Don Roper
| Date of birth | 14 December 1922 |
| Place of birth | Botley |
| Nationality | English |
| Position | Winger |
With Arsenal, 1st Division Champion 1948, 1953, FA Cup runner-up 1952. Moved to Arsenal in August 1947 and returned to Southampton in January 1957.
A £15,000 signing from Southampton, Don was a major goals contributor to Arsenal's 1947-48 and 1952-53 League Championship triumphs. Also played cricket for Hampshire.
Club history
| Team | Joined | Left | Loan / Trialist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton | 01 Jun 1940 | 01 Aug 1947 | |
| Arsenal | 01 Aug 1947 | 01 Jan 1957 |
Club stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945-46 | Southampton | FA Cup | 4 | ||||
| 1946-47 | Southampton | FA Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
| 1946-47 | Southampton | League Division Two | 40 | 8 |
|||
| 1947-48 | Arsenal | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 1947-48 | Arsenal | League Division One | 40 | 10 |
|||
| 1948-49 | Arsenal | FA Charity Shield | 1 | ||||
| 1948-49 | Arsenal | FA Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
| 1948-49 | Arsenal | League Division One | 31 | 5 |
|||
| 1949-50 | Arsenal | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 1949-50 | Arsenal | League Division One | 27 | 7 |
|||
| 1950-51 | Arsenal | FA Cup | 4 | 1 |
|||
| 1950-51 | Arsenal | League Division One | 34 | 7 |
|||
| 1951-52 | Arsenal | FA Cup | 7 | 1 |
|||
| 1951-52 | Arsenal | League Division One | 30 | 9 |
|||
| 1952-53 | Arsenal | FA Cup | 4 | 2 |
|||
| 1952-53 | Arsenal | League Division One | 41 | 14 |
|||
| 1953-54 | Arsenal | FA Cup | 2 | 2 |
|||
| 1953-54 | Arsenal | League Division One | 39 | 12 |
|||
| 1954-55 | Arsenal | League Division One | 35 | 17 |
|||
| 1955-56 | Arsenal | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 1955-56 | Arsenal | League Division One | 16 | 4 |
|||
| 1956-57 | Arsenal | League Division One | 4 | 3 |
|||
| 1956-57 | Southampton | Division Three (South) | 17 | 6 |
|||
| 1957-58 | Southampton | Division Three (South) | 38 | 18 |
|||
| 1957-58 | Southampton | FA Cup | 2 | ||||
| 1958-59 | Southampton | FA Cup | 3 | ||||
| 1958-59 | Southampton | League Division Three | 25 | 8 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Club matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 Jan 1946 | Southampton v Newport County | W | 4-3 | FA Cup | 3rd round 1st leg |
| 10 Jan 1946 | Newport County v Southampton | W |
1-2 Agg: 4-6 |
FA Cup | 3rd round 2nd leg |
| 26 Jan 1946 | Southampton v Queens Park Rangers | L | 0-1 | FA Cup | 4th round |
| 30 Jan 1946 | Queens Park Rangers v Southampton | L | 4-3 | FA Cup | 4th round |
| 04 Sep 1946 | Southampton v Swansea Town | W | 4-0 | League Division Two | |
| 07 Sep 1946 | Southampton v Bury | D | 1-1 | League Division Two | |
| 09 Sep 1946 | Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton | L | 2-1 | League Division Two | |
| 14 Sep 1946 | Southampton v Nottingham Forest | W | 5-2 | League Division Two | |
| 21 Sep 1946 | Coventry City v Southampton | L | 2-0 | League Division Two | |
| 28 Sep 1946 | Southampton v Birmingham City | W | 1-0 | League Division Two | |
| 03 Oct 1946 | Swansea Town v Southampton | L | 4-2 | League Division Two | |
| 05 Oct 1946 | West Bromwich Albion v Southampton | L | 2-0 | League Division Two | |
| 12 Oct 1946 | Southampton v Newcastle United | D | 1-1 | League Division Two | |
| 19 Oct 1946 | Luton Town v Southampton | D | 2-2 | League Division Two | |
| 24 Oct 1946 | Newport County v Southampton | W | 1-2 | League Division Two | |
| 26 Oct 1946 | Southampton v Plymouth Argyle | W | 5-1 | League Division Two | |
| 02 Nov 1946 | Leicester City v Southampton | L | 2-0 | League Division Two | |
| 09 Nov 1946 | Southampton v Chesterfield | D | 1-1 | League Division Two | |
| 16 Nov 1946 | Millwall v Southampton | L | 3-1 | League Division Two | |
| 23 Nov 1946 | Southampton v Bradford Park Avenue | W | 3-2 | League Division Two | |
| 30 Nov 1946 | Manchester City v Southampton | D | 1-1 | League Division Two | |
| 07 Dec 1946 | Southampton v West Ham United | W | 4-2 | League Division Two | |
| 14 Dec 1946 | Sheffield Wednesday v Southampton | L | 3-0 | League Division Two | |
| 25 Dec 1946 | Barnsley v Southampton | D | 4-4 | League Division Two | |
| 28 Dec 1946 | Southampton v Newport County | W | 5-1 | League Division Two | |
| 11 Jan 1947 | Southampton v Bury | W | 5-1 | FA Cup | 3rd round |
| 18 Jan 1947 | Nottingham Forest v Southampton | L | 6-0 | League Division Two | |
| 25 Jan 1947 | Newcastle United v Southampton | L | 3-1 | FA Cup | 4th round |
| 01 Feb 1947 | Birmingham City v Southampton | L | 3-1 | League Division Two | |
| 05 Feb 1947 | Southampton v Coventry City | W | 5-2 | League Division Two | |
| 08 Feb 1947 | Southampton v West Bromwich Albion | L | 0-1 | League Division Two | |
| 15 Feb 1947 | Newcastle United v Southampton | W | 1-3 | League Division Two | |
| 22 Feb 1947 | Southampton v Luton Town | L | 1-3 | League Division Two | |
| 01 Mar 1947 | Plymouth Argyle v Southampton | W | 2-3 | League Division Two | |
| 22 Mar 1947 | Southampton v Millwall | L | 1-2 | League Division Two | |
| 29 Mar 1947 | Bradford Park Avenue v Southampton | W | 2-3 | League Division Two | |
| 04 Apr 1947 | Burnley v Southampton | L | 1-0 | League Division Two | |
| 05 Apr 1947 | Southampton v Manchester City | L | 0-1 | League Division Two | |
| 07 Apr 1947 | Southampton v Burnley | L | 0-1 | League Division Two | |
| 12 Apr 1947 | West Ham United v Southampton | L | 4-0 | League Division Two | |
| 19 Apr 1947 | Southampton v Sheffield Wednesday | W | 3-1 | League Division Two | |
| 26 Apr 1947 | Fulham v Southampton | D | 0-0 | League Division Two | |
| 03 May 1947 | Chesterfield v Southampton | L | 5-0 | League Division Two | |
| 10 May 1947 | Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur | W | 1-0 | League Division Two | |
| 24 May 1947 | Southampton v Fulham | W | 2-0 | League Division Two | |
| 26 May 1947 | Southampton v Leicester City | D | 1-1 | League Division Two | |
| 12 Jan 1957 | Southampton v Southend United | L | 1-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 19 Jan 1957 | Northampton Town v Southampton | L | 2-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 02 Feb 1957 | Southampton v Queens Park Rangers | L | 1-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 23 Feb 1957 | Brighton and Hove Albion v Southampton | L | 1-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 09 Mar 1957 | Ipswich Town v Southampton | L | 2-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 16 Mar 1957 | Southampton v Brentford | D | 3-3 | Division Three (South) | |
| 23 Mar 1957 | Aldershot v Southampton | D | 1-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 25 Mar 1957 | Reading v Southampton | W | 2-4 | Division Three (South) | |
| 30 Mar 1957 | Southampton v Watford | W | 3-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 04 Apr 1957 | Newport County v Southampton | W | 2-3 | Division Three (South) | |
| 06 Apr 1957 | Shrewsbury Town v Southampton | D | 0-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 13 Apr 1957 | Southampton v Walsall | W | 3-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 19 Apr 1957 | Torquay United v Southampton | L | 2-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 20 Apr 1957 | Swindon Town v Southampton | D | 0-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 22 Apr 1957 | Southampton v Torquay United | W | 1-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 27 Apr 1957 | Watford v Southampton | L | 4-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 04 May 1957 | Southampton v Newport County | W | 3-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 24 Aug 1957 | Millwall v Southampton | W | 1-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 28 Aug 1957 | Southampton v Walsall | W | 4-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 31 Aug 1957 | Southampton v Gillingham | W | 5-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 05 Sep 1957 | Walsall v Southampton | D | 1-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 07 Sep 1957 | Exeter City v Southampton | D | 2-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 11 Sep 1957 | Southampton v Port Vale | L | 0-3 | Division Three (South) | |
| 14 Sep 1957 | Southampton v Queens Park Rangers | W | 5-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 16 Sep 1957 | Port Vale v Southampton | L | 4-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 21 Sep 1957 | Southend United v Southampton | L | 3-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 25 Sep 1957 | Southampton v Plymouth Argyle | L | 0-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 28 Sep 1957 | Southampton v Brighton and Hove Albion | W | 5-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 30 Sep 1957 | Plymouth Argyle v Southampton | L | 4-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 09 Oct 1957 | Southampton v Swindon Town | L | 1-3 | Division Three (South) | |
| 26 Oct 1957 | Reading v Southampton | L | 1-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 02 Nov 1957 | Southampton v Northampton Town | W | 2-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 09 Nov 1957 | Watford v Southampton | L | 3-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 16 Nov 1957 | Walton and Hersham v Southampton | W | 1-6 | FA Cup | 1st round |
| 23 Nov 1957 | Torquay United v Southampton | D | 1-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 30 Nov 1957 | Southampton v Brentford | W | 4-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 12 Dec 1957 | Crystal Palace v Southampton | L | 1-0 | FA Cup | 2nd round |
| 14 Dec 1957 | Southampton v Norwich City | W | 7-3 | Division Three (South) | |
| 21 Dec 1957 | Southampton v Millwall | W | 3-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 25 Dec 1957 | Aldershot v Southampton | W | 1-5 | Division Three (South) | |
| 26 Dec 1957 | Southampton v Aldershot | D | 2-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 11 Jan 1958 | Southampton v Exeter City | W | 6-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 18 Jan 1958 | Queens Park Rangers v Southampton | L | 3-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 25 Jan 1958 | Southampton v Crystal Palace | W | 2-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 01 Feb 1958 | Southampton v Southend United | D | 2-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 08 Feb 1958 | Brighton and Hove Albion v Southampton | D | 1-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 15 Feb 1958 | Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic v Southampton | L | 5-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 22 Feb 1958 | Southampton v Coventry City | W | 7-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 01 Mar 1958 | Shrewsbury Town v Southampton | W | 1-3 | Division Three (South) | |
| 08 Mar 1958 | Southampton v Reading | L | 0-1 | Division Three (South) | |
| 15 Mar 1958 | Northampton Town v Southampton | W | 1-3 | Division Three (South) | |
| 22 Mar 1958 | Southampton v Torquay United | W | 4-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 29 Mar 1958 | Norwich City v Southampton | W | 0-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 05 Apr 1958 | Southampton v Watford | W | 5-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 07 Apr 1958 | Swindon Town v Southampton | L | 1-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 12 Apr 1958 | Brentford v Southampton | D | 0-0 | Division Three (South) | |
| 19 Apr 1958 | Southampton v Colchester United | W | 3-2 | Division Three (South) | |
| 23 Aug 1958 | Mansfield Town v Southampton | W | 1-6 | League Division Three | |
| 30 Aug 1958 | Southampton v Swindon Town | D | 1-1 | League Division Three | |
| 01 Sep 1958 | Southampton v Chesterfield | D | 0-0 | League Division Three | |
| 06 Sep 1958 | Brentford v Southampton | L | 2-0 | League Division Three | |
| 20 Sep 1958 | Bradford City v Southampton | W | 2-3 | League Division Three | |
| 25 Sep 1958 | Notts County v Southampton | W | 1-2 | League Division Three | |
| 01 Oct 1958 | Southampton v Notts County | W | 3-0 | League Division Three | |
| 08 Oct 1958 | Accrington Stanley v Southampton | D | 0-0 | League Division Three | |
| 18 Oct 1958 | Southampton v Norwich City | D | 1-1 | League Division Three | |
| 25 Oct 1958 | Southend United v Southampton | D | 1-1 | League Division Three | |
| 01 Nov 1958 | Southampton v Bury | W | 4-2 | League Division Three | |
| 08 Nov 1958 | Queens Park Rangers v Southampton | D | 2-2 | League Division Three | |
| 15 Nov 1958 | Southampton v Woking | W | 4-1 | FA Cup | 1st round |
| 22 Nov 1958 | Tranmere Rovers v Southampton | L | 2-0 | League Division Three | |
| 29 Nov 1958 | Southampton v Plymouth Argyle | W | 5-1 | League Division Three | |
| 06 Dec 1958 | Queens Park Rangers v Southampton | W | 0-1 | FA Cup | 2nd round |
| 13 Dec 1958 | Southampton v Stockport County | W | 2-1 | League Division Three | |
| 20 Dec 1958 | Southampton v Mansfield Town | W | 3-2 | League Division Three | |
| 25 Dec 1958 | Newport County v Southampton | L | 4-2 | League Division Three | |
| 27 Dec 1958 | Southampton v Newport County | D | 3-3 | League Division Three | |
| 03 Jan 1959 | Swindon Town v Southampton | L | 3-1 | League Division Three | |
| 10 Jan 1959 | Southampton v Blackpool | L | 1-2 | FA Cup | 3rd round |
| 24 Jan 1959 | Doncaster Rovers v Southampton | L | 3-2 | League Division Three | |
| 31 Jan 1959 | Hull City v Southampton | L | 3-0 | League Division Three | |
| 07 Feb 1959 | Southampton v Bradford City | L | 1-2 | League Division Three | |
| 14 Mar 1959 | Southampton v Southend United | W | 3-2 | League Division Three | |
| 11 Apr 1959 | Southampton v Tranmere Rovers | L | 2-3 | League Division Three | |
| 18 Apr 1959 | Plymouth Argyle v Southampton | L | 1-0 | League Division Three | |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.