Tom White (Scottish footballer)

Football player infobox2
playername = Tom White


fullname = Thomas White
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1939|8|12
cityofbirth = Musselburgh
countryofbirth = Scotland
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height = height|ft=5|in=10
currentclub =
position = Forward (retired)
youthyears = -1959
youthclubs = Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic
years = 1959-1962
1962-1963
1963-1965
1965-1966
1966-1968
1968-1969
1969-1971
1971-1972
clubs = Raith Rovers
St. Mirren
Hearts
Aberdeen
Crystal Palace
Blackpool
Bury
Crewe Alexandra
Career
caps(goals) = 030 0(11)
035 0(20)
037 0(30)
014 00(4)
039 0(13)
034 00(9)
048 0(13)
004 00(0)
241 (100)
manageryears = 1990
managerclubs = Blackpool (caretaker-manager)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =

Thomas "Tom" White (born August 12 1939 in Musselburgh) is a Scottish former professional footballer. He played as a forward. His older brother, John, played for Spurs and Scotland.

A prolific scorer during his early career with Raith Rovers and St. Mirren, he joined Hearts for £8,000 in November 1963 and was soon dubbed "Goal-a-game White" by the local media.Hogan, p193] His attacking partnership with Willie Wallace was particularly effective and earned the sobriquet the "W-formation", White's abrasive, bustling style complimenting the more refined poise of Wallace.Price pp42-43] In tandem, they scored 48 goals during the 1963-64 season, however White's progress was interrupted when he suffered several injuries in a car crash in Wallyford.

Further tragedy befell White in July 1964 when his brother, John, was killed by a lightning-strike. In November of that year, White played for Tottenham Hotspur in a testimonial match for his sibling against the Scottish national side. 25,000 spectators paid their respects, as, despite White's goal, Scotland won 6-2.

White remained a regular in the Hearts side up until January 1965; however, the emergence of a young Alan Gordon resulted in his demotion to perennial reserve in the second half of the season. With Donald Ford also blossoming into first-team contention, manager Tommy Walker deemed White surplus to requirements at the season's end and in June 1965 he moved to Aberdeen in an exchange deal for Don Kerrigan.

White spent only one year with Aberdeen, proceeding to move to England, where he spent the remainder of his career. He went with teammate John McCormick to Crystal Palace in 1966, scoring thirteen league goals in 39 appearances. He then joined Blackpool in 1968, who paid Palace £20,000 for his services. He made his debut for the Seasiders on March 16, 1968, in a single-goal victory over Aston Villa at Bloomfield Road. He went on to take over the centre-forward role left vacant by Gerry Ingram's departure to local rivals Preston North End.

In his first season at Blackpool, White teamed up with Tony Green and Alan Suddick, although as the season neared its end, his place came under pressure from Graham Rowe, whom manager Stan Mortensen had moved to the forward line from defence. This led to his moving to the outside-left position.

Injury curtailed his days at Blackpool, and in 1969 he joined Bury. In two years with the Gigg Lane club, he scored thirteen league goals in just under a half-century of appearances.

He finished his playing career with a short spell at Crewe Alexandra in 1971-72. He later became a director of Blackpool, briefly serving as the club's caretaker-manager after the dismissal of Jimmy Mullen in 1990. He ended his association with Blackpool in 1992.

ee also

*Blackpool F.C. season 1989-90

References

* [http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/tommywhite.htm White's profile at Neil Brown's statistics site]
*cite book | first=Roy | last=Calley| coauthors= | title=Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992 | publisher=Breedon Books Sport | location= | year=1992 | editor= | id=ISBN 1-873626-07-X
*cite book | first=Andrew | last=Hogan | title=Hearts in Art | publisher=Mainstream| location= Edinburgh | year=1995 | id=ISBN 1-85158-736-5
*

Notes

External links

* [http://www.londonhearts.com/scores/players/whitetommy.html Appearance details] at londonhearts.com