On April 22, 1935, Tommy Urwin made a remarkable performance for Sunderland against Preston North End, stepping in due to injuries and suspensions in the squad. This match marked a significant moment in Urwin's long career, two decades after his league debut.
Key points
Tommy Urwin played for Sunderland on April 22, 1935
He stepped in due to injuries and suspensions
Urwin had a long career spanning over two decades
The match was against Preston North End
Urwin was originally from Haswell, County Durham
Mentioned in this story
Tommy Urwin
SunderlandPreston North End
Preston North End were the opposition in this 1934/35 season. Jimmy Connor had picked up an injury in the game at Birmingham just two days earlier in the hectic Easter programme of three games in four days and with the ‘mighty atom’ Patsy Gallacher absent through suspension, the call went out for replacements. George Goddard would fill in for Gallacher and with the squad pushed to its limits, veteran winger, “junior team” coach/assistant trainer and masseuse Tommy Urwin was drafted in.
Sunderland had beaten Preston at Roker Park just three days earlier by three goals to one and now the rematch at Deepdale would see a last hurrah for the remarkable Tommy Urwin, twenty-two years after he made his league debut for Middlesbrough.
Tommy Urwin was born in Haswell, County Durham on 5 February 1896. He lived most of his early life in the Sunderland area. In the 1901 Census he was living at 7 South View, Ryhope. By 1911 he was living with his parents at 39 Eglinton Street, Monkwearmouth, with his parents, however the census records that five of his nine siblings are deceased.
Tommy, recalling his childhood, fondly remembered starting to play football with a milk tin or “a penny bullock’s bladder on killing day”, dreaming of playing for Sunderland and hoping for a ticket to their next game.
He played schools football in Sunderland and in 1910 played for Sunderland Boys in the English Schools Shield at Roker Park, impressing enough to win an English Schools cap shortly afterwards.
He played for Fulwell FC in the Sunderland Non-Conformist League, also turning out for Lambton Star. In 1913 he was working as an engine fitter at the colliery and he signed amateur forms with Shildon and was persuaded to sign professional forms in early 1914. Shildon knew what they were doing – a number of clubs were tracking Tommy and as a professional (earning 25 shillings per week) they could expect a good fee for the flying winger.
Middlesbrough won the race for his signature in late 1914. Shildon pocketed £100 and he got ten golden sovereigns as a signing-on fee. His contract would see him paid £3 per week rising to £4 when in the first team. In the close season his weekly wage dropped to £2.10 per week.
Tommy remembered with mixed feelings his first-ever game against Sunderland on New Year’s Day 1915, a 3-2 defeat at Ayresome Park. The legendary Frank Cuggy took a shine to him and offered some useful tips and encouragement.
Q&A
What significant event happened on April 22, 1935, involving Tommy Urwin?
Tommy Urwin delivered a notable performance for Sunderland against Preston North End, filling in for injured and suspended players.
Who was Tommy Urwin and what was his role in the 1935 Sunderland match?
Tommy Urwin was a veteran winger and assistant trainer for Sunderland, who played in a crucial match against Preston North End due to squad shortages.
What led to Tommy Urwin's participation in the April 22, 1935 match?
Urwin was called up to play because of injuries to Jimmy Connor and the suspension of Patsy Gallacher, pushing the squad to its limits.
How long had Tommy Urwin been in professional football by the time of the 1935 match?
By the 1935 match, Tommy Urwin had been in professional football for twenty-two years since his league debut for Middlesbrough.
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Tommy played for Middlesbrough until 1924, playing years he described as very enjoyable.
His career was interrupted by the First World War. He tried to enlist in the Coldstream Guards, but at five foot six inches they declined his application, so he went to the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) and saw active service at Gallipoli and in India. He continued to play football during his military service in morale-boosting and war-fund-raising games, playing not just in the UK but all over the world. He himself particularly remembered playing in India in front of massive crowds and was in Aleppo when he got an improved offer to re-sign at Middlesbrough on an improved contract of £6 per week.
In 1924, Urwin signed for Newcastle (moving a little closer to his Sunderland home in Eglinton Street). Tommy had great respect for Hughie Gallacher the Newcastle captain and was proud to have played alongside him in the championship-winning team of 1926/27.
Tommy earned four England caps as a Newcastle player, three in 1923 and one in 1924.
In 1930 he played his last game for Newcastle against York City. It was time to go home to Sunderland. Tommy claimed he was “homesick” and also a little irritated at having to pay fines for being late when the trains were not running on time!
Johnny Cochrane the Sunderland manager was determined to build a team that would bring success back to the club and the town and Tommy was keen to be part of this, though at thirty-four years old he was clearly in the veteran stage of his career.
Tommy Urwin joined a small select band of players to represent all three North-east teams with distinction when he signed for Sunderland.
He was now living at 37 Hawarden Crescent in Sunderland, with his wife Bertha who would soon present him with a son (David).
Despite being able to play on either wing, Tommy eventually lost his place in the Sunderland team to Jimmy Connor and Bert Davis (who in turn lost his place to Len Duns).
Urwin was extremely fit and retained a good degree of sharpness despite his advancing years. He also had a clever footballing brain that stood him in good stead and made him invaluable as a squad member.
He was soon passing on his experience to younger players and by the time season 1934/35 had arrived, whilst still registered as a player, he was coaching the “junior” players, assistant trainer to the first team and a masseuse to boot!
Johnny Cochrane’s team were really beginning to hit their straps in this season and ran Arsenal very close, finishing runners-up. The Easter programme had depleted resources somewhat but Cochrane appears to have had no qualms about drafting Urwin into the left-wing position for the injured Connor, even though the diminutive flyer had not played a first-team game since February 1932.
The Sunday Sun reported the next day “Spectators were amazed at the trim and sprightly figure revelling once more in first-class football after a two-year absence from the field, he played a gruelling game with all the signs of his pre-war dash”.
Tommy himself commented “It felt a bit strange after two years although I soon felt the old tricks coming back”.
Sunderland went on to draw the game, with Preston scoring a very controversial equaliser after Goddard had forced a goal from a Bill Murray free-kick on fifty-one minutes. The referee (Mr Mellor) had missed a stonewall penalty for Sunderland in the first half and then awarded a goal to Preston, which he viewed as having crossed the goal-line in mid-flight. His linesman and most of the Sunderland defence disagreed. Captain and future manager Bill Murray was booked for his protestations and the goal stood. Liverpool legend Bill Shankly was playing half-back for Preston in this game and had the audacity to hit the cross-bar in the first half.
An injury to left-back Alex Hall saw him leave the field for treatment and eventually return (though heavily encumbered) to the left-wing, with Tommy moving to left-half and Alex Hastings to left-back to see out the game.
Tommy Urwin, though he did not know it then, became Sunderland’s oldest player at 39 years and 76 days.
He heads a list of veterans that include – Bryan ‘Pop’ Robson 38 years and 183 days, Steve Bould 37 years and 280 days, Charlie Parker 37 years and 204 days, Dwight Yorke 37 years and 159 days. Ted Doig, Brian Deane, Tony Norman, Colin Cooper and John O’Shea also figure in that veterans list as 37 years and some.
Back in Sunderland in April 1935 the Chronicle caught up with Tommy outside his house. He was making his way to the Roker tram to get into Roker Park and had clearly enjoyed his outing. He told the reporter “I have never regretted the day I went in for football to earn my bread and butter”, he then sprinted for the tram (probably not wanting to incur any fines for lateness). The reporter turned his attention to Tommy’s wife and their eight-year-old son. Mrs Urwin remarked “he’s not quite so keen on football as his father”!
