Tom Baxter (footballer, born 1903)

Tom Baxter
Personal information
Full name	Thomas William Baxter
Date of birth	1 February 1903
Place of birth	Mansfield, England
Date of death	21 August 1987 (aged 84)
Place of death	Cannock, England
Height	5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Position(s)	Left-winger
Youth career
	Warsop Church Lads
Senior career*
Years	Team
	Welbeck Colliery
	Newark Town
	Worksop Town
	Mansfield Town
1927–1929	Wolverhampton Wanderers
1929–1931	Port Vale
1931–1932	Mansfield Town
	Margate
1933–1934	Carlisle United
	Distillery
Total
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thomas William Baxter (1 February 1903 – 21 August 1987) was an English footballer who played on the left wing for Welbeck Colliery, Newark Town, Worksop Town, Mansfield Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Port Vale, Margate, Carlisle United, and Distillery. He helped the "Valiants" to win the Third Division North title in 1929–30.

Career[edit]

Baxter played amateur football for Welbeck Colliery, Newark Town and Worksop Town (Midland League). He began his professional career with his hometown club Mansfield Town. He moved to Second Division club Wolverhampton Wanderers in late 1927, and made his "Wolves" debut on 17 December 1927 in a 2–0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.^[3] He remained in the team for the remainder of the 1927–28 season and played the majority of the 1928–29 campaign. An attacking player, he scored 15 goals in a total of 53 appearances for the Midlanders. He left Molineux to join Port Vale in August 1929.^[1]

He was a regular member of the "Valiants" 1929–30 Third Division North winning side, claiming nine goals in 43 appearances.^[1] He lost his first-team place in December 1930, and featured in just 16 games of the 1930–31 season, as the Vale achieved a club record high of fifth in the Second Division.^[1] He left The Old Recreation Ground at the end of the campaign and returned to Mansfield.^[1] He later spent two spells with Margate and also played for Carlisle United and Distillery (Irish League).^[1]

Source:^[4]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Wolverhampton Wanderers	1927–28	Second Division	24	4	2	1	0	0	26	5
	1928–29	Second Division	26	10	1	0	0	0	27	10
	Total		50	14	3	1	0	0	53	15
Port Vale	1929–30	Third Division North	39	9	3	0	0	0	42	3
	1930–31	Second Division	15	2	1	0	0	0	16	2
	Total		54	11	4	0	0	0	58	11
Mansfield Town	1931–32	Third Division South	14	1	0	0	0	0	14	1
Carlisle United	1933–34	Third Division North	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0

Port Vale

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 20. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
^ "Port Vale's Capture". Hull Daily Mail. 22 August 1929. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
^ Matthews, Tony (2008). Wolverhampton Wanderers: The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-632-3.
^ Tom Baxter at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
^ Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Glory to Despair (1929–1939)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 124–150. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.