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Tom Fern
Personal information
Full name	Thomas Edward Fern
Date of birth	1 April 1886
Place of birth	Measham, Ashby de la Zouch, England
Date of death	21 March 1966 (aged 79)
Place of death	Bootle, England
Height	5 ft 10+1⁄2 in (1.79 m)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
	Mafeking Rovers
	Worksop Albion
Senior career*
Years	Team
	Worksop Town
1909–1913	Lincoln City
1913–1924	Everton
1924–1927	Port Vale
	Colwyn Bay United
Total
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thomas Edward Fern (1 April 1886 – 21 March 1966) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Worksop Town, Lincoln City, Everton, and Port Vale. He won the Football League with Everton in 1914–15.

Career

Fern started his career with Mafeking Rovers, Worksop Albion, and Worksop Town. He signed with Lincoln City in 1909, who had just been re-elected into the Football League. The "Imps" finished 15th in the Second Division in 1909–10, but failed re-election after a last-place finish in 1910–11. After spending the 1911–12 season in the Central League, they regained admittance to the Football League and finished in eighth place in 1912–13. He made 169 league and cup appearances at Sincil Bank.

Fern moved on to Everton, who finished 15th in the First Division in 1913–14, before winning the league title in 1914–15. League football was suspended due to World War I. After hostilities ended, the "Toffees" finished 16th in 1919–20, seventh in 1920–21, 20th in 1921–22, fifth in 1922–23, and seventh in 1923–24. Fern made 231 league appearances at Goodison Park.^[3]

He joined Port Vale in June 1924.^[1] He was preferred to the inexperienced Sidney Brown and Robert Wallis, and played 37 Second Division and three FA Cup games in the 1924–25 season.^[1]^[4] He made 39 appearances in the 1925–26 season.^[1] However, in September 1926, at age 40, he picked up an injury and lost his first-team place at The Old Recreation Ground.^[1] He played just 11 games in the 1926–27 season, as goalkeeping duties were shared out between Fern, George Holdcroft, Howard Matthews, and Alex Binnie.^[1] Fern then left the club and continued his playing career with Colwyn Bay United.^[1]

Career statistics

Source:^[5]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Lincoln City	1909–10	Second Division	36	0	1	0	37	0
	1910–11	Second Division	38	0	3	0	41	0
	1911–12	Second Division	38	0	2	0	40	0
	1912–13	Second Division	15	0	0	0	15	0
	Total		127	0	6	0	133	0
Everton	1913–14	First Division	21	0	1	0	22	0
	1914–15	First Division	36	0	4	0	40	0
	1919–20	First Division	34	0	1	0	35	0
	1920–21	First Division	40	0	5	0	45	0
	1921–22	First Division	38	0	1	0	39	0
	1922–23	First Division	25	0	0	0	25	0
	1923–24	First Division	25	0	0	0	25	0
	Total		219	0	12	0	231	0
Port Vale	1924–25	Second Division	37	0	3	0	40	0
	1925–26	Second Division	38	0	1	0	39	0
	1926–27	Second Division	11	0	0	0	11	0
	Total		86	0	4	0	90	0
Career total			432	0	22	0	454	0

Honours

Everton

Football League First Division: 1914–15

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 100. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
^ Junius (22 August 1921). "First Division prospects. Everton". Athletic News. Manchester. p. 5.
^ Profile evertonfc.com
^ Fielding, Rob (12 September 2019). "Five of the best Port Vale veteran goalkeeping signings". onevalefan.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
^ Tom Fern at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)