| Tom Adamson | |
| Fullname: | Thomas Kay Adamson |
| Birth Date: | 12 February 1897 |
| Birth Place: | Mossend, Scotland |
| Death Date: | 21 October 1959 (aged 62)[1] |
| Death Place: | Kettering, Northamptonshire |
| Height: | [2] |
| Position: | Left back |
| Youthyears1: | 1913–1914 |
| Youthclubs1: | Craighead |
| Youthyears2: | 1914– |
| Youthclubs2: | Cambuslang Rangers |
| Years1: | 1919–1920 |
| Clubs1: | Blantyre Celtic |
| Years2: | 1920–1928 |
| Clubs2: | Bury |
| Caps2: | 271 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 1929–1934 |
| Clubs3: | Brentford |
| Caps3: | 141 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 1934–1935 |
| Clubs4: | Stockport County |
| Caps4: | 0 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 1935 |
| Clubs5: | Ards |
| Manageryears1: | 1935 |
| Managerclubs1: | Ards (player-manager) |
Thomas Kay Adamson (12 February 1897 – 21 October 1959) was a Scottish professional footballer, best remembered for his time as a left back in the Football League with Bury and Brentford. He later had a short tenure as player-manager of Irish League club Ards.
A left back, Adamson began his career at Scottish junior clubs Craighead, Cambuslang Rangers, Blantyre Celtic and moved to England to join Second Division club Bury in 1920.[3] Over the course of 9 years at Gigg Lane, Adamson made 286 appearances and helped the Shakers to promotion back to the First Division in the 1923–24 season.
Adamson dropped down to the Third Division South to sign for Brentford prior to the beginning of the 1929–30 season.[4] He immediately broke into the team and made 36 appearances during his debut season,[5] a campaign memorable for the Bees' record-breaking 21 home wins.[6]
Adamson was a mainstay of the team for the following two seasons and made 28 appearances to help the Bees to the Third Division South title in the 1932–33 season. Age caught up to Adamson and he made just eight appearances during the 1933–34 Second Division season, before departing Griffin Park at the end of the campaign. Adamson made 153 appearances in five seasons with the Bees.
Adamson returned to the Manchester area to sign for Third Division North club Stockport County in 1934. He failed to make an appearance for the club and ended his Football League career in 1935, having failed to score in over 400 professional matches.[7]
Adamson had a short spell as player-manager of Irish League club Ards in 1935.[8] Former Brentford full back partner Alexander Stevenson was one of his signings.
While growing up, Adamson went to school with future Scottish internationals Hughie Gallacher and Alex James.
| Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Brentford | 1929–30 | Third Division South | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
| 1930–31 | 36 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 41 | 0 | |||
| 1931–32 | 35 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 40 | 0 | |||
| 1932–33 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |||
| 1933–34 | Second Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 141 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 153 | 0 | |||
Blantyre Celtic
Brentford