Hall Of Fame
Apologies if this has been uploaded before, but what a great interview with this legendary man 👑👑👑
https://youtu.be/U1kGkbo5klY?si=Gj1g3QGbAdrMBSS4
First Team
Great watch was that, such memories. I woud imagine that i am one of a few left that saw Tommy play at Meadow Lane,i can barely remember it as i was only 5 years of age, my grandad & dad took me with them, kids were passed over heads & shoulders to the front in those days when "The Lane" was banging, so's to speak.
Hall Of Fame
Thanks for that. What a humble, commonsense gentleman for one of the greatest centre forwards to grace football.Originally Posted by Iremongersrighthand
Just a bit before my time and I hadn't realised he was responsible for bring Tony Hateley and Jeff Astle into the club. I remember their home debuts.
A shame the video doesn't give the data of the interview; anybody know when it was.
Oh, and the days when the interviewer wasn't the star.
First Team
Oh, and the days when the interviewer wasn't the star.
Quite true about the interviewer, although it was Peter Ayliss in one of the interviews, he was very good and finished being an icon in golfing circles. Tommy, in his later years used to frequent the Oakleigh Lodge social club, thers was a NCFC supporters branch there.
Hall Of Fame
My father took me to see Tommy play which I believe would have been in 1952, and my memories of being passed to the front of the old Spion Kop are similar to yours. The next time I saw him would have been in the late 50’s, when he was the Landlord of the Magna Carta in Lowdham. As others have said, wonderful memories of the very best centre forward we ever had. Sadly retirement did not bring him any comfort.
First Team
Yes its quite sad, i had a few conversations with him and he fell foul of people hooking him into worthless ventures which cost him money, he was talked into a partnership venture with a guy named D'ath,they bought the Horse & Jockey in Bulwell's Market place, that broke Tommy, he lost most of what he had left, which wasn't a lot.
So sad, he was a really genuine bloke.
Hall Of Fame
1990.
It was for a Christmas VHS video sold in the club shop, it also had an interview with Jack Wheeler as well as cotemporary stuff and highlights from Southampton home 74, Fulham away 76 and Birmingham away 80.
Hall Of Fame
When he was the that landlord he wouldn’t have spoken to the bar customers, it was lounge only for him. My dad and uncle were both Notts fan’s and took me there once and Lawton’s attitude almost put them off Notts County for life. We never went back.
Hall Of Fame
Very sad to read your comments. I remember Tommy taking me behind what I assume was the lounge bar to show me his England caps and medals etc.
We would often stop on a Sunday evening after visiting family in Newark and having a lemonade in the car park.
Hall Of Fame
I heard stories of Tommy regularly holding court in the Magna Charta, with a crowd of hangers-on around him. Similarly in The Lion on Clumber Street.
When I was first taken to Meadow Lane in the late 1960s by older relatives, they would talk in hushed tones about how good he was. Especially his powerful and dominant heading and general aerial ability. He returned to the Lane for a couple of years as a coach and, I think, was finally let go by Jimmy Sirrel when he arrived, who wanted his own back-up team.
His fall from grace after his careeer was terribly sad. As has been said, fleeced by one or two people with bad business ideas, illness and the sad episode of his letters to his great admirer and friend, Richard Attenborough asking for money. Tommy said himself that his lowest point was actually facing the prospect of a custodial sentence due to financial misdemeanours.
Although a huge star of the time, it should be remembered that he reported earning around £15 a week at the time, and that he lost seven full seasons of his football career due to the war.
It was heartening to see that he finally received a little support and things turned around for him late in life after years of pain, scandal and ill-health. Another admirer and friend of Tommy, Barrie Williams, Editor of the Nottingham Evening Post helping him by awarding him a job of writing a regular column in the paper. My understanding is that Tommy spent a few more happy years living comfortably in Woodthorpe, on Littlegreen Road I think. A relatively peaceful existence after years of turbulence and great ups and downs. He should be remembered for the magnificent world-class footballer he undoubtedly was.
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