In the merry month of May 1937, Southampton’s new manager, Tom Parker, was busy snapping up, free, a bunch of youngsters. While they included the likes of Ted Bates from Norwich, Parker’s previous club, Norman Chalk, an amateur with Woolston Wednesday, merely crossed the Itchen.

Signing pro early in the next season, Chalk made his debut at centre-half in its final game. In 1938-39, he got four more chances in that position to which Dave Affleck had the first claim, although Norman was now competing with Tom Carnaby to be Affleck’s deputy. So he joined the Borough Police, which offered job-security and a pension – not to mention a place in a decent football team: in local war-time competition, the Police could field an entire XI of ex-Saints, including, ironically, both Affleck and Carnaby. Chalk was a member of the side that won the notable Hants Senior Cup Final in 1942 when the Police defeated a Folland’s team that included Bates, Bill Dodgin, and six other League players.

He remained with the force for 30 years and finished his working life, serving local solicitors. Although amateur Lawrence Wallace survived him by two years, Norman’s death was the last of men who had played professionally for Southampton’s first team, prior to the Second World War.