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English Football Legends Series

"Tom Finney would have been great in any team, in any match and in any age ... even if he had been wearing an overcoat."
Bill Shankly

Tom Finney

Clubs: Preston North End

Position: Winger

Appearances*: 433

Goals*: 187

Honours: None

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* League appearances and goals only

Finney was a brilliant ball-playing winger, with speed, balance, and a powerful shot.

A genuinely two-footed player he was adept in any of the forward positions and appeared for England at right-wing, left-wing and centre-forward.

Finney was born a stone's throw from Preston's Deepdale stadium. Frail and sickly as a youth, he nonetheless excelled at football and was offered the opportunity to sign for his local club Preston North End.

Soon after he signed however, World War II broke out, and with football suspended he was limited to guest appearances.

In 1942, he was called up to the Royal Armoured Corps, and saw action with Montgomery's Eighth Army in Egypt.

Once league football resumed he finally made his Preston debut, quickly establishing himself as a skillful and agile forward.

Just a month after his first league appearance, Finney was called up for England, and made the first of his 76 international appearances.

He played his entire career at Preston North End and his 187 goals in 433 games remains a club record.

His loyalty to his home-town club came at a price though, and he finished his illustrious career with no major honours (North End were twice league, and once FA Cup, runners-up in Finney's time).

Nevertheless, his talent did not go unnoticed and he was twice named Footballer of the Year, in 1954 and 1957.

Finney retired from football in 1960. He was knighted in 1998.

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