Tommy Anderson (footballer) explained

Tommy Anderson
Fullname:Thomas Cowan Anderson
Birth Date:24 September 1934
Birth Place:Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland
Death Place:Normanhurst, Australia
Position:Inside forward
Youthclubs1:Haddington Athletic
Years1:1955
Caps1:1
Goals1:0
Clubs1:Falkirk
Years2:1955–1956
Caps2:5
Goals2:1
Clubs2:Queen of the South
Years3:1957–1958
Caps3:52
Goals3:12
Clubs3:Watford
Years4:1958
Caps4:5
Goals4:1
Clubs4:Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic
Years5:1958–1959
Caps5:10
Goals5:3
Clubs5:Queen's Park Rangers
Years6:1959–1960
Caps6:9
Goals6:4
Clubs6:Torquay United
Years7:1960–1961
Caps7:60
Goals7:17
Clubs7:Stockport County
Years8:1961–1962
Caps8:16
Goals8:3
Clubs8:Doncaster Rovers
Years9:1962–1963
Caps9:12
Goals9:3
Clubs9:Wrexham
Years10:1963
Clubs10:South Melbourne Hellas
Years11:1963–1964
Caps11:11
Goals11:3
Clubs11:Barrow
Years12:1964
Clubs12:South Melbourne Hellas
Years13:1964–1965
Caps13:21
Goals13:2
Clubs13:Watford
Years14:1965
Caps14:7
Goals14:0
Clubs14:St Mirren
Years15:1966–1967
Clubs15:George Cross
Years16:1967–1968
Caps16:9
Goals16:0
Clubs16:Leyton Orient
Years17:1968
Caps17:7
Goals17:0
Clubs17:Limerick
Manageryears1:1968
Managerclubs1:Limerick

Thomas Cowan Anderson (24 September 1934 – 1 July 2018) was a Scottish professional footballer. He played as a forward, and was noted for his extremely fast pace.[1]

Anderson was capped by Scotland schools, and had an amateur contract with Hearts.[1] He began his professional career with Dumfries club, Queen of the South, in September 1955, leaving in November 1956.[1]

Anderson joined Watford in January 1957.[1] In his first spell with the club he made 52 league appearances, scoring 12 goals. Anderson moved to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in June 1958 for a fee of £1,000, but in November the same year he moved to Queen's Park Rangers.[1] He had only played five league games for Bournemouth, scoring once. He went on to score 3 times in 10 league games for Rangers in the 1958–59 season.

Anderson moved again in July 1959, signing for Torquay United.[1] He made his debut on 22 August 1959, the first day of the 1959–60 season, in a 2–1 home win against Doncaster Rovers. In his season with Torquay he played in nine league games, scoring four times. In June 1960 he moved to Stockport County,[1] where he was to play more regularly, playing 60 league games and scoring 17 goals in his time with the club.

In November 1961 he moved to Doncaster Rovers,[1] where he was to score 3 times in 16 league games. He made another swift move, this time to Wrexham in March 1962,[1] going on to play twelve league games and score three goals for the club.

Anderson subsequently moved to Australia, playing for Hellas before returning to England to join Barrow in December 1963.[1] After only 11 league games he returned to Australia in February 1964 and rejoined Hellas.[1] He rejoined Watford in December 1964,[1] playing 21 league games and scoring twice for the Hornets in his second spell with the club. He joined St Mirren on a free transfer in October 1965, before leaving in December.[1] He returned to Australia, playing for George Cross in Melbourne, before returning to England in July 1967 to join Leyton Orient for what was to be his final spell in English professional football.[1] In December 1967 he became player-manager of Limerick.[1] His contract was terminated in March 1968[2]

Anderson eventually settled in Australia, working in Sydney as a football journalist and radio presenter. He died in Normanhurst on 1 July 2018, at the age of 83.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Jones, Trefor . The Watford Football Club Illustrated Who's Who . T.G Jones . Surrey . 1996. 0-9527458-0-1. 24.
  2. News: Register . 20 May 2023 . . 1968-03-13 . 0791-5144 . Dublin . en-ie . subscription.