Born in Farnham, Surrey, James “Sonny” Horton played much of his football across the border, in north-east Hampshire, especially in Aldershot. He had left Aldershot Traction to play in Surrey for Isthmian League Woking, where his eight goals in two games persuaded Aldershot Town that he would help their Southern League cause. And so he did, so much so that when League clubs began to take note of his scoring, the following season, his admirers launched an SOS campaign: “Save Our Sonny”. It failed. He was sold to Second Division Millwall. Soon after Millwall were relegated in 1934, Southampton offered him another crack at Division II football and he made his debut away to Port Vale (see above). But he was not up to it. Unhelped by superstition –

he would change into his playing kit while still wearing his bowler hat, not to be removed until he was leaving the dressing room

– he managed only five appearances before returning to Aldershot, who were by now in the Third South.A leg injury soon forced him to quit League football, however. That didn’t stop him playing non-league, while earning a living as an electrician and part-time painter’s labourer. After the War, he worked as a groundsman at the Recreation Ground.