Local lad, Phil Warner, was a quick, agile right-back who finished a solid debut season for the Reserves by coming off the first-team bench at Tottenham on the last day of that 1997-98 season. He was enjoying a run of games early in the following season, when he had the misfortune to come up against a rampant Marc Overmars at Highbury. The Saints drew 1-1 – a result that effectively cost Arsenal the Premiership title – but Phil was substituted and there ended his Southampton career.    

Any hopes that dropping down two tiers, on loan, might restore his confidence were misplaced: he was soon in non-league football. He did get to play at a Premiership ground again, though, in the Havant & Waterlooville side that gave Liverpool a FA Cup-fright in 2008. While travelling around the world in 2009, he played in Australia. Then, having returned to play briefly for Poole Town, he was off on his travels again. By October 2013, he was back home, working as a sports massage therapist for the Locks Heath-based Legends Bootcamp.