Tommy Cheadle
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Thomas Cheadle[1] | ||
Date of birth | 8 April 1919 | ||
Place of birth | Stoke-on-Trent, England[1] | ||
Date of death | 4 September 1993[1] | (aged 74)||
Place of death | Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent, England[1] | ||
Position(s) | Defender; forward | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1946–1957 | Port Vale | 333 | (14) |
1957–1959 | Crewe Alexandra | 37 | (0) |
Total | 370 | (14) | |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Thomas Cheadle (8 April 1919 – 4 September 1993) was an English footballer. He played for Port Vale in various positions for over a decade. It was his time as a "hard-man" centre-back, captaining some of the most successful Vale sides in the club's history, that made Cheadle a legend at the club. He helped the "Valiants" to win the Third Division North title and to reach the FA Cup semi-finals in 1953–54. He ended his career in 1959, following two years with Crewe Alexandra.
Career
Port Vale
Born in
Signing as a professional in May 1946, he spent the
He was captain during the 1953–54 season, where Vale made it to the FA Cup semi-finals and won the Third Division North title.[1] The team had conceded just 21 goals in 46 games with Cheadle at the heart of the 'Iron Curtain' defence consisting of Ray King (goalkeeper), Cheadle, Reg Potts, Stan Turner and Roy Sproson.[4] In the semi-final clash with West Bromwich Albion at Villa Park he was dispossessed for the "Throstles" equaliser and gave away the penalty for Albion's winning goal.[1] Cheadle featured only 26 times in the Second Division in 1954–55.[1] He played 19 games in 1955–56 and 14 games in 1956–57, as the club suffered relegation under new boss Norman Low.[1] His final game was a 6–0 defeat to Sheffield United on 25 March, a game in which Cheadle scored an own goal.[1]
Crewe Alexandra
Now 38 years old, he moved to nearby
Style of play
Former teammate Roy Sproson said that: "Tom was quick and strong and nobody could beat him. Pound for pound, in fact, I would say Tom is the hardest man I have ever met."[6] In fact he had 22 stitches in the head after various collisions with opposition players, his toughness earning him the nickname "wooden head" from his teammates.[7]
Personal and later life
Cheadle was married and had a son, Peter.[8] Following his retirement, Cheadle became a postman in Porthill.[4] The pub at Vale Park was named Tommy Cheadle's in honour of his contribution to the club.[9]
Career statistics
Source:[10]
Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Port Vale | 1946–47 | Third Division South | 32 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 37 | 3 |
1947–48 | Third Division South | 23 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 8 | |
1948–49 | Third Division South | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 2 | |
1949–50 | Third Division South | 42 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 46 | 1 | |
1950–51 | Third Division South | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
1951–52 | Third Division South | 39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 0 | |
1952–53 | Third Division North | 46 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
1953–54 | Third Division North | 38 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
1954–55 | Second Division | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | |
1955–56 | Second Division | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
1956–57 | Second Division | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
Total | 333 | 14 | 25 | 0 | 358 | 14 | ||
Crewe Alexandra | 1957–58 | Third Division North | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
1958–59 | Fourth Division | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
Total | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 0 | ||
Career total | 370 | 14 | 27 | 0 | 397 | 14 |
Honours
Port Vale
References
- ^ ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
- ^ Baggaley, Michael (8 April 2019). "Remembering a Port Vale legend - Tommy Cheadle would have been 100 today". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-9926579-1-8.
- ^ a b c d e Maitland, Chris (17 November 2004). "Tommy Cheadle – Vale defender from 1946 – 1957". Port Vale site. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
- ^ official matchday programme Port Vale v Cambridge United (PDF). 27 February 2021. p. 25. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ Harper, Chris (10 February 1975). "Sproson's Eleven". The Sentinel. Archived from the original on 19 November 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
- ^ Cheadle, Tommy; Dave Porter (Christmas 1954). "Tommy Cheadle's good Companions". Charles Buchan's Football Annual. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
- ^ Fielding, Rob (10 June 2023). "Port Vale's 1954 heroes pictured away from the pitch". onevalefan.co.uk. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "Tommy Cheadle's". port-vale.co.uk. 3 February 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ^ Tommy Cheadle at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- ISBN 978-0-9926579-1-8