In an age when Southern League Southampton benefited from buying players who boasted plenty of Football League experience and had played in an international or two, George Molyneux bucked the trend: when he arrived at The Dell, after 43 First Division appearances for Everton, his four England caps still lay ahead of him.

He got off to a solid start with the Saints: ever-present in 1900-01, he would not miss a Southern League match until March 1902.

He would soon be absent again, when he answered his first call to international duty. On 5 April, he played for England at Ibrox Park, Glasgow. When a stand collapsed, with an ultimate death-count of 25, the game continued, but was soon declared void. So Molyneux’s first cap had to await a replay of the match at Villa Park, four weeks later. In the meantime, he had played in an FA Cup Final and its replay, as the Saints lost to Sheffield United.

He would never miss an FA Cup match in his five seasons with the club, during which he won three Southern League championship medals.

He next had a season at Portsmouth, in which he managed to play seven times against Southampton, notably including the Saints’ 5-1 romp in the FA Cup. George then moved to Southend, newly-elected to the Southern League’s Division II. He spent four seasons there as a player, during which Southend won promotion, and was then their player-manager for 1910-11. After which, he wound down his career in the South East Essex League, playing for Colchester Town. In 1939 he was an engine driver in a storage works in Southend.