From the moment he made one of the most dazzling debuts in league history, Carl Ditterich was one of the biggest stars of the game.

He possessed that rare and indefinable quality – presence – and whenever he was on the field, the rest of the side walked tall. Ditterich was a natural athlete and combined the height of a ruckman with the pace and agility of a ruck-rover.

For Saints fans, Carl's appeal lay in the fact that he took a backward step for no-one and tackled the game head-on. It was amazing that he overcame his childhood disability of knock knees. But it forged in him a grim determination to overcome adversity. Serious ankle problems hampered him in later years, but nothing could stop the 'Blond Bombshell' over a League career spanned almost two decades.

He was an exciting and controversial footballer from start to finish and made a rich contribution to the club's history.