George Harkus George Cecil Harkus MBE ( 25 September 1898 – 28 September 1950 ) was an English professional footballer who played as a half back for Southampton in the 1920s before serving with distinction in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War . Playing career . Early days . Harkus was born in Newcastle upon Tyne and played his youth football with Nuns Moor in Newcastle , before moving to Edinburgh where he played for Edinburgh Emmett . He then returned to Tyneside to join Scotswood . In May 1921 he joined Aston Villa as an amateur , signing as a professional in February 1922 . He made four First Division appearances for Villa before being sold to Southampton for £250 in May 1923 . Southampton . He made his first team debut for the " Saints " at The Dell on 19 January 1924 replacing Alec Campbell at left - half in a 6 – 0 victory over Barnsley . By the end of his first season on the south coast he had played 14 games and had appeared on either side of the half - backs line . In the following season he only missed two league matches as Saints ' poor league form led to the resignation of manager Jimmy McIntyre . Caretaker manager George Goss led them on a run in the FA Cup , defeating Liverpool in round 4 , to reach the semi - final at Stamford Bridge , where they were defeated 2 – 0 by Sheffield United on 28 March 1925 . After a run of four defeats at the start of the 1925 – 26 season , Harkus was dropped in favour of Stan Woodhouse . In October , Saints appointed Arthur Chadwick as manager , who re - instated Harkus in the team at the expense of Campbell in November ; he retained the left - back place for the rest of the season . In the 1926 – 27 season , Chadwick settled on his favoured line - up with eleven players featuring in at least 35 of the 42 league games ; this included a half back line - up of Bert Shelley , Harkus ( in the centre ) and Woodhouse on the left , in front of full - backs Michael Keeping and Ted Hough . Described by Holley & Chalk as " a man of dynamic personality " and " tremendously energetic and enthusiastic , he was a natural captain who put so much into a game that , when the 90 minutes were up , he was often " all in " . " Harkus featured strongly in Saints ' run to their second FA Cup semi - final in two years , this time losing 2 – 1 to Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on 26 March 1927 . Although Harkus never received full international honours he came close , joining an F . A . tour of Canada in 1926 , along with team - mates Michael Keeping and Bill Rawlings . In the 1927 – 28 season , Harkus continued as team captain and missed only one match as Saints again finished in the lower half of the table . For the next two seasons his appearances were more irregular as age and injuries caught up with him . In the summer of 1930 he decided to quit ; Southampton were reluctant to release him from his registration and placed a transfer fee of £750 on his head . In his initial seven - year period with Southampton he made 233 appearances ( with five goals ) ; all his league matches were in the Second Division in a period during which the Saints struggled financially and were generally forced to sell their better players to survive . Sojourn abroad . Harkus spent the rest of 1930 in France with Olympique Lyonnais , before returning to England . After an unsuccessful trial with Oldham Athletic , he settled in New Milton where he ran the Wheatsheaf Public House , and turned out for the Hampshire League team New Milton Town . Return to Southampton . In February 1932 , Southampton were facing an injury crisis with Alec Campbell , Johnny McIlwaine and Bert Jepson amongst the injured . Manager George Kay called on Harkus ' s services for two matches , against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bradford both of which resulted in defeats . Later career . He then moved to Lancashire to join Southport as a player - coach , but was seriously injured in a reserve team match against Barrow , preventing him making any first - team appearances . He did , however , join Boston United for the 1933 – 34 season making 16 appearances in the Midland League . Military career . After retiring from football , Harkus took up employment with the Ministry of Labour in London . On the outbreak of the Second World War , he joined the Royal Air Force and , serving in the Middle East , he attained the rank of flight lieutenant . In the birthday honours list for 1949 , Harkus was awarded the M . B . E . for " keeping up the morale in the forces whilst stationed in the Middle East " . He remained in the R . A . F . after the war and continued his links with football . He had recently been appointed to their selection committee before his death at Southampton on 28 September 1950 , shortly after his 52nd birthday , following an illness .