SOUTHAMPTON Football Association’s diamond jubilee celebration took place on May 19, 1968 at the Top Rank Suite and was said to have been a roaring success.

Representatives of nearly 100 clubs in the Southampton, as well as leading officials for all over Hampshire, civic chiefs, and two members of parliament.

Addressing the gathering, Hampshire Football Association president, Mr R Vernon Stokes, paid tribute to the Southampton FA and also praised the organisation of the celebration.

“If you take the social side out of football, there's not much left,” he said.

A surprise treat for the 1,000 people in attendance was the piano playing of the Speaker of the House of Commons, Dr Horace King, member of Parliament for Itchen Division of Southampton.

Dr King joined forces with the Alan Ross Band and played a selection of tunes, and the end of which he was given a standing ovation.