April 28, 1990, remains one of the finest days in Exeter City's history as, on the back of an incredible home record, we secured our first title in our club's history. During this month we will be taking a look back - in alphabetical order - of the main players in that title winning side. This time we look at a reliable and versatile player who made 20 appearances during the title winning campaign.
ANGUS MACPHERSON
DEFENDER
89/90 LEAGUE APPEARANCES: 11
GOALS: ONE
Gus MacPherson arrived on loan late in the season, and left St James Park having added a goal of the season contender, and a title win, to his name.
Gus started his career as a youth player with Rangers, but despite his best efforts he was unable to break in to the first team at Ibrox Stadium, and so was allowed to move to St James Park on loan in March 1990.
Soon after his arrival, he made his senior debut as a professional away at Grimsby Town on March 10, as our promotion contenders continued their poor run of form on the road with a 1-0 defeat.
This disappointing start for the Scotsman was to be the first of his 11 straight games in the team, and he soon found himself on the winning side as City beat Peterborough 2-0 at the Park thanks to goals from Richard Dryden and Paul Batty.
Gus’ finest moment in a City shirt came in his penultimate game for the club, where he scored one of the goals of the season against Torquay United at Plainmoor.
The loanee left back picked up the ball around the halfway line, and continued his run before producing a stunning chip over the stranded Gulls keeper, which sent the City fans packed into Torquay's away-end into rapture.
Following his display’s for the Grecians at the end of the 89/90 season, Terry Cooper and the board wished to sign him on a permanent basis, but the fee that Rangers were asking for was deemed to be too high.
Instead, he moved to Kilmarnock in the summer of 1990 to mark the beginning of an eleven year stay, in which he played 354 Scottish League matches - scoring 15 goals – and picked up another winners medal in the Killie’s (1997) Scottish Cup Final triumph over Falkirk at Ibrox.
This article has been created using material from the Grecian Archive and ECFC Museum as part of the 'Celebrating our Heritage' programme, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and supported by the University of Exeter.