When Sapper Arter of the Royal Engineers partnered George Carter as one of St Mary’s full-backs, during the Hampshire Junior Cup campaign of 1888-89, the combination of the two men’s surnames had a pleasing ring. Four of his five games in that competition came in a contentious semi-final against Cowes which took four games to resolve, following disputes about sailing times to the Isle of Wight and a linesman who somehow managed to stop a goal-bound shot with his flag. With St Mary’s eventually winning through it was unfortunate that Arter was injured for the Final v Christchurch which deprived him of a winner’s medal. Army duties then prevented him extending his career with the Saints further and in later years after leaving the Engineers he became a telegraph worker.

The titanic four-game struggle against Cowes, in which Arter played a full part, were significant in many ways. Such was the interest it was the first time St Marys, by default, were recognised as being representative of the whole town and they had picked up many periphery supporters along the way. It therefore laid the foundation for St Mary’s to become known as Southampton St Mary’s. Also, one enterprising fan who worked at the Ordnance Survey Office designed this card which was distributed around the town to be worn in supporters’ hatbands. It was the first time the ‘nickname’ Saints had been commercially coined.