Bob Buchanan was playing for Abercorn, founder-members of the Scottish League, when he scored for Scotland – in a 4-3 win over Wales – in 1891. That would be his only cap, however, and he very soon came to England. By the time he reached Southampton, aged 29, he had had four years’ experience in the Football League, with Burnley and Woolwich Arsenal. More than that, he had a crowd-pleasing determination to chase lost causes – and consequently score some unlikely goals – that earned him the nickname of

“Death or Glory Bob”.

He missed only one Southern League game in his first two seasons with the Saints, in each of which they won the League and advanced into the Proper rounds of the FA Cup. He especially reveled in the Qualifying rounds, scoring in each of the fixtures he played, and at St Mary’s saw off three Football League clubs on their way to the 1898 semi-final, Bob scored the winners against Leicester Fosse and Newcastle United (the latter was the first ever to be captured on film).

He hardly featured the following season, however, and moved to the other end of the Southern League with Sheppey United. On retiring from the game, he settled in Sheerness and worked as an engine-fitter.

His parents had never married and so Bob had taken his father’s surname which was Blackburn as his middle name.