Tom Finney

Sir Thomas Finney, OBE (born April 5, 1922, Preston) is a former English association footballer famous for his loyalty to his league club, Preston North End F.C., and for his performances in the English national side.

Early life

Finney was born at home in Preston, England on a street next to the Deepdale stadium. He was frail and somewhat sickly in his youth and stood only 1.45 m (4 foot 9 inch) at the age of fourteen. When he was offered the opportunity to sign for his local club, his father insisted that he complete his apprenticeship in the family's plumbing business before signing as a professional.

Second World War

Soon after he signed, however, World War II began and normal football was suspended, though Finney started to achieve some recognition during war-time tournaments. Called up to the Royal Armoured Corps in 1942, he fought in Montgomery's Eighth Army in Egypt. Local leave in North Africa allowed him to play in army teams against local opposition and on one occasion he played against the future actor Omar Sharif.

Post-war career and England debut

Once normal competition was restored, he made his debut for the club in August 1946 and soon established himself as an agile forward, capable of playing on either wing or in the centre. Post-war demand for plumbers ensured that he had a second income to supplement the GBP14 he received under football's maximum wage regulations, and he became famous as the "Preston plumber". One month after his first appearance for Preston, Finney made his England debut, going on to win 76 caps and score 30 goals.

Retirement

He retired from Preston North End in 1960, only when forced out with a persistent groin injury. He had played his entire career for his local club, appearing 433 times and scoring 187 goals. The balance of Preston's team hardly matched Finney's brilliance, the young Bill Shankly notwithstanding, and he never won a major trophy. His loyalty is remarkable, even extending to rejecting a 1952 offer from Italian club Palermo that included a GBP 10,000 personal signing-on fee and high pay and perquisites. He actually wanted to leave - the chairman wouldn't allow it.

Continuing links with Preston North End

As of 2005, he maintains his links with Preston North End as the club's president. 2006 marks 60 years since Sir Tom's first league debut for PNE. To mark this occasion The National Football Museum, an organisation which he has championed and has close links with, is inviting football fans to sign a specially commissioned flag which will be presented to Sir Tom at the beginning of the 2006/07 season to mark his 60 years with PNE. See: *Tom Finney tribute.htm A tribute to Sir Tom Finney - 60 yrs since PNE debut.

He also writes a regular PNE column for the University of Central Lancashire's Students' Union newspaper, Pluto.

Quotes about Finney

"Tom Finney would have been great in any team, in any match and in any age ... even if he had been wearing an overcoat." (Bill Shankly)
"Tom Finney should claim income tax relief ... for his 10 dependents." (Satirical observation on the weakness of the Preston team in his absence)
"If all the brains in the game sat in committee to design the perfect player, they would come up with a reincarnation of Tom Finney." (Anonymous newspaper feature)

Honours

Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year, 1954 and 1957;
OBE, 1961; and
Knighthood, 1998.

Career statistics

Club	Season	League		FA Cup		Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Preston North End	1945/46	–	–	?	?	–	–
	1946/47	32	7	?	?	32	7
	1947/48	33	13	?	?	33	13
	1948/49	24	7	?	?	24	7
	1949/50	37	10	?	?	37	10
	1950/51	34	13	?	?	34	13
	1951/52	33	13	?	?	33	13
	1952/53	34	17	?	?	34	17
	1953/54	23	11	?	?	23	11
	1954/55	30	7	?	?	30	7
	1955/56	32	17	?	?	32	17
	1956/57	34	23	?	?	34	23
	1957/58	34	26	?	?	34	26
	1958/59	16	6	?	?	16	6
	1959/60	37	17	?	?	37	17
Career totals		433	187	?	?	433	187

Bibliography

Finney, T. (2004) Tom Finney Autobiography ISBN 075531106X
Finney, T. (1982) Tom Finney's Preston North End Scrapbook ISBN 0285625543
Finney, T. (1958) Finney on Football ISBN B0000CK63X
Finney, T. (1955) Instructions to Young Footballers ISBN B0000CJABP
Finney, T. (1953) Football Round the world ISBN B0000CIMPY
Agnew, P. (2002) Tom Finney: A Football Legend ISBN 0953084795
Booth, J. (ed.) (1998) Tom Finney: A Pictorial Tribute ISBN 1901966003

External links

Tom Finney | Tom Finney | Tom Finney

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