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Tom Manley (footballer)

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For other people named Tom Manley, see Tom Manley (disambiguation).

Tom Manley
Manley while a Brentford player
Personal information
Full name Thomas Ronald Manley[1]
Date of birth 7 October 1912
Place of birth Northwich, England
Date of death 4 July 1988(1988-07-04) (aged 75)[1]
Place of death Brentwood, England
Height 6 ft 1+1⁄2 in (1.87 m)[2]
Position(s) Utility player, outside left
Youth career
1927–1928 Brunner Mond
1928–1929 Norley United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1929–1930 Northwich Victoria
1930–1939 Manchester United 188 (40)
1939–1952 Brentford 116 (8)
Managerial career
1954 Northwich Victoria
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thomas Ronald Manley (7 October 1912 – 4 July 1988) was an English professional footballer who made over 300 appearances in the Football League for Manchester United and Brentford as a utility player. He later managed hometown club Northwich Victoria in non-League football.

Playing career

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Early years

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Manley began his career with junior clubs Brunner Mond and Norley United, before joining Cheshire County League club Northwich Victoria in 1929.[3] He remained at Drill Field until September 1930.[3]

Manchester United

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Manley was brought to First Division club Manchester United by scout Louis Rocca on an amateur basis in September 1930.[3] At the end of the 1930–31 season, after the club's relegation to the Second Division, he signed a professional contract.[3] Manley broke into the team over the course of the 1932–33 and 1933–34 seasons and scored 15 goals in United's 1935–36 Second Division title-winning campaign.[4] After suffering relegation straight back to the Second Division at the end of the 1936–37 season, he helped the team to an immediate return to the top-flight one season later.[4] 1938–39 was Manley's final season at Old Trafford and he finished his Manchester United career having made 195 appearances and scored 41 goals.[4] Predominantly an outside left, he also performed the role of a utility player at Old Trafford by also playing in half and full back positions.[4]

Brentford

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Manley joined First Division club Brentford for a "substantial fee" in August 1939 and was immediately named captain.[5] Just three matches of the 1939–40 season were played before the season was abandoned and competitive football was suspended for the duration of the Second World War.[5] Manley's duties with the RAF meant that he appeared sparingly for the club during the war, making just 36 appearances and scoring six goals by the end of the 1945–46 season.[6] He also played as a guest player for Blackpool, Chester, Fulham, Manchester United, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur during the war.[7] Competitive football resumed for the 1946–47 season and Manley would go on to make 122 appearances and scored 8 goals for the club before making his final appearance in September 1950.[8][5] He remained as Griffin Park as a reserve team player for the 1951–52 season (playing one match as a goalkeeper) before retiring at age 39 in May 1952.[5] Manley was awarded a joint-testimonial with Ted Gaskell versus a Tommy Lawton XI in April 1954.[5]

Management career

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Manley managed Cheshire County League club Northwich Victoria, with whom he began his career as a player, between March and October 1954.[5]

Personal life

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Manley served in the RAF during the Second World War.[5] After his retirement from football, he became the licensee of a pub in Northwich.[5]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Manchester United 1931–32[4] Second Division 3 0 0 0 3 0
1932–33[4] Second Division 19 0 0 0 19 0
1933–34[4] Second Division 30 2 2 0 32 2
1934–35[4] Second Division 30 9 1 0 31 9
1935–36[4] Second Division 31 14 3 1 34 15
1936–37[4] First Division 31 5 0 0 31 5
1937–38[4] Second Division 21 7 1 0 22 7
1938–39[4] First Division 23 3 0 0 23 3
Total 188 40 7 1 195 41
Brentford 1946–47[8] First Division 9 0 0 0 9 0
1947–48[8] Second Division 27 0 2 0 29 0
1948–49[8] Second Division 42 3 4 0 46 3
1949–50[8] Second Division 33 2 0 0 33 2
1950–51[8] Second Division 5 2 0 0 5 2
Total 116 8 6 0 122 8
Career total 304 48 13 1 317 49

Honours

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Manchester United

References

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  1. ^ a b "Tom Manley". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  2. ^ "Manchester United. Weak positions improved". Sunday Dispatch Football Guide. London. 23 August 1936. p. v – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c d "Manley Tom Manchester United 1938". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Tommy Manley". 11v11.com. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. pp. 99–100. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  6. ^ White 1989, p. 375-378.
  7. ^ Goodwin, Bob (2017). The Spurs Alphabet. Lulu.com. p. 290. ISBN 978-0-9540434-2-1.
  8. ^ a b c d e f White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 378–381. ISBN 0951526200.
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