In April 1950 Southampton arranged a friendly at The Dell with Guernsey Rangers and playing centre-half for the visitors that afternoon was Roy Oakley. Although Rangers lost 2-0 the tall – he was contrary to the match report actually 6ft 4in – centre-half caught not only the eye of the Echo reporter (see cutting), but the interest of the Southampton manager, Sid Cann. Within a month the young engineer who had been working on Herm Island, near Guernsey, had been offered terms but at first, not convinced in his own ability, he would only sign amateur forms while working for Vickers Armstrong at Hursley.

After getting married that summer Roy had a change of heart and so began a seven year stint at The Dell during which time he only got the occasional first team game. Granted a free transfer in 1957 he moved to Bath where he combined a marine engineer’s job at the Admiralty with playing for Bath City as they won the Southern League in 1960, with another ex-Saint, Ian Black in goal. He then retired to live just outside Trowbridge.