A versatile forward who packed an accurate and powerful left foot Len had two stints at both Reading and Saints either side of the Great War during which he served in Mesopotamia, rising through the ranks to Sergeant Major. A consistent and reliable performer for Saints, he also took 22 penalties (see his scrapbook page) missing just two and he won a Division III (S) Championship medal in 1922.

In February 1923 Saints were away at Port Vale and regular goalkeeper Tommy Allen fell ill so Len deputised between the posts and kept a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw. In his one season at Watford, despite turning 36, he played 40 games and finished joint top scorer with seven goals. Initially at Reading University Len had trained to be a teacher but in 1925 when he had laced his boot a last time he instead preferred to become an insurance salesman in Southampton. He then took up bowls and won many County honours.

Just before Len joined Southampton in 1912, Brigham and Co, a Reading-based newsagent, produced a set of 16 cards which they gave away with Gold Flake cigarettes. The cards – which included Len – are extremely rare these days and often attract bids of well over £150 for an individual card.

The next year, now a Saints player, he also featured in Taddy’s Prominent Footballers series. These cards are much more common, fetching around £8.