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.

Tom Adamson
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(s) 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

edit

Early years and Bury

edit

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

edit

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

edit

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

edit

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

edit

While growing up, Adamson went to school with future Scottish internationals Hughie Gallacher and Alex James.[5]

Career statistics

edit
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
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

Honours

edit

Blantyre Celtic

Brentford

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 5. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858–1995
  3. ^ "The lure of promotion. Bury". Athletic News. Manchester. 13 August 1923. p. 6.
  4. ^ a b c "Adamson Tommy Bury 1922". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 8. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 370–372. ISBN 0951526200.
  7. ^ "Brentford FC History". www.brentfordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  8. ^ "Ards Football Club – Managers". Irish Football Club Project. Archived from the original on 31 October 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  9. ^ "To Filll Winship's Place". Middlesex County Times (Ealing Edition). 3 August 1929.