An impressive display for Freemantle against Southampton Reserves at The Dell in 1904 resulted in Bert Hoskins becoming the regular outside-right for those Reserves over the the next two seasons.

He then went on the tour with the first team to Prague and Budapest in the summer of 1906 (see left) which paved his way to making his first team debut the following season and he scored in all 3 FA cup-ties that year. Goals in the bread and butter Southern League were not so forthcoming however and in May 1908 he began an association with Wolves which culminated in his becoming their manager in the early 1920s.

He returned to Southampton upon the outbreak of WW2 working as a clerk in a solicitor’s office and in May 1960,still working, he visited the Echo office to show them a medal he had been given after he had played in an exhibition match v Celtic while on the 1906 tour. His great nephew was John Hoskins who played outside-left for the Saints in the 50s.