comfortable victory at EX4.

Scunthorpe 3-1 Exeter | Sky Bet League Two | Glanford Park | 22^nd October 2019

James Perch rocketed from 30 yards as Matt Jay’s strike proved little consolation, on a cold and difficult night in Lincolnshire.

And Finally…

Frank Soo, who was Scunthorpe manager between 1959/60 was a pioneering figure of Chinese ethnic background in English football. He was both the first player and manager of Chinese descent in the Football League and also the first to appear for England (albeit in an unofficial wartime international).

Match Reports

📝 Match Report: Scunthorpe United 0 City 4

Read our report on the perfect away day for the Grecians

11 September 2021

Exeter City put in the perfect performance on the road to register their first three points of the season on the road and hit Scunthorpe for four at the Sands Venue Stadium.

Manager Matt Taylor named two changes to the side which drew with Forest Green Rovers at St James Park last week, with Jevani Brown and Harry Kite returning to the side as Kyle Taylor and Padraig Amond dropped to the bench.

It would almost be the perfect start for the Grecians, as a long ball from Cameron Dawson was held up by Sam Nombe allowing Jevani Brown hit the ball on the half volley, the dipping shot looked destined for the top corner, but Rory Watson got fingertips to it to claw it wide of the post.

A stop in play would slow down the tempo, as Iron captain Harry Davies went down with a head injury, thankfully after treatment and a change of kit he was able to play on.

City could have taken the lead after ten as Jevani Brown twisted in the centre of the park before sending the ball to Alex Hartridge who would deliver a wicked cross from deep which was headed just over by Matt Jay.

The Irons first real chance would come next as Bunn beat two men down the right-hand side before sending the ball across goal. It reached Scrimshaw who takes a touch and releases a shot, but it was well defended. The resulting corner was swung in which was headed well wide of the goal by Harry Davis.

After a spell where both sides were scrapping for possession of the ball, City would win a cheap corner which was too close to Watson, but he spilled the ball and Nombe almost got his shot away but strong defending from the Iron allowed them to clear, Jevani Brown’s follow up effort sailed just over the bar.

Scunthorpe thought they had taken the lead after half hour as a ball ricocheted into the area saw Scrimshaw through in on goal. He clatters with Dawson and the ball fell kindly for Bunn who slotted home, however the Linesman’s flag saved City's blushes.

At the other end some great play down the right from Josh Key saw the ball fall to MJ in the area, but his shot was just wide of the post.

The Grecians would get the goal their attacking play deserved on forty-three minutes as superb work in the middle from assist king Jevani Brown saw him chip in a delightful ball that captain MJ flicked into the corner of the net.

Scunthorpe forced a corner deep into stoppage time, but the Grecians would hold on for a deserved half time lead.

The Grecians would start the second half on the front foot and would double the lead instantly from the kick-off! The impressive Jevani Brown would again be the menace as he held the ball up in the area and poked through to MJ to slide through the keeper for the captains second of the afternoon!

The early goal gave the Grecians even more confidence as Brown again found space to slot through to MJ out wide, his low cross was towards Nombe who slid in but couldn’t connect with the cross.

It would only take until 58 minutes for City to make it three as a break down the right through Brown sees him slide in Key who is the calmest man in Lincolnshire as he prods home to send the away end into raptures!

Scunthorpe looked to hit back after the hour as Thompson found space to put in an inviting ball in for Scunthorpe but there's no one in a claret and blue shirt on the end of it.

Cameron Dawson had had a pretty quiet afternoon but was forced into a reaction save with 71 minutes on the clock as a low ball was sent into the area and it feel to the feet of Beestin, his shot was palmed over by Dawson.

The Grecians put the game to bed on 75-minutes as Jake Caprice went racing down the left, he cut inside and sent a ball across the face of goal to give Tim Dieng the simplest of finishes to get his second Grecian Goal and make it four.

The game settled down in the final fifteen and the Grecians took a well earned three points away from the Sands Venue Stadium.

The Grecians are next in action at St James Park on Saturday as they face Sutton United at St James Park in a 3pm kick-off.

Exeter City XI: Dawson; Key, Sweeney, Ray, Hartridge, Caprice; Dieng, Kite (Atangana 61), Jay (Taylor 81); Brown (Seymour 81), Nombe

Subs: Lee, Grounds, Atangana, Taylor, Edwards-Owura, Seymour, Amond

Booked: Kite

Scunthorpe United XI: Watson, Millen, Taft, Rowe (Beestin 56), Wood (O’Neill 56), Thompson, Bunn, Scrimshaw, Davis, Perry, HackneySubs: Collins, Green, Beestin, Hippolyte, Jarvis, O’Neill, Pugh

Booked: Wood

Attendance: To follow...