 After being initially rejected, he re-joined the club on trial in 1938, signing for them as a professional in October 1938.In August 1939 he was given his Football League debut for Southport in a match against Darlington; ironically, his older brother Jack was one of the players who was dropped to accommodate his debut.During the war he continued to play for Southport when possible, though in 1942 it was evident that his Royal Air Force duties were getting in the way and Southport were forced to look for a replacement.