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Sir Tom Finney: Former Preston and England winger dies at 91

Last updated on .From the section Prestoncomments329

Former Preston and England winger Sir Tom Finney has died at the age of 91.

Finney made more than 400 league appearances for Preston North End between 1946 and 1960 and won 76 caps for England.

He scored 30 goals for England, placing him joint sixth on the all-time list with Alan Shearer and Nat Lofthouse.

A Preston statement said:external-link "Sir Tom was the greatest player to ever play for Preston North End and one of the all time greats for England."

Preston are due to play Leyton Orient in League One on Saturday at Deepdale.

The statement added: "Preston North End have been informed of the extremely sad news of the passing of Sir Tom Finney.

"The thoughts of everyone at the club, and those connected with it, are with his family at this time."

The Football Association tweeted:external-link "The FA is saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Tom Finney, one of England's all-time greatest players."

Manchester United manager David Moyes knew Finney well during his time playing for, and then managing Preston between 1993 and 2002, owning a framed picture of the former England international at his home.

Speaking before Finney's death, Moyes said: "Sir Tom was a great help in the early stages of my management career.

"He had an incredible passion for the game and someone I have great admiration for. There is no doubt he is one of the greatest players but to me he is also a great man."

BBC chief football correspondent Mike Ingham told BBC Radio 5 live: "He was a slight figure but incredibly brave. Former Preston team-mate and Liverpool manager Bill Shankly considered him to be the greatest player to ever play the game.

"That's all you need to know."

Born in Preston, in the street next to the club's Deepdale stadium, Finney was nicknamed the Preston Plumber after completing an apprenticeship with his family's plumbing business.

He was linked with a move to Italian side Palermo in 1952, but Preston chairman Nat Buck quashed the deal, saying: "If tha' doesn't play for us, tha' doesn't play for anybody."

He twice won the footballer of the year title, in 1953-54 and 1956-57, and was twice a runner-up in the league with North End, as well as playing in the 1954 FA Cup final defeat to West Brom.

In all, he scored 187 league goals for the club but in 1961, a year after he retired, they were relegated from the top flight and have not returned since.

Finney maintained his links with Preston, serving as the club's president. The stadium is located on Sir Tom Finney Way, a statue stands outside the ground, while inside, a stand was renamed in his honour in 1995.

He was knighted in 1998.

Internationally, he played in the infamous 1-0 defeat by the United States at the 1950 World Cup and went on to represent England at both the 1954 and 1958 tournaments.

Former England and Blackpool defender Jimmy Armfield told BBC Sport he was a "great footballer and a great man. A fantastic player. He had the ability to play right across the forward line - left wing or right wing - centre forward as well."

Fellow England legend Sir Stanley Matthews, who died in 2000, once said of Finney: "To dictate the pace and course of a game, a player has to be blessed with awesome qualities.

"Those who have accomplished it on a regular basis can be counted on the fingers of one hand - Pele, Maradona, Best, Di Stefano, and Tom Finney."

Speaking in 2012, England's record goalscorer Sir Bobby Charlton called Finney's contribution to football "immeasurable".

Charlton told BBC Sport: "I used to look at him and think, this is fantastic.

"Watching him, you knew full well that the full-backs had had it. He was just too good for them. Occasionally I had the pleasure to play with him and it was the greatest pleasure anyone could ever give me.

"He passed to me on my England debut and I had never been so proud.

"I have so many happy memories of watching him play. His contribution to football is immeasurable."

Football League chairman Greg Clarke paid tribute to Finney, saying: "He was quite possibly the finest player to have ever played in the Football League and was a true gentleman.

"He was also the epitome of the one-club man with few people ever having contributed as much to a single team, their city or our competition."

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329 comments

  • Comment posted by steve clark, at 23:29 14 Feb 2014

    Mr Finney's greatness came not just from his footballing ability but also from the way he always conducted himself with dignity on and off the field.In addition, after he retired as a player he gave outstanding service to his home town as a businessman,president of Preston North End,a J.P. and for a period chairman of the local health authority.
    One of the few true 'greats' of the game.

  • Comment posted by jed, at 00:18 15 Feb 2014

    It is even sadder to hear that some people who probably regard themselves as football fans should try to undermine the "Finney Legend" or be shamefaced enough to say they don't know who he is. I am amazed at their total ignorance.

  • Comment posted by User0767266055, at 09:59 15 Feb 2014

    6th highest goalscorer for England and he was a right winger playing on the left. 30 goals for England same as Alan Shearer. That says it all really. He could play anywhere across the front line and he would do the same in a modern team the way Ronaldo does, only he was doing it 65 years ago.

    Bill Shankly was asked once if Dalglish was as good as Tom Finney. He said Aye but Tom's nearly 60 now.

  • Comment posted by Misstra Misstra, at 11:25 15 Feb 2014

    A great British bloke from a time when every street in this country was full of them, sadly no longer the case. A great man and a great footballer but just another working class man with a job to do. It's not hard to see why the people of Preston are so proud to say he belongs to them. RIP Sir Tom, Great Brit, Plumber, Tank Driver, Footballer, Family-man, Human-being & much more.

  • Comment posted by User0551172272, at 10:19 15 Feb 2014

    The ignorance of some is disgraceful. If you cannot say anything pleasant , keep quiet, stay your fingers. Do some research!

    Sir Tom not only scored 30 goal for England in the 40s and 50s' he also did much more.

    This man fought for this country with Montgomery's Eight Army in Egypt. World War Two. I understand he helped capture Argenta spring 1945 as a Tank Driver.

    Much respect to you sir!

  • Comment posted by User0230568317, at 23:37 14 Feb 2014

    Once crossed the main street in Preston and as I looked up there was Tom with his wife Elsie; before I had the presence of mind to say hello I was greeted with a 'morning ' from the great man himself.Spent the next 15 mins walking on air ! (this was in the same week that Cantona did his kung - fu kick , you couldn't get a bigger contrast)
    RIP Sir Tom

  • Comment posted by D1679270622736, at 13:28 15 Feb 2014

    Plumber, Soldier, Footballer, Gentleman.

    Tom Finney. What a life! And what a man.

    From an age when the badge and the shirt meant something - as did your conduct off the pitch.

    Stayed with his own town and people until the end - where he felt it was right to be.

    Rest in Peace Tom. Sad that you have passed, but also thankful that you lived.

    In the way that you did.

  • Comment posted by 1878onwards, at 07:45 15 Feb 2014

    Why the insults on here?
    If Busby and Shankly..Charlton,Best and Matthews put Tom at the top of the pedestal...dare we mere mortals argue?

  • Comment posted by Templar, at 13:24 15 Feb 2014

    I see quite a large number of comments have been removed. Obviously by definition we do not know what those comments were but I find it deeply depressing to think that the death of a dignified, honorable gentleman who was one of the finest players of his or any other generation should bring out the trolls.

  • Comment posted by iamwrong, at 11:15 15 Feb 2014

    For all those "football experts" :

    To be offered 10,000 pounds signing on fee by an Italian club plus £100/week wage - try converting this in today's money.

    And he still turned them down to have a rise of £4/week and stay with one club and keep his day job.

    The negative comments from so called football "experts" say's it all about today's society and the ex "beautiful" game - sad

    RIP TF

  • Comment posted by seaton1000, at 23:32 14 Feb 2014

    LFC4EVA comments are a disgrace & I am sure the Liverpool player he mentions & Liverpool FC would treat them with the contempt they deserve. It is sad that such ignorant people can disgrace the game they they claim to love . Tom Finney was a great footballer for both club & Country. Anyone who cannot acknowledge this is little short of an idiot.

  • Comment posted by Rikki442, at 12:49 15 Feb 2014

    66. Expert Analyst
    'RIP to the man but I have never heard of him. Is it headline sports news? We have an FA cup weekend here'.

    You need to take 'Expert' out of your name. If you've never heard of him you clearly know little about the game.

  • Comment posted by Percipient, at 10:07 15 Feb 2014

    Reading the comments of those who played with him, one realises that this man stood head and shoulders above the rest. He was a kingpin in the England team.
    Remembering players of this era makes one wish that the clock could be turned back so we could enjoy the whole culture of the game up to the fifties.
    The modern "business" looks so tacky by comparison.
    Thank you Sir Tom. God bless you.

  • Comment posted by User0999318505, at 23:55 14 Feb 2014

    Argubly the greatest British fooballer these isles have and will produce (Best included). A true sportsman, an honourable charity worker and public servant to his home city and a bloody decent bloke. I served my time at his plumbing/electrical firm.
    Always had time for anyone to chat about his beloved P.N.E..
    Skilled with either foot and handy in the air as well.
    God bless Tommy and R.I.P.

  • Comment posted by MattD, at 23:29 14 Feb 2014

    A legend amongst legends - loyal, professional and a gentleman. There are few and far between in English football these days, makes his loss even more poignant and sad.

    RIP.

  • Comment posted by User0990503074, at 23:33 14 Feb 2014

    Played for his home town club and went on to the highest levels whilst doing it. Shows the present day "Premier" League scenario for just what it is - a joke. Lofthouse, Finney, Matthews et al will never be replaced.

  • Comment posted by feisty, at 23:18 14 Feb 2014

    Still remember seeing him out and about around Preston when I was a kid (about 20 years ago). It was a fairly common occurrence seeing him just out living his everyday normal life, and a far cry from todays world of pampered footballers in their Bentleys.

    A truly humble and down to earth man, will be sadly missed.

  • Comment posted by amblingon, at 13:15 15 Feb 2014

    257. King kong
    Never saw him play so I prefer to listen to the comments of those to whom he is being compared and who played in the same era. You'll find the likes of Eusebio and Pele, also true greats, revered this man. Not only a football genius but a fully rounded human being with a humility which puts today's prima donnas to shame. Respect.

  • Comment posted by Scutty, at 11:43 15 Feb 2014

    Gentleman. Legend. Enough said.

  • Comment posted by Alan, at 23:56 14 Feb 2014

    I'm Scottish, born years after he stopped playing, but like many comments on here before mine, my dad (also Scottish) said he was the best. That'll do for me. I think another little bit of what made football great has slipped away today. Sadly, footballers like him have long gone and the game is so much poorer, and so much uglier because of it. Sleep well sir, you were the best of a fine bunch.

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