Bill Soffe had been playing for Totton in the Hampshire League and had represented Hampshire, when he seized the chance to follow Bert Scriven, his predecessor in Totton’s goal, to The Dell.

When 15 of Southampton’s pros went on strike in May 1931 Bill, who had played just once for the Reserves, was thrust into action for the two end-of-season charity cup games against First Division Portsmouth.

Keeping goal in such improvised ensembles was something of a poisoned chalice, but there is no suggestion that Bill let the side down in either game: a 4-0 defeat and a 2-2 draw. However, with Scriven established in the first-team goal, Soffe was restricted to Reserves football in 1931-32. So he called it a day at The Dell. Still registered with Totton, he played for them until 1935. Then, after a brief spell with Salisbury Corinthians, in the Hampshire League, he kept goal, into the 1940s, for Winsor United of the New Forest League. He worked on overhead cables for the Electricity Board and remained active, into the 1980s, in local football administration, with the New Forest, Southampton and Hampshire FAs.