Tom Callaghan

Tom Callaghan

Personal information
Playing position	Outside forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
–	St Anthony's
192?–1927	Third Lanark
1926–1927	→ Dunfermline Athletic (loan)
1927–1928	Middlesbrough	0	(0)
1928–193?	Third Lanark
1930–1931	Glentoran
–	Third Lanark
1932–1933	Darlington	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Thomas T. "Tom" Callaghan (active 1925–33) was a footballer who played as an outside forward in the Scottish League for Third Lanark and Dunfermline Athletic, in the Irish League for Glentoran, in the English Football League for Darlington and in Scottish Junior football for St Anthony's.

Football career

Callaghan played football for junior club St Anthony's before moving into the senior ranks with Third Lanark.^[1] He represented the club in off-season five-a-side tournaments,^[2] was in their Second Division team by September 1925,^[3] scored in a 4–3 win against Dunfermline Athletic in November,^[4] and later that month, "spelt danger every time he got away" as Thirds beat Armadale 3–0.^[5] He helped Thirds take First Division Aberdeen to a replay in the quarter-final of the 1925–26 Scottish Cup,^[6] was "swift and sharp" in a draw with Bathgate in September 1926,^[7] and was often picked out as the best of Thirds' not always top-class forwards.^[8]

In December, First Division Dunfermline took Callaghan on loan until the end of the season. He made his debut in a draw with Morton, controlling the ball well and creating two scoring chances that were not taken.^[1][9] He played regularly, scoring twice in a 4–3 defeat of Dundee, and creating one goal and scoring another in a 4–4 draw with Dundee United a few days later.^[10] At the end of the season, Callaghan went south to England, where he signed for Football League First Division club Middlesbrough.^[11] He scored in a friendly against an Army XI,^[12] but never managed to break into the league side,^[13] and rejoined Third Lanark,^[14] who had been promoted in his absence. He went straight into the first team for the new season,^[15] scored in a 4–0 win against Airdrie in early September,^[16] and soon afterwards sustained an injury sufficiently serious for his club to sign a replacement.^[17] His return to fitness was not accompanied by a return to the first team. He was in and out of the side for what remained of the season,^[18] at the end of which he was transfer-listed at a reduced fee.^[19]

His fee was again reduced in the 1930 close season,^[20] but with no takers. He was one of several Scottish players to help Glentoran win the 1930–31 Irish League title,^[21] and eventually he returned to England, where he signed for Darlington in November 1932.^[22] He played twice in the Third Division North and once in the FA Cup before losing his place to Charles Coates, and his contract was cancelled in January 1933.^[13][23]

References

1. 'Harrier' (26 December 1926). "Dunfermline's first home goal in ten weeks". The Sunday Post (Dundee). p. 15 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
2. "Record broken at Celtic Park. Shettleston Harriers successful meeting". The Sunday Post (Dundee). 31 May 1925. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
3. "Ayr meet their match at Boghead". The Sunday Post (Dundee). 27 September 1925. p. 13 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
4. "Dunfermline make game fight". Evening Telegraph (Dundee). 2 November 1925. p. 11 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
5. "Queen of the South overwhelmed". The Sunday Post (Dundee). 29 November 1925. p. 17 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
6. 'Kismet' (7 March 1926). "Aberdeen get a fright. Third Lanark unlucky at Cathkin". The Sunday Post (Dundee). p. 17 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
7. "Bathgate's breezy boys". The Sunday Post (Dundee). 19 September 1925. p. 16 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)). Callaghan, swift and sharp, was the best forward.
8. 'Captain Bob' (4 April 1926). "Ayr pinch a point at Cathkin. All about the play and the men who played". The Sunday Post (Dundee). p. 17.
   "Raith Rovers still on winning tack". Evening Telegraph (Dundee). 8 November 1926. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)). Only Gibson and Callaghan of Third Lanark showed anything like as much penetrativeness or skill as the five Raith forwards.
9. "Raith Rovers sign a back. Dunfermline also on the track". Courier and Advertiser (Dundee). 23 December 1926. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
10. "Dunfermline's well earned points". Courier and Advertiser (Dundee). 17 February 1927. p. 6.
    'Kestrel' (27 February 1927). "Precious point for Tannadice. Skinner on the dot for Dunfermline". The Sunday Post (Dundee). p. 17 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
11. "Sporting items". Daily Mail (Hull). 27 May 1927. p. 15 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
12. "Sweeping Irish changes. The Army routed". Courier and Advertiser (Dundee). 6 October 1927. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
13. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
14. "En passant". Arbroath Herald. 15 June 1928. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
15. "In the World of Sport. Clash of promoted clubs". Evening Telegraph (Dundee). 16 August 1928. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
16. "Football. High scoring in the leagues". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 3 September 1928. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
17. "All the latest about to-morrow's games". Evening Telegraph (Dundee). 14 September 1928. p. 11 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
18. "Aberdeen "A" stand alone". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 22 October 1928. p. 10.
    "Montrose lucky to draw". Courier and Advertiser (Dundee). 10 December 1928. p. 8.
    "Welcome points for Dundee". Evening Telegraph (Dundee). 26 December 1928. p. 7.
    "To-morrow's sport. In the west". Edinburgh Evening News. 11 January 1929. p. 3.
    "Third Lanark's plight". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 2 April 1929. p. 10 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
19. "Scottish players on transfer list". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 27 June 1929. p. 13 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
20. 'Don John' (7 August 1930). "Dundee United sign three players". Courier and Advertiser (Dundee). p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
21. 'Don John' (7 January 1931). "Millwall want Muir of Montrose". Courier and Advertiser (Dundee). p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
    'Don John' (20 January 1931). "Big shuffle trial teams". Courier and Advertiser (Dundee). p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
22. T.F. (11 November 1932). "Sailors don't care! Darlington's new man". Northern Daily Mail (West Hartlepool). p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
23. "T.F.'s Sports Notes. "Quakers'" cup team". Northern Daily Mail (West Hartlepool). 24 November 1932. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
    "T.F.'s Sports Notes. Eden in "Quakers'" team". Northern Daily Mail (West Hartlepool). 1 December 1932. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
    "Two London clubs fined. Benefits and registrations of players". Yorkshire Post. 17 January 1933. p. 15 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).