- Tommy Boyle
Thomas Wilkinson (Tommy) Boyle (
29 January 1888 -5 January 1940 ) was an English footballer, primarily associated with BurnleyTommy Boyle is the only player to have captained a Burnley team in a winning
FA Cup Final. He was a Yorkshireman born in the village ofHoyland nearBarnsley , and he started his career at Barnsley In 1912 Boyle crossed thePennines to sign for Burnley for what was then a club record fee of £1,150.He was described as a great header of the ball, an excellent passer with great leadership qualities, and as being one of the best players ever to play for Burnley. Having lifted the
FA Cup in 1914, he then became the first Burnley captain to lift the League Championship Trophy as Burnley won the 1920-21 title.By then, he was 33 and his career was coming to an end. That season was to be his last full season in the first team. He made his last appearance for Burnley during the 1921-22 season, and after a further year playing in the reserves he signed for Wrexham, where he ended his playing career.
After his playing career, he had a spell coaching in
Germany .He never received the recognition manywho|date=September 2008 felt he deserved and won only one England cap against Ireland in
Belfast in 1913. He also played in three representative matches for the Football League.Today he can still be seen within a short distance of
Turf Moor . He is depicted as the footballer on the pub sign at the Turf Hotel in Yorkshire Street.References
* [http://www.englandstats.com/playerreport.php?pid=137 England profile]
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