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Vastly experienced Scottish keeper who was coming to the end of his
playing days when picked up by Leeds. Having pocketed championship
medals with Hibs in 1951 and 1952, he went on to captain his country
in the 1958 World Cup. When he went to Falkirk it was to take a
management role as well as playing, but a move south of the border
left him concentrating on the playing side. After leaving Leeds, he
coached in Canada before returning to take up an administrative role
at Easter Road towards the end of the 1960s. His involvement in that
side of things lead to him rising to become president of the Scottish
FA, an office he held on his untimely death at the age of 53.
Thanks to Jim Younger for the photo.
I knew Tommy extremely well, as I am his younger Brother Jim
Younger. He is also survived by an elder Brother Jacky. My Father and
Jacky would collect Tommy from Renfrew Airport on a Friday night as he
flew in from Germany where he was a P.E. Instructor during his
National Service. He would be taken back to Renfrew on the Sunday to
Fly back. He also played for his Regiment in Germany, and due to his
frequent trips home (paid for by Hibernian) he was nicknamed Herr Tommy
Offenback. He travelled back and forward so often that the then
B.E.A. (British European Airways) presented him with a laque for "Best
Customer of the Year". Prior to playing for Hibernian, he was an
Ameteur for Hutchison Vale in Edinburgh. My Mother only went to see
him play on 1 occasion while with Hutchison Vale, ad on that occasion
he was knocked out twice by hitting his head on the Goalpost while
diving to save the Ball, and she vowed never to watch him again, and
she didn't. My Father gave Tommy a Watch when he started with Hibs,
and inscibed on the back were the words "Always play the game Tam". I
have in my possesion one of his first Autographed Photo's taken when
he was about aged about 18/19 and started with Hibs.
Jackie Younger says: Just a small amendment to the history of
Tommy - he went to Canada before joining Leeds with Stanley Matthews
who telephoned Don Revie (manager of Leeds) to tell him Tommy was
playing extremely well and that he should sign him, which Don did.
This amendment is made by Jacky Younger who is Tommy and James's
eldest brother.
Jeffrey Fearnley says: Tommy worked for my father, Monty Fearnley,
as a toy sales rep (Kiddies Favourites, Glasgow) in the early fifties
and was, I believe, very popular with the customers. My father met him
many years later in Lisbon, where Tommy was on holiday with his large
family. Apparently, so my father tells me, my brother and I used to
play football in the back garden with Tommy.
Ian Gledhill says: I remember Tommy's party-piece during his time
at Leeds being a full-blooded sprint for the goal at the Scratching
Shed end of the ground as the teams ran out before kick-off. From
second or third position in the line emerging from the tunnel he used
to arrive on his goal-line before any other Leeds player had got
twenty yards on to the pitch! I also remember that the cap he brought
on to the pitch with him looked as though it had been with him for his
entire career.
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