Stan Hurst

Life and career

Hurst was born in 1911 in Newton St Cyres, Devon, where his father was the stationmaster. He attended Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Crediton. He played works and village football, and scored the winning goal as Exeter beat Torquay United 2–1 to win the inaugural edition of the Football League Third Division South Cup. He scored 25 goals from 107 league appearances before moving on to another Southern Section club, Watford, in 1936 for an undisclosed fee. Hurst spent only one season with Watford; he scored 14 goals from 32 appearances in all competitions and was sold for £125 to Brighton & Hove Albion, also of the Third Division South. He appeared as a guest for Reading in the wartime competitions and played for Aldershot in the 1945–46 season before returning to Devon where he played for Crediton United. He became chairman of the club, and as such took the blame and was banned from football sine die when a cup match in the 1950s turned into a riot.