Although he never played footy as a kid, Cecil Adcock was a late bloomer at South who went onto a fantastic career as a league and state footballer.

In 1901, local newspaper The Bunyip described Adcock, along with his skipper Perce Crump and teammates Herbert Sampson and EH Cockram as "the four best players in the Association". Adcock was fifth in the GFA during this year for goalkicking and although records have never survived, apparently he was a gun forward who never missed.

He captained the GFA against Norwood and North Adelaide in 1905 before joining South Adelaide in 1907 when he was a member of the SA state team that defeated the VFL at Adelaide Oval on June 17 that year.

Towards the end of his career, Adcock later returned to South for two more seasons - a premiership in 1911 and runners-up 1912.