An amateur half-back employed in the town’s Ordnance Survey Office,

Vic Smith was noted for the prodigious distance he could kick the ball and won bets on his ability to dispatch it the complete length of the pitch.

In two spells at The Dell, Vic – or “Buffer” as he was known – had a few first-team outings, but spent most of his time captaining the Reserves. After he quit football in 1902, he became a full-time police officer in April 1903 patrolling the Bargate area on frequent occasions. Serving in the Force for 28 years, he reached the rank of Sergeant before retiring in December 1931. He remained a keen Saints supporter, of whom it was said that he never missed a home game. Indeed, he died on his way home from watching a 4-1 defeat at The Dell. A keen cricketer he padded up for the Southampton Police and in 1923 hit a “brilliant” 108 against the Met Police.