Tom Adamson
Scottish footballer and manager
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas Kay Adamson (12 February 1897 – 21 October 1959) was a Scottish professional footballer, best remembered for his time as a left back in the Football League with Bury and Brentford. He later had a short tenure as player-manager of Irish League club Ards.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Kay Adamson[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 12 February 1897 | ||
| Place of birth | Mossend, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 21 October 1959 (aged 62)[2] | ||
| Place of death | Kettering, Northamptonshire | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[3] | ||
| Position | Left back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1913–1914 | Craighead | ||
| 1914– | Cambuslang Rangers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1919–1920 | Blantyre Celtic | ||
| 1920–1928 | Bury | 271 | (0) |
| 1929–1934 | Brentford | 141 | (0) |
| 1934–1935 | Stockport County | 0 | (0) |
| 1935 | Ards | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1935 | Ards (player-manager) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
Early years and Bury
A left back, Adamson began his career at Scottish junior clubs Craighead, Cambuslang Rangers, Blantyre Celtic and moved to England to join Second Division club Bury in 1920.[4] Over the course of 9 years at Gigg Lane, Adamson made 286 appearances and helped the Shakers to promotion back to the First Division in the 1923–24 season.[4]
Brentford
Adamson dropped down to the Third Division South to sign for Brentford prior to the beginning of the 1929–30 season.[5] He immediately broke into the team and made 36 appearances during his debut season,[6] a campaign memorable for the Bees' record-breaking 21 home wins.[7]
Adamson was a mainstay of the team for the following two seasons and made 28 appearances to help the Bees to the Third Division South title in the 1932–33 season.[6] Age caught up to Adamson and he made just eight appearances during the 1933–34 Second Division season,[6] before departing Griffin Park at the end of the campaign.[5] Adamson made 153 appearances in five seasons with the Bees.[5]
Stockport County
Adamson returned to the Manchester area to sign for Third Division North club Stockport County in 1934.[5] He failed to make an appearance for the club and ended his Football League career in 1935,[4] having failed to score in over 400 professional matches.[1]
Managerial career
Adamson had a short spell as player-manager of Irish League club Ards in 1935.[8] Former Brentford full back partner Alexander Stevenson was one of his signings.[5]
Personal life
While growing up, Adamson went to school with future Scottish internationals Hughie Gallacher and Alex James.[5]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Brentford | 1929–30[6] | Third Division South | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| 1930–31[6] | 36 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 41 | 0 | ||
| 1931–32[6] | 35 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 40 | 0 | ||
| 1932–33[6] | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| 1933–34[6] | Second Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Career total | 141 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 153 | 0 | ||