Tom Williamson (Scottish footballer)

Thomas Robertson Williamson (8 February 1901 – 1 April 1988) was a Scottish footballer who played in the Football League for Blackburn Rovers, Norwich City and Stoke.[1]

Tom Williamson

Personal information
Full name	Thomas Robertson Williamson[1]
Date of birth	8 February 1901[1]
Place of birth	Dalmuir, Scotland[1]
Date of death	1 April 1988 (aged 87)[1]
Place of death	Norwich, England[1]
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s)	Half-back
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
	Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
1922–1923	Blackburn Rovers	19	(1)
1923–1926	Third Lanark	85	(2)
1926–1930	Stoke City	152	(14)
1931–1933	Norwich City	82	(4)
Total		253	(19)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Williamson was a Ship's plater working on the River Clyde before he started to play junior football for Kirkintilloch Rob Roy at weekends before signing for English First Division side Blackburn Rovers.[1] Unfortunately, he never fitted in at Ewood Park and he returned to Scotland to sign for Third Lanark.[1][3]

In 1926 Stoke City moved in and persuaded Williamson to sign for them in an attempt to gain an instant return to the Second Division.[1] Williamson proved to be a shrewd signing by Tom Mather as he displayed his quality in his first season with Stoke winning the Football League Third Division North in 1926–27.[1] He was almost ever-present in 1927–28 missing just two matches as Stoke had a good return to the second tier, finishing fifth.[1] For the next two seasons Williamson forged a fine half back partnership with both Len Armitage and Harry Sellars and this trio were a vital part of Stoke's midfield towards the end of the 1920s.[1]

In 1931 he left the Victoria Ground and joined Norfolk club Norwich City where he played for two seasons before retiring.[1] He continued to live in Norwich until his death in 1988 at the age of 87.[1]

Career statistics

Source:[4]

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Blackburn Rovers	1922–23	First Division	4	0	0	0	4	0
	1923–24	First Division	15	1	0	0	15	1
	Total		19	1	0	0	19	1
Stoke City[1]	1926–27	Third Division North	28	5	2	0	30	5
	1927–28	Second Division	40	2	4	1	44	3
	1928–29	Second Division	33	3	1	0	34	3
	1929–30	Second Division	37	3	1	0	38	3
	1930–31	Second Division	14	1	2	0	16	1
	Total		152	14	10	1	162	15
Norwich City	1931–32	Third Division South	40	1	2	0	42	1
	1932–33	Third Division South	41	1	1	0	42	1
	1933–34	Third Division South	1	0	0	0	1	0
	Total		82	4	3	0	85	4
Career Total			253	19	13	1	266	20

Honours

Stoke City

• Football League Third Division North Champions: 1926–27

References

1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
2. Quiz (21 August 1922). "Few big transfers in the First Division of the Football League. Blackburn Rovers". Athletic News. Manchester. p. 5.
3. John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
4. Tom Williamson at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)