Stuart McManus became a non-contract player for the Saints in August 1983 while doing a Diploma course in PE at Farnham.

He scored regularly for the Reserves, notching 30 goals in his first season as a professional, and returned from a loan spell at Newport to score on his debut – a “blistering”23^rd minute header at Loftus Road.

He failed to make the grade, however, and after a free transfer embarked on a successful career in Scandinavian football. However it all ended in acrimony, when Stuart was found guilty in 2003 of assaulting a referee and banned for five matches.

Later the same year during a match for Swedish Fourth Division club, Ljusne at Delsbo he was again accused of deliberately colliding with an official leaving him with a cracked rib. Stuart protested his innocence saying it was an accident but the writing was on the wall and with a disciplinary committee about to pronounce judgement Stuart – who said the whole thing was a “witch-hunt” decided to retire from the game. And that was that until in 2010 he resurfaced, aged 45 playing in goal for Hagastrom. His daughter Sara represented Sweden in the 2017 World Women’s Curling Championship.