Arthur Fry was truly a St Mary’s pioneer: he played in their first-ever game and their first competitive game; was the first captain; and appeared in the first-known team photo.

An all-round footballer, he played in nearly every position during his career, including goalkeeper. It was at centre-forward that he scored five times in a Hants Junior Cup-tie – against Petersfield in December 1887 – a Saints record for a Cup match that stood alone, until equalled, 73 years later, by Derek Reeves in a League Cup-tie.

A teacher by profession, Arthur first kicked a football when at Culham Training College in Oxford in 1881 and he then returned to Southampton to spend 18 months at Taunton’s School. He then taught at the Southern District Boys School, followed by a stint at the Central District Handicraft Centre. In 1902, he became the Head at Foundry Lane School (see scrapbook section) and remained there until his retirement in 1924. As the elder statesman of the first Young Men’s side, he was dubbed “Father Fry”, by his team-mates. But he was very much the grandfather of the occasion in 1935, when, aged 74, he attended the Golden Jubilee of the club he had helped to found.