Tom Callaghan

For the American basketball player, see Tom Callahan.
For other people with the same name, see Thomas Callaghan.

Tom Callaghan
Personal information
Full name Thomas Tallett Callaghan[1]
Date of birth 1905[2]
Place of birth Govan, Scotland
Date of death 1993 (aged 87–88)[3]
Place of death Glasgow, Scotland
Position(s) Outside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
St Anthony's
1924–1927 Third Lanark 37 (3)
1925 → Nithsdale Wanderers (loan)
1926–1927 → Dunfermline Athletic (loan) 18 (4)
1927–1928 Middlesbrough 0 (0)
1928–1932 Third Lanark 28 (3)
1930–1932 → Glentoran (loan)
1932–1933 Darlington 2 (0)
1933 Raith Rovers 8 (0)
1934 Brechin City 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thomas Tallett Callaghan (1905–1993) was a footballer who played as an outside forward in the Scottish League for Third Lanark and Dunfermline Athletic, in the Irish League for Glentoran, in the English Football League for Darlington and in Scottish Junior football for St Anthony's.

Football career

Callaghan played football for junior club St Anthony's[4] before moving into the senior ranks with Third Lanark in June 1924.[1] He represented the club in off-season five-a-side tournaments,[5] was in their Second Division team by September 1925,[6] scored in a 4–3 win against Dunfermline Athletic in November,[7] and later that month, "spelt danger every time he got away" as Thirds beat Armadale 3–0.[8] He helped Thirds take First Division Aberdeen to a replay in the quarter-final of the 1925–26 Scottish Cup,[9] was "swift and sharp" in a draw with Bathgate in September 1926,[10] and was often picked out as the best of Thirds' not always top-class forwards.[11]

In December, First Division Dunfermline took Callaghan on loan until the end of the season. He made his debut in a draw with Morton, controlling the ball well and creating two scoring chances that were not taken.[4][12] He played regularly, scoring twice in a 4–3 defeat of Dundee, and creating one goal and scoring another in a 4–4 draw with Dundee United a few days later.[13] At the end of the season, Callaghan went south to England, where he signed for Football League First Division club Middlesbrough.[14] He scored in a friendly against an Army XI,[15] but never managed to break into the league side,[16] and rejoined Third Lanark,[17] who had been promoted in his absence. He went straight into the first team for the new season,[18] scored in a 4–0 win against Airdrie in early September,[19] and soon afterwards sustained an injury sufficiently serious for his club to sign a replacement.[20] His return to fitness was not accompanied by a return to the first team. He was in and out of the side for what remained of the season,[21] at the end of which he was transfer-listed at a reduced fee.[22]

His fee was again reduced in the 1930 close season,[23] but with no takers. He was one of several Scottish players to help Glentoran win the 1930–31 Irish League title,[24] and eventually he returned to England, where he signed for Darlington in November 1932.[25] He played twice in the Third Division North and once in the FA Cup before losing his place to Charles Coates, and his contract was cancelled in January 1933.[16][26] He returned to Scotland, where he played for Raith Rovers then Brechin City for brief spells.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ Statutory registers – Births – Search results, ScotlandsPeople
  3. ^ Statutory registers – Deaths – Search results, ScotlandsPeople
  4. ^ a b Harrier (26 December 1926). "Dunfermline's first home goal in ten weeks". The Sunday Post. Dundee. p. 15 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Record broken at Celtic Park. Shettleston Harriers successful meeting". The Sunday Post. Dundee. 31 May 1925. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Ayr meet their match at Boghead". The Sunday Post. Dundee. 27 September 1925. p. 13 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Dunfermline make game fight". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 2 November 1925. p. 11 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Queen of the South overwhelmed". The Sunday Post. Dundee. 29 November 1925. p. 17 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ Kismet (7 March 1926). "Aberdeen get a fright. Third Lanark unlucky at Cathkin". The Sunday Post. Dundee. p. 17 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Bathgate's breezy boys". The Sunday Post. Dundee. 19 September 1925. p. 16 – via British Newspaper Archive. Callaghan, swift and sharp, was the best forward.
  11. ^ Captain Bob (4 April 1926). "Ayr pinch a point at Cathkin. All about the play and the men who played". The Sunday Post. Dundee. p. 17.
    "Raith Rovers still on winning tack". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 8 November 1926. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive. Only Gibson and Callaghan of Third Lanark showed anything like as much penetrativeness or skill as the five Raith forwards.
  12. ^ "Raith Rovers sign a back. Dunfermline also on the track". Courier and Advertiser. Dundee. 23 December 1926. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ "Dunfermline's well earned points". Courier and Advertiser. Dundee. 17 February 1927. p. 6.
    Kestrel (27 February 1927). "Precious point for Tannadice. Skinner on the dot for Dunfermline". The Sunday Post. Dundee. p. 17 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Sporting items". Daily Mail. Hull. 27 May 1927. p. 15 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ "Sweeping Irish changes. The Army routed". Courier and Advertiser. Dundee. 6 October 1927. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  17. ^ "En passant". Arbroath Herald. 15 June 1928. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ^ "In the World of Sport. Clash of promoted clubs". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 16 August 1928. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ^ "Football. High scoring in the leagues". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 3 September 1928. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. ^ "All the latest about to-morrow's games". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 14 September 1928. p. 11 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. ^ "Aberdeen "A" stand alone". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 22 October 1928. p. 10.
    "Montrose lucky to draw". Courier and Advertiser. Dundee. 10 December 1928. p. 8.
    "Welcome points for Dundee". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 26 December 1928. p. 7.
    "To-morrow's sport. In the west". Edinburgh Evening News. 11 January 1929. p. 3.
    "Third Lanark's plight". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 2 April 1929. p. 10 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  22. ^ "Scottish players on transfer list". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 27 June 1929. p. 13 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  23. ^ Don John (7 August 1930). "Dundee United sign three players". Courier and Advertiser. Dundee. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  24. ^ Don John (7 January 1931). "Millwall want Muir of Montrose". Courier and Advertiser. Dundee. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
    Don John (20 January 1931). "Big shuffle trial teams". Courier and Advertiser. Dundee. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  25. ^ T.F. (11 November 1932). "Sailors don't care! Darlington's new man". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  26. ^ "T.F.'s Sports Notes. "Quakers'" cup team". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 24 November 1932. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
    "T.F.'s Sports Notes. Eden in "Quakers'" team". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 1 December 1932. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
    "Two London clubs fined. Benefits and registrations of players". Yorkshire Post. 17 January 1933. p. 15 – via British Newspaper Archive.