Tommy Black (footballer, born 1908)

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Tommy Black
Personal information
Full name Thomas Black[1]
Date of birth (1908-12-01)1 December 1908
Place of birth Holytown, Scotland
Date of death 1993
Height 5 ft 8+12 in (1.74 m)[2]
Position(s) Left half
Youth career
Strathclyde
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1931–1933 Arsenal 0 (0)
1933–1939 Plymouth Argyle 162 (0)
1939–1940 Southend United 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thomas Black (1 December 1908 – after 1940) was a Scottish footballer who played as a left half in the Football League for Plymouth Argyle and Southend United. He also appeared for Arsenal in the FA Cup.

Life and career[edit]

Black was born in Holytown.[1] He began his career as an amateur with Strathclyde before joining Football League club Arsenal in 1931.[1][3] 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 at Walsall in January 1933.[3] The home side won 2–0, with the second goal coming from a penalty that was given for a foul by Black.[4] He was transfer-listed by Chapman and sold to Second Division club Plymouth Argyle within a week of the defeat.[3][4][5] Black made nine appearances in his first two seasons with the club before establishing himself as their first-choice left half during the 1934–35 campaign.[6][7]

Argyle finished fifth in the league in the 1936–37 season,[8] and Black played in 41 games, which was a career best.[6][7] After seven seasons with the club and 168 appearances in all competitions, Black moved to Third Division South team Southend United.[1][7] He played in the first three league games of the 1939–40 campaign before it was abandoned due to the Second World War.[1][7] He then left Southend United for Third Lanark FC in December 1939.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 27. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
  2. ^ "Plymouth Argyle. Their capture: goal-getting centre from Scotland". Sunday Dispatch Football Guide. London. 23 August 1936. p. vii – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c "Tom Black". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  4. ^ a b Brian, Glanville (14 November 2007). "The soul of Arsenal in 50 moments". The Times. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  5. ^ Knight, Brian (1989). Plymouth Argyle: A Complete Record 1903–1989. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 122. ISBN 0-907969-40-2.
  6. ^ a b Danes, Ryan (2009). Plymouth Argyle: The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. pp. 194–207. ISBN 978-1-85983-710-8.
  7. ^ a b c d "Tommy Black". Greens on Screen. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  8. ^ "Plymouth Argyle 1936–1937: English Division Two (old) Table". Statto Organisation. Retrieved 21 June 2013.