The son of a builder, Wilf Waller later became acknowledged as one of the top amateur goalkeepers in the country. Early on in his career he had made a few appearances for Southern League Tottenham and then for the Bolton side that won promotion from the Football League’s Division II in 1900. Prior to that he had toured Germany and Austria with the FA in November 1899 (alongside Edgar Chadwick and Geoffrey Wilson).

Although registered with Richmond Association for the 1900-01 season, the dual-registration rules enabled him to start the Southern League season with the Saints, deputising for the suspended Jack Robinson. During his time with Saints he also represented England v Germany in an unofficial international played at White Hart Lane (see below). His stand-in duties at The Dell were completed by Christmas, however. After turning out for a few more clubs, he moved to South Africa in April 1903, where he played for Camerons. When the Corinthians, for whom he’d kept goal in 1900, toured there in 1907, Wilf played against them, for South Africa.