Thomas White (12 August 1939 – 17 December 2019) was a Scottish professional footballer. He played as a forward.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas White | ||
| Date of birth | 12 August 1939 | ||
| Place of birth | Musselburgh, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 17 December 2019 (aged 80) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1959 | Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1959–1962 | Raith Rovers | 30 | (11) |
| 1962–1963 | St Mirren | 35 | (20) |
| 1963–1965 | Hearts | 37 | (30) |
| 1965–1966 | Aberdeen | 14 | (4) |
| 1966–1968 | Crystal Palace | 39 | (13) |
| 1968–1969 | Blackpool | 34 | (9) |
| 1969–1971 | Bury | 48 | (13) |
| 1971–1972 | Crewe Alexandra | 4 | (0) |
| Total | 241 | (100) | |
| International career | |||
| 1964[1] | SFL trial v SFA | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1990 | Blackpool (caretaker-manager) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Football career
editA prolific scorer during his early career with Raith Rovers, White's time at Rovers was shortened by two years of National Service, during which time he played for the British Army. He also played for St Mirren, then managed by Jackie Cox. White joined Hearts for £8,000 in November 1963 and was soon dubbed "Goal-a-game White" by the local media.[2] His attacking partnership with Willie Wallace was particularly effective and earned the sobriquet the "W-formation", White's abrasive, bustling style complementing Wallace.[3] In tandem, they scored 48 goals during the 1963–64 season; however, White's progress was interrupted when he suffered severe injuries in a car crash in Wallyford.[2]
White remained a regular in the Hearts side up until January 1965; however, with Donald Ford blossoming into first-team contention, manager Tommy Walker saw fit to allow White to go, and in June 1965 he moved to Aberdeen in an exchange deal for Don Kerrigan.[2]
White moved to Crystal Palace, then playing in the Second Division, in May 1966, in a combined deal along with teammate John McCormick. He scored 14 times for Palace in 40 appearances, in all competitions, before moving to Blackpool in February 1968.[4]
He finished his playing career with a short spell at Crewe Alexandra in 1971–72. He later became a director of Blackpool for 12 years only to be ousted by the then new chairman of the club, Owen Oyston.[2]
Personal life
editWhite was the younger brother of John White and Eddie White, both professional footballers.[5]
In July 1964 his 27-year-old brother John was killed at Crews Hill Golf Course, Enfield, by a lightning-strike. That year in November, White played in a testimonial match for his sibling for Tottenham Hotspur against a Scotland national side; 25,000 spectators paid their respects, as, despite White's goal, Scotland won 6–2.[3][1]
Death
editWhite died on 17 December 2019, aged 80.[6]
References
edit- Footnotes
- ^ a b Ronnie McDevitt (2016). Scotland in the 60s: The Definitive Account of the Scottish National Football Side During the 1960s. Pitch Publishing. ISBN 9781785312458.
- ^ a b c d Hogan, p. 193
- ^ a b Price pp. 42–43
- ^ Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel (1989). Crystal Palace: A complete record 1905–1989. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 344. ISBN 0907969542.
- ^ Julie Welch; Rob White (2011). The Ghost of White Hart Lane: In Search of My Father the Football Legend. Random House. ISBN 978-1-4070-9229-4.
- ^ "Tommy White, former Hearts forward, dies at age of 80" – The Scotsman, 17 December 2019
- Sources
- Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
- Hogan, Andrew (1995). Hearts in Art. Edinburgh: Mainstream. ISBN 1-85158-736-5.
- Price, Norrie (1997). Gritty Gallant, Glorious: A History and Complete Record of Hearts 1946–1997 (Hardback). Price. ISBN 0-9521426-3-5.
External links
edit- Appearance details at londonhearts.com
- Tom White at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database