George Beare, having been born in Southampton a month before the Saints were founded, was a local discovery and was employed, near The Dell in Shirley as a cycle maker. He was invited to join Saints in the summer of 1906 and although

“a quick touch line dribbler”

his small stature – he had been given the nickname “Skinny Beare” – prevented him from gaining a place in the senior eleven, but nevertheless he acquitted himself creditably in the Reserves and was rewarded with a Southern League debut against Bristol Rovers in April 1907. It was the last league game of the season and Saints won 2-1, but unable to break into the team the following year, Blackpool resurrected his career and for the next 16 years he found himself regularly scoring goals at a high level.

During the 1911-12 he helped Everton reach the runners-up position in Division 1. A northern journalist wrote of George in 1921,

“if he did not enjoy playing football he would probably have been one of our leading music hall comedians, as he is an expert card manipulator, a trick cyclist of no little repute and an excellent billiards player”.

He never made it back to Southampton choosing to spend the rest of his days in Cardiff where it is believed he worked for the council.