When Jock (or “Jacky”) Robertson arrived from Everton in May 1898, Southampton already had 11 Scots on their books.

Of all the Scottish footballers who played for the Saints in that era – and, indeed, ever since – he was one of the greatest achievers.

Unfortunately, from Southampton’s point of view, most of those achievements came after his one season at the club. True, this combative, and yet most constructive, wing-half played in the first game at The Dell

and went on to be a regular in that 1898-99 season, as the Saints won the Southern League shield for the third season running. Moreover, he picked up his second cap for Scotland – v England at Villa Park.

That appearance for Scotland, while playing for Southampton, would become a record in itself. Goalkeeper Ian Black would equal it in 1949, but no outfield player would do so in the entire 20th century: Neil McCann would be the next in 2003. In the expectation that he would be staying in Southampton, Jock was offered the licence to the Stewart Arms in July 1899. But he declined the offer and the Board recorded that he “wished he hadn’t signed for us.” Southampton’s loss was most emphatically Rangers’ gain. He would win three Scottish League championships with them and a further 14 caps. After which, he became player-manager, in 1905, of Chelsea, a newly-formed club who had contrived to gain instant election to the Football League’s Division II. Having scored their first competitive goal and guided them to third place in their first season, Jock decamped to Glossop, strugglers in that very division – until he rounded off his playing career, managing the Reserves of First Division Manchester United.

He ended up coaching in Hungary where one local newspaper said of him a few years after he had returned to the UK “he had a good eye for players but drunk too much strong alcohol”.