Tommy Crawshaw
Encyclopedia
Tommy Crawshaw was a professional footballer who played almost his entire League career with Sheffield Wednesday
. Crawshaw was a centre half
whose career lasted from 1894 to 1909 during which time he played a total of 492 games in all competitions, scoring 27 goals. Crawshaw has gone down in the annals of Sheffield Wednesday as one of the key figures in the early history of the club. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries he appeared in The Wednesday side which lifted the FA Cup
on two occasions and won the Football League First Division
title twice. He is the only Sheffield Wednesday player to win two FA Cup winners medals with the club. He appeared for the England national football team
on ten occasions.
and was brought up in the Park Hill area of the town along with his brothers Percy and George. Both of his brothers played football with Percy appearing nine times for Wednesday while George played for Worksop Town
for many years. Tommy Crawshaw’s early football was played with local clubs Park Grange and Attercliffe, in 1893 he moved to play for Heywood
Central in the newly formed Manchester Football League
and his good form attracted the attention of Sheffield Wednesday. Crawshaw signed for Wednesday on 24 April 1894 as a replacement for the long serving Billy Betts
.
. He made an immediate impact in the side missing only two matches that season and was called up for the England side before the season was out. In the following campaign Crawshaw was part of the Wednesday side which won the FA Cup, he played in all six ties, scoring in the 3–1 semi-final replay victory over Bolton Wanderers
. However he did make an uncharacteristic mistake in the final against Wolves
when an error allowed David Black to equalise before Wednesday went on to win 2–1 through two Fred Spiksley
goals.
The 1896 publication Famous Footballers described Crawshaw as “A thorough worker always …he plays a good game from first to last and is unselfish to a degree. A good tackler he uses his head cleverly as well.” In the 1899–1900 season Crawshaw led Wednesday to promotion from the Second Division
in their first season at their new home at Owlerton
. Back in the top flight of English football Crawshaw formed an imposing line of defence with Bob Ferrier
and Harry Ruddlesdin
.
Crawshaw made his England international debut on 9 March 1895 in a 9–0 win over Ireland at the County Ground
, Derby
. Crawshaw’s international career spanned nine years in which time he only made 10 appearances, all these were in the British Home Championship
. His England career included a four year absence from the team between March 1897 and March 1901, although only 10 matches were played in this time. He marked his return to the England team by scoring one of the goals in a 3–0 victory over Ireland on 9 March 1901. This one match return was followed by a three year break out of the team before returning to play two matches in 1904 with his final appearance being against Ireland in Belfast on 12 March 1904.
When Wednesday lifted back to back First Division
championships in 1902–03 and 1903–04 Crawshaw only missed three League matches over the two seasons as captain of the side. By 1905 Crawshaw was 32 years old, however he was still an automatic choice for Wednesday, playing in 71 consecutive matches between March 1905 and December 1906. In 1906–07 he played in all eight FA Cup matches as Wednesday won the cup again, beating Everton 2–1. The cup winning season was his last as a regular member of the side although he did play in 14 League matches in 1907–08 with his final game for the club being on 7 March 1908 in the Steel City derby
with Wednesday triumphing 2–0 over United
. In April 1908, the 35 year old Crawshaw was granted a free transfer by Wednesday in recognition of his sterling service for the club.
, playing 25 League matches in 1908–09 as the team struggled in Division Two and failed to be re-elected at the end of the season. In January 1910 he joined non-League
Castleford
F.C. for a short time before taking a job as Secretary of Glossop
until the outbreak of World War I
. After the war he opened a newsagent
s in Bramall Lane, Sheffield. In the 1920s he became the landlord of the Sportsmans Group public house
in Owlerton
, near to the Wednesday ground. He later took a pub in the centre of Sheffield, running The Yorkshireman on Burgess Street for many years. Crawshaw died on 25 November 1960, aged 87.
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
. Crawshaw was a centre half
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
whose career lasted from 1894 to 1909 during which time he played a total of 492 games in all competitions, scoring 27 goals. Crawshaw has gone down in the annals of Sheffield Wednesday as one of the key figures in the early history of the club. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries he appeared in The Wednesday side which lifted the 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...
on two occasions and won the Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
title twice. He is the only Sheffield Wednesday player to win two FA Cup winners medals with the club. He appeared for the England national football team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
on ten occasions.
Playing career
Tommy was born on in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and was brought up in the Park Hill area of the town along with his brothers Percy and George. Both of his brothers played football with Percy appearing nine times for Wednesday while George played for Worksop Town
Worksop Town F.C.
Worksop Town Football Club are a semi-professional English football club from Worksop, Nottinghamshire who play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division...
for many years. Tommy Crawshaw’s early football was played with local clubs Park Grange and Attercliffe, in 1893 he moved to play for Heywood
Heywood, Greater Manchester
Heywood is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the south bank of the River Roch and is east of Bury, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north of the city of Manchester. The town of Middleton lies to the south, whilst to the north is the...
Central in the newly formed Manchester Football League
Manchester Football League
The Manchester Football League, currently known under terms of sponsorship as Bridgewater Office Supplies Football League, is a football league in England, covering a 20-mile radius from Manchester Town Hall. It was formed in 1893, although play ceased between 1912 and 1920. The 2010–11 champions...
and his good form attracted the attention of Sheffield Wednesday. Crawshaw signed for Wednesday on 24 April 1894 as a replacement for the long serving Billy Betts
Billy Betts
William "Billy" Betts was a Sheffield born English football player who played for The Wednesday, as well as the English national side. Betts played as a centre-half and made a total of 143 appearances in two spells for The Wednesday, scoring four goals.-External links:***...
.
Sheffield Wednesday
Crawshaw made his Wednesday debut on 1 September 1894, the opening day of the 1894–95 season, in a 1–3 away defeat at EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. He made an immediate impact in the side missing only two matches that season and was called up for the England side before the season was out. In the following campaign Crawshaw was part of the Wednesday side which won the FA Cup, he played in all six ties, scoring in the 3–1 semi-final replay victory over Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. However he did make an uncharacteristic mistake in the final against Wolves
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
when an error allowed David Black to equalise before Wednesday went on to win 2–1 through two Fred Spiksley
Fred Spiksley
Fred Spiksley was an English footballer and coach, who played as a forward for Sheffield Wednesday F.C. and England. He also played for Gainsborough Trinity, Glossop North End, Leeds City, Watford and in 1907 became the only professional footballer to play for the Corinthians...
goals.
The 1896 publication Famous Footballers described Crawshaw as “A thorough worker always …he plays a good game from first to last and is unselfish to a degree. A good tackler he uses his head cleverly as well.” In the 1899–1900 season Crawshaw led Wednesday to promotion from the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in their first season at their new home at Owlerton
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
. Back in the top flight of English football Crawshaw formed an imposing line of defence with Bob Ferrier
Bob Ferrier (Scottish footballer)
Robert "Bob" Ferrier was a Scottish footballer who played for Dumbarton and Sheffield Wednesday.-External links:*...
and Harry Ruddlesdin
Harry Ruddlesdin
Herod "Harry" Ruddlesdin was an English footballer, who played most of his career with The Wednesday, helping them claim the Football League Second Division title in 1900, followed by the Football League championship in 1903 and 1904...
.
Crawshaw made his England international debut on 9 March 1895 in a 9–0 win over Ireland at the County Ground
County Cricket Ground, Derby
The County Cricket Ground, usually shortened to County Ground and also known as the Racecourse Ground, is a cricket ground in Derby and has been the home of Derbyshire County Cricket Club since at least 1871. As the name implies it originally hosted horse racing.It also held the games of Derby...
, Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
. Crawshaw’s international career spanned nine years in which time he only made 10 appearances, all these were in the British Home Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
. His England career included a four year absence from the team between March 1897 and March 1901, although only 10 matches were played in this time. He marked his return to the England team by scoring one of the goals in a 3–0 victory over Ireland on 9 March 1901. This one match return was followed by a three year break out of the team before returning to play two matches in 1904 with his final appearance being against Ireland in Belfast on 12 March 1904.
When Wednesday lifted back to back First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
championships in 1902–03 and 1903–04 Crawshaw only missed three League matches over the two seasons as captain of the side. By 1905 Crawshaw was 32 years old, however he was still an automatic choice for Wednesday, playing in 71 consecutive matches between March 1905 and December 1906. In 1906–07 he played in all eight FA Cup matches as Wednesday won the cup again, beating Everton 2–1. The cup winning season was his last as a regular member of the side although he did play in 14 League matches in 1907–08 with his final game for the club being on 7 March 1908 in the Steel City derby
Steel City derby
The Steel City Derby is a local derby that takes place between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday, the two professional football league teams based in the city of Sheffield, England...
with Wednesday triumphing 2–0 over United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. In April 1908, the 35 year old Crawshaw was granted a free transfer by Wednesday in recognition of his sterling service for the club.
Latter career
Several clubs were interested in signing Crawshaw, he eventually opted for ChesterfieldChesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
, playing 25 League matches in 1908–09 as the team struggled in Division Two and failed to be re-elected at the end of the season. In January 1910 he joined non-League
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
Castleford
Castleford
Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north...
F.C. for a short time before taking a job as Secretary of Glossop
Glossop North End A.F.C.
Glossop North End A.F.C. are an English football club based in Glossop, Derbyshire. Former members of the Football League, they are currently in the North West Counties League and are members of the Derbyshire County Football Association. They play their home matches at Surrey Street, which has a...
until the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the war he opened a newsagent
Newsagent
A newsagent's shop , newsagency or newsstand is a business that sells newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, snacks and often items of local interest. In Britain and Australia, these businesses are termed newsagents...
s in Bramall Lane, Sheffield. In the 1920s he became the landlord of the Sportsmans Group public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in Owlerton
Owlerton
Owlerton is a suburb of the city of Sheffield, it lies northwest of the city centre near the confluence of the River Don and River Loxley. Owlerton was formerly a small rural settlement with its origins in the Early Middle Ages, it became part of Sheffield in the early 1900s as the city expanded...
, near to the Wednesday ground. He later took a pub in the centre of Sheffield, running The Yorkshireman on Burgess Street for many years. Crawshaw died on 25 November 1960, aged 87.