Career
After injury caused a £1000 transfer to Aston Villa to fall through, Silto joined Swindon during the summer of 1909, after being released by Barnsley, who suspected he was injury-prone. Had the transfer gone through he would have been the first British football player to have been sold for more than £1000. He went on to make well over 200 appearances for Swindon over the following eleven years - and without the interruption of the First World War, it would have been far more.
In the 1912 semi-final replay against Barnsley, Swindon were awarded a penalty, and, with regular penalty-taker Billy Tout out through injury, Silto stepped up to take the kick, eager to score against his former club
He was stopped in his tracks by captain Peter Chambers, who told Silto, "you don"t take penalties, Billy", and handed the responsibility to a reluctant Archie Bown. Such were Silto"s performances in the Swindon team, that he was recognised as the understudy to the England half-back Fatty Wedlock for many seasons, and though he joined up with the England squad on many occasions, the only appearances he made were on an unofficial tour of South Africa in 1910.