Tommy Black (Scottish footballer)
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Tommy" Black was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a left half
.
Black was born in Holytown
. He began his career as an amateur with Strathclyde before joining Football League club Arsenal
in 1931. Having spent two seasons playing for the club's reserves, Black was called up to the first team by Herbert Chapman
for an FA Cup
third round match against Walsall
at Fellows Park
on 14 January 1933. The home side won 2–0, with the second goal coming from a penalty
that was given for a foul by Black. It was his only appearance for the Arsenal and he was promptly transferred to Second Division club Plymouth Argyle
. He made his debut on 8 April 1933 in a 1–0 win against Bury
. Black established himself as the club's first choice left half the following year and helped them finish fifth in the Second Division in 1937. He made 168 appearances in all competitions for Plymouth Argyle. Black moved to Southend United
of the Third Division South in 1939, playing three matches for the club before League football was suspended by the outbreak of the Second World War.
Wing half
In association football, the position of wing half or wing half back) was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries...
.
Black was born in Holytown
Holytown
Holytown is a small village outside Motherwell in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.-History:The area was born and grew on the back of the nearby coal mining industries in the 18th century, although the roots of the town stretch back to at least the 17th Century, where records show that a meeting house...
. He began his career as an amateur with Strathclyde before joining Football League club Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in 1931. Having spent two seasons playing for the club's reserves, Black was called up to the first team by Herbert Chapman
Herbert Chapman
Herbert Chapman was an English association football player and manager. Though he had an undistinguished playing career, he went on to become one of the most successful and influential managers in early 20th century English football, before his sudden death in 1934.As a player, Chapman played for...
for an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
third round match against Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
at Fellows Park
Fellows Park
Fellows Park was a football stadium in Walsall, England. It was the home ground of Walsall F.C. from 1896 till 1990, when the team moved to the Bescot Stadium....
on 14 January 1933. The home side won 2–0, with the second goal coming from a penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
that was given for a foul by Black. It was his only appearance for the Arsenal and he was promptly transferred to Second Division club Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
. He made his debut on 8 April 1933 in a 1–0 win against Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
. Black established himself as the club's first choice left half the following year and helped them finish fifth in the Second Division in 1937. He made 168 appearances in all competitions for Plymouth Argyle. Black moved to Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
of the Third Division South in 1939, playing three matches for the club before League football was suspended by the outbreak of the Second World War.
External links
- Tommy Black at Greens on Screen