Sir Tom

Deepdale cried this weekend at the loss of their favourite son, the great Sir Tom Finney. “The Preston Plumber” as he was affectionately dubbed, passed away this weekend at the age of 91 as one of the all-time greats of English football. A true gentleman of the sport blessed with an immense talent to go with such genuine humility, Sir Tom’s legacy will live long in the hearts of football fans worldwide.

I write this piece being of an age where the exploits of Finney were long before my time. He was part of a unique batch of players who performed before success of 1966 and therefore became a thing of myth to a young boy who would flick through the pages of book after book marvelling at the legends of the sport. Stanley Matthews, Billy Wright, Nat Lofthouse, Stan Mortensen and of course Finney all existed in a world of grainy black and white photographs, baggy kits and thick, leather footballs, immortalised in statues and tales of football folklore. Each player represents footballers of a bygone era. This was the era of the gentleman footballer, the club loyalty and the sheer, unerring patriotism endearing them to fans so passionate about the game. Finney was at the core of this golden era.

Any follower has their own understanding of where Finney fits in to the majestic puzzle that is football. With stories ranging from walking to matches alongside fans, to bringing his plumbing tools with him to training just in case anything needed fixing, Finney represented an England still reeling from the devastation of war. He served in the Royal Armoured Corps from 1942 before a goal scoring debut for the Three Lions in a 7-2 victory over Northern Ireland in 1946. The man himself is quoted as saying “we felt a responsibility to entertain after the war”. It is a far cry from suggestions today that footballers reduce international duty to a substitute role in favour of the riches of club competition.

Twice he was awarded the revered player of the year award, in 1953-54 and 1956-57, scoring 30 goals in 76 England appearances. With Finney playing on one side and Matthews on the other, England played a style of football feared by many nations across the globe. His 30 goals, often from a wide position gave him the honour of becoming England’s record goal scorer. More than 50 years after his retirement, only 5 players have scored more in the white shirt of England than Finney.

Attention must also be paid to his beloved Preston North End. Born, raised and educated in the vicinity of Preston’s Deepdale home, Finney was loyalty personified and appeared for the lilywhites over 400 times. Such was the importance of Finney to Preston’s successes that the “one club man” became the face and identity of a squad often labelled a “one man club”. Despite many rejections in his youth for being too small and slight, the outbreak of World War Two and having to complete his plumbing apprenticeship at the demands of his father, Finney eventually achieved his dream of regularly performing for his childhood club in 1946. He would go on to become an icon with the Lancashire club. The hallmark of the legend perpetuates itself across Deepdale, a stadium with such a rich heritage. It is located upon Sir Tom Finney Way and the old West Stand has been redeveloped and renamed the Sir Tom Finney stand. Behind this lies a statue replicating the legendary image of Finney taking on defenders at Stamford Bridge in near monsoon conditions. This sculpture now embraces scarves, flowers, jerseys and memorials from Prestonians mourning the loss of the man who united the city in love of their club.

In truth, Preston’s 1-1 draw with Leyton Orient was always going to be a sideshow to the overwhelming respects paid to the winger. A minute’s silence, black armbands and applause in the 7^th minute all complimented the melancholy emotions of the day, as the home players adorned the name of “Finney” upon their shirts. The man who served as club president was fittingly remembered with grace, pride and dignity. His charitable work only endeared him to the public further, particularly with Alzheimer’s organisations, the illness which cruelly claimed the life of his partner, Elsie in 2004. Tributes no doubt will continue to pour in to the man who made Preston proud.

Quotes on Finney hold him in the greatest reverence possible. Friend and team mate Bill Shankly quipped that “"Tom Finney would have been great in any team, in any match and in any age ... even if he had been wearing an overcoat" whilst Tommy Docherty affectionately labelled Lionel Messi as “Finney reborn”. No amount of waxing lyrical, it appears, will do the player and gentleman justice. From one football lover deprived of the sheer joy and privilege of watching you play, I would like to take this opportunity to say goodbye Sir Tom, my sport has been truly blessed by your presence and you will remain forever immortal in the footballing hall of fame.