A school-boy prodigy, Albert Trueman signed for his home-town club, Leicester Fosse at 17. Failing to break into the first team, he rang the changes at a few Leicestershire clubs until returning to Filbert Street as a 22 year-old in 1905. Without ever becoming a fixture, he got himself some Second Division football, this time around.Better opportunities awaited him, however, at Southern League Southampton, where Harry Hadley had just retired.

Indeed, Albert became a regular over the next three seasons, playing all across the half-back line.

Standing just 5’6”, he was thought by some to be too small to be a half-back, but Albert soon demonstrated how judgment and skill could make up for a lack of inches. It helped that Bert was also quick, resourceful and decisive.

During his time at The  Dell, Bert represented the Southern League on four occasions and had an international trial in 1911. Soon after that unsuccessful trial, he grew restless for a return to League football. Sheffield United won the bidding, paying Southampton £350, of which £110 went to Leicester Fosse. He thought he had finished his professional career at non-league Darlington, but was persuaded to turn out for Leicester when they were short of players for a war-time match v Grimsby. And then, when peace-time football resumed in 1919, he had a few games for Clydebank in the Scottish First Division. In 1939 he was a “hosiery counterman” in Leicester.