Tommy Tait

Tommy Tait

Born at Hetton-le-Hole in 1908, Tommy was a schoolboy international forward who was on the books of both Sunderland and Middlesbrough before joining Southport in 1927.

After only six highly successful months at Haig Avenue, Tommy was snapped up by Manchester City where he netted 43 goals in 61 starts before another big move took him to Bolton.

He saw less game time at Burnden Park but there was still a queue of clubs after his services with the Town the winners paying £1300 for his signature along with veteran Fred Kean in the summer of 1931.

With the rare ability, for the time, of being able to drag defenders out of position Tommy finished top scorer in his first two seasons as well as setting up chances for the likes of Andy Rennie and Jimmy Yardley. In his third season he was in and out of the side through a succession of injuries and, thinking he was past his best, the Town’s directors accepted a fee from Bournemouth before he swiftly moved on to Reading.

At Elm Park he got a second wind scoring 79 goals in 144 starts to keep up his phenomenal scoring record until moving to Torquay in 1939 as War broke out.

In later life, Tommy worked for ICI in Northwich and passed away in that town in 1976.