George Harkus arrived in the Football League from local football in Edinburgh and his native Tyneside. Having played only a handful of First Division games for Aston Villa, his move to Second Division Southampton would prove to be an outstanding success, as George more than paid back his £250 transfer fee, featuring all across the half-back line over the next seven seasons.

Not only was he a decent footballer – decent enough to go on the FA tour of Canada in 1926 (see scrapbook section) – but his energy and enthusiasm made him a crowd-pleaser, a sometime captain and an inspiration to younger players.

It took him half-a-season to break into the first-team but, then, over the next four seasons, he only once fell short of 40 League games and played in all 15 Cup-ties, including those that took him to two semi-finals. Over the following two seasons, he was less regular, as injuries took their toll, but it was his tongue that was his undoing. He had been ever-present in 1929-30 until he was dropped, following a home draw with Notts County in early December.

His derogatory comments on that managerial decision were overheard and George was severely reprimanded.

He would still turn out a dozen more times but, perhaps a little disillusioned, he decided to quit that summer. The Board was reluctant to release him, holding on to his registration and putting a £750 price tag on his head. That left George free to have a spell in Lyon and an unsuccessful trial with Oldham, before retiring to run the Wheatsheaf in New Milton. Having come out of that short “retirement” to play for New Milton in the Hampshire League, George then answered a call from The Dell to help out during an injury crisis. His appetite seemingly re-whetted by his two emergency games, he took up a player-coach position with Southport’s Reserves, but was almost immediately injured. He had two more flings left in him – in France again and then in non-league England – before he called it a day.

He now embarked on a public-sector episode – first at the National Savings at the London GPO and then at the Ministry of Labour in London – followed by military service. Having joined the RAF at the outbreak of war, he reached the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He remained in the RAF after the War and, in June 1949, was appointed MBE for “keeping up morale in the forces,” while serving in the Middle East. He became the station adjutant for the RAF at Andover, until he died suddenly of a thrombosis, just three days after his 52nd birthday.