The son of an old Freemantle FC player (William Boyes), Ken Boyes had been playing local football and was on Hampshire CCC’s ground staff when he signed amateur forms for Southampton in March 1914. Thanks to the First World War, when he served with the 2nd/5th Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment in India (see scrapbook section) and Egypt it would be other five-and-a-half years before he turned pro.

In the meantime, his all-round sporting skills had ample scope for expression, as he represented his battalion at both cricket and football and became the regimental sprint champion.

His post-war opportunities at The Dell, as an inside- or outside-left, were limited by the constant form of Jimmy Moore and Fred Foxall, respectively. So when the Saints won promotion to Division II in 1922, Boyes remained in the Third (South) with Bristol Rovers. After only two appearances in two seasons, his Football League career was over. Nor did he make it as a cricketer – in stark contrast to his younger brother, Stuart, who would play over 500 times for Hampshire and tour with the MCC.

His non-league career terminated at Pirelli General, Eastleigh, where he became the groundsman in 1930 and oversaw the laying of their much-admired Dew Lane pitch. Although he eventually hung up his boots in 1940, he would remain the groundsman as well as undertaking training duties until living in Milton Road, Southampton he retired in 1960. Three years later he suddenly collapsed while out walking in Nightingale Road, Eastleigh and although taken to hospital by an ambulance, he was unfortunately dead on arrival.