When a shoulder injury forced him to retire, Ron Reynolds suggested to the manager that he sign another goalkeeper in his image – an experienced Spurs goalkeeper, who had been a long time in the Reserves: John Hollowbread. Ted Bates duly did so, although the talks leading to transfer took place while John was on holiday in Bournemouth and Bates was vacationing in the Isle of Wight.

Hollowbread made 30 straight appearances for him in 1964-65, but was then replaced by Tony Godfrey. Yet he started the next season in possession, only to sustain a serious knee injury in the sixth match, at home to Coventry. The immediate effect was to bring about the Saints’ first substitution under the new rules. The ultimate outcome was John’s premature retirement from League football. He remained in Hampshire, running The Manor House Inn at Old Netley (see scrapbook), The Sun in Romsey and then the bar at Bramshaw Golf Club, until he retired to Spain in 1994. Recently Eastleigh Borough Council have named one of their new roads after him (see scrapbook).