Although he had represented Southampton Schoolboys, Doug Henderson was not brought to The Dell until the Saints’ trainer, Bert Shelley, took a shine to him playing on Southampton Common.

It was a while before he got his first-team chance at right-back, but Doug then finished the 1935-36 season with a run of games, all across the half-backline. Yet he would add only 16 League and Cup appearances over the next three seasons. He did have, however, a very symmetrical Southampton playing career, debuting against Bury on the first day of 1936 and finishing with a game against the same opponents, on the last day of 1938. Both matches finished 0-0. Then, having joined Third South Bristol City for the 1939-40 season that never was (see scrapbook), Doug hurried home, at the outbreak of war, to join the Southampton Police. He played not only for their formidable war-time team, but through to the 1950s (see scrapbook), during a long police career.