[3] His appearance for Clapton once sparked an article in the local newspaper after he had requested permission to leave work early to attend a game.
He had accepted a set of furniture from Clapton as a wedding gift and the FA had deemed this to be a form of payment.
As a result, Earle signed as a professional with Notts County, where he played in the Football League for one season.
[3] When he returned to the Old Spotted Dog Ground with his new club in 1905 for a friendly match, he encountered opposite number J. Wilding, who had once been the West Ham Schools goalkeeper under his charge.
His obituary, in the Stratford Express, was adamant that he had never once accepted a pay packet despite the imposition of his professional status.