It is no exaggeration to say that George Muir contributed 50 years of his life to the development and administration of football. Thought to have played in the Young Men’s first match in November 1885, he then featured at left-back in every game of their first competitive venture, when they won the Hants Junior Cup in 1887-88; thereupon appeared, with the Cup, in the club’s first known photograph and completed his Saints’ playing career as a late replacement in the 1889 Final.

George continued to play for his college in Winchester, while training to return to his home-town as a teacher. After teaching at Northam Council School (1891-94) and Southern District Council School (1898-1901), he became the Head at Mount Pleasant School in 1902. In the meantime, he had become a referee in 1894, officiating in the Southern League and culminating in taking charge of the Amateur Cup Final in 1915. He had by now had a stint as President of the Southampton FA and had served on the Hampshire FA. All of which meant that he was more than qualified to serve Southampton FC as a director from 1915 to 1936 and to fulfil such assignments as overseeing the 1926 purchase and subsequent development of The Dell. In 1934, he became President of the Hampshire FA, a position that he held until his death in 1939.

George Muir didn’t quite see it all: he missed the landmark home game in 1922, which the Saints won 5-0 to clinch the Third South championship on goal-average – always provided that Plymouth lost at QPR. He and fellow-director Hammock were dispatched to Loftus Road, charged with ’phoning-in the result. Come the final whistle at The Dell, the fans waited, the band played and then the ’phone rang. Argyle had lost and the Saints were in Division II.