 He attended New Road School as a youngster, playing for the school's football team, before training as a tailor.At the age of 16, he joined his hometown side Newtown, reaching the fourth round of the Welsh Cup during his first season before suffering defeat to Aberystwyth Town.In 1900, Latham volunteered to serve in South Africa during the Second Boer War as a private in the Fifth South Wales Borderers regiment.