hiː wʌz kˈæpt baɪ ˈɪŋɡlənd æt jˈuːθ lˈɛvəl, bˌʌt dˈuː tə sˈɜːvɪs ɪnðɪ ˌɑːɹɹˌeɪˈɛf hædtə wˈeɪt ʌntˈɪl dᵻsˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn tə tˈɜːn pɹəfˈɛʃənəl wɛn hiː dʒˈɔɪnd swˈɪndən tˈaʊn fɹʌm nˈɑːnlˈiːɡ dˈoːɹtʃɛstɚ tˈaʊn.
He was capped by England at youth level, but due to service in the RAF had to wait until December 1961 to turn professional when he joined Swindon Town from non-league Dorchester Town.