By Martin Brisland.
In the latest in our series of fun facts about Southampton we look at some more little known gems about the city.
Sport in Southampton
Southampton FC developed from a St. Mary’s Church Young Men’s Association team. The Rector, Basil Wilberforce, wanted to divert young men from the perils of alcohol. His grandfather William had led the movement to abolish slavery.
The Antelope Ground was near today’s Royal South Hants hospital. It was the home of Hampshire Cricket Club and later the home ground of Southampton FC until 1897.
Southampton Football Club’s first black player was Alf Charles from Trinidad. He joined the club in 1937, scoring two goals in a career cut short by injury. He has a plaque at St. Mary’s Stadium and another on the sports pub, The Painted Wagon.
In 1974, Saints were the first team relegated from Division 1 under the new three down rule.
Queen Elizabeth II presented the 1976 FA Cup to Saints captain, Peter Rodrigues. It was the very last time she ever attended an FA Cup Final.
In April 1996, Manchester United changed their kit at half time during a match against Southampton at The Dell. Their manager thought their grey kit made it impossible for their players to see each other. They changed strip but still lost the game 6-3.
In November 1996, Southampton fell for one of the wildest swindles in football history. Someone called them pretending to be FIFA World Footballer of the Year, George Weah, saying his “cousin”, Ali Dia, was a PSG and Senegal star.
Dia made his debut versus Leeds as a substitute for an injured Matthew Le Tissier but was later subbed off. Le Tissier, who scored the last ever league goal at the Dell in May 2021, said seeing Dia play was ‘like watching Bambi on Ice’.
On 16 May 2015, Sadio Mane, playing for Saints, scored the fastest ever Premier League hat trick in 2 minutes and 56 seconds.
Boxer Muhammad Ali, voted as Sportsman of the 20th Century, won fifty-six out of his sixty-one fights with thirty-seven knockouts. He visited a Hedge End supermarket on 15th October 1971 to promote Ovaltine. At the former Polygon Hotel, Ali met the public. Mr. and Mrs. Graham, and their children were near him. Turning to the youngsters, using his usual amicable wit Ali quipped, ‘How come you are so pretty when your dad looks like that!’
An Ice Rink first opened in 1931, but was bombed in 1940. Charles Knott, owner of the adjacent sports stadium built a new sports drome with an ice rink in 1952. There was also a ten-pin bowling alley on the site. The ice rink closed in August 1988 and the area is now housing, including a Charles Knott Gardens.
Southampton had a speedway racing team at Banister Court Stadium from 1928 until 1963.
George Brown played cricket for Hampshire and England. During his professional career he amassed 25,649 runs, 37 centuries, 629 wickets, 528 catches and 68 stumpings. John Arlott wrote that he was ‘the most complete all-round cricketer the game has ever known.’
A quirky character, in one match George’s bat split. He tore the blade in two as if it were a toy, gave the spare piece to the umpire and batted on with half the blade.
George played until the age of 46 and then became an umpire. He was the first umpire to declare a first-class batsman out under the newly introduced, leg before wicket rule.
Since 1984, a cricket match has been played in September between the Royal Southern Yacht Club and the Island Sailing Club. It is held on a sandbank in Southampton Water for as long as the tide allows.
The Southampton Old Bowling Green is often described as the oldest bowling green in the world.
The green appears on maps from 1611 and has its annual Knighthood of the Old Green tournament dating back to 1776. The play is supervised by the Knights of the Green all past winners wearing full morning suits, silk top hats, and frock coats. The winning player is titled sir – with a small s to avoid confusing it with a royal knighthood – and hands the victor a silver medal.
Unbeaten Southampton boxer, Steve McCarthy (1962-2017), was Southern Area Light Heavyweight Champion. In September 1989, he was in one of boxings most unusual fights ever at Southampton Guildhall in an eliminator for the English title against Tony Wilson.
He had knocked Wilson down when his 62-year-old mother entered the ring and attacked McCarthy with her shoe. McCarthy believed he had won and left the ring. The referee wanted the fight to continue. McCarthy refused and needed four stitches for the wound inflicted by Wilson’s mother.
Wilson was declared the winner and mayhem broke out.
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