Tom Burke (footballer)

Thomas "Tom" Burke (born 1862 in Wrexham; died 1914) was a Welsh international footballer who played for Wrexham and Newton Heath, who would go on to become Manchester United. Burke won a total of eight caps for Wales, playing at half-back.

Burke began his career with Wrexham Grosvenor, but moved on to Wrexham and Wrexham Olympic before making a transfer to Liverpool Cambrians. From there, he was signed by Newton Heath in 1886. The club's parent company, the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company, was able to employ Burke as a painter – as was his trade – at the nearby Carriage and Wagon Works, from which the club had been born. In his first season at Newton Heath, Burke played mostly at left-half, but switched to right-half by the following season, and even played at centre-half or inside-right on occasion.

When Burke's time at Newton Heath came to an end, after making 29 appearances for the Heathens, he moved back to Wrexham to play for Wrexham Victoria.

References

*cite book |last=Shury |first=Alan |coauthors=& Landamore, Brian |title=The Definitive Newton Heath F.C. |publisher=SoccerData |date=2005 |isbn=1899468161

External links

* [http://www.mufcinfo.com/manupag/legends/burkethomaspag/burkethomas.htm Profile] at MUFCinfo.com