Despite signing professional forms in 1970 (see scrapbook section), it wasn’t until the opening months of the 1975-76 season, that goalkeeper Steve Middleton enjoyed his one lengthy run in the Southampton first team, with Ian Turner relegated to the Reserves. But they swapped places in late November, whereupon Turner held on to the first-team jersey all the way to Wembley and the Cup Final.

He had three games at the start of 1976-77, the first of which was a fine display at Cold Blow Lane (see below),

but McMenemy then decided to bring in two loan goalkeepers, Colin Boulton and Jim Montgomery, hardly a confidence boost. The lack of faith shown by his manager was a disappointment which was followed by another for Steve, when he was released from his contract in May 1977.

He joined his home-town club, but had three fewer games for Pompey than he did for the Saints before quitting football. He ran The Old House at Home pub in Gosport for a while. He later became a financial adviser in Fareham, but was more recently working in Southampton, in the security industry