Tommy Winship

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Tommy Winship
Winship in Darlington colours
Personal information
Full name Thomas Winship[1]
Date of birth (1890-07-14)14 July 1890[1]
Place of birth Byker, England
Date of death 1976 (aged 86)[1][2]
Place of death Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Height 5 ft 3+1⁄2 in (1.61 m)
Position(s)
Outside left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Sleekburn Villa
19??–1910 Wallsend Park Villa
1910–1913 Woolwich Arsenal 28 (3)
1913 Fulham 2 (0)
1913–1915 Woolwich Arsenal / Arsenal[a] 27 (4)
1919 Hartlepools United[b] 8 (2)
1919–1926 Darlington[c] 146 (17)
1926–1927 Crewe Alexandra 21 (1)
1927–192? Wallsend
Trimdon Grange
Cockfield
Spen Black and White
19??–1930 Marley Hill UCG
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thomas Winship (14 July 1890 – 1976), generally known as Tom or Tommy Winship, but also referred to as Wee Winship because of his small stature, was an English

Crewe Alexandra
after it.

Winship began his football career with junior clubs in the area local to his native

North-Eastern League for Wallsend Park Villa before joining Football League First Division club Woolwich Arsenal in late 1910. He made nearly 30 first-team appearances in a little over two years, then spent the last few weeks of the 1912–13 season with Fulham before returning to Arsenal, by then a Second Division team. In the two seasons before the Football League was suspended for the duration of the First World War, he took his appearance total to 56 matches, and then returned to the north-east where he worked in shipbuilding before serving in the Royal Engineers
.

After the war, he played for

Hartlepools United in the Northern Victory League, then helped Darlington reach runners-up spot in the 1919–20 North-Eastern League and win the title the following year. Darlington were elected to the newly formed Northern Section of the Third Division in 1921, and Winship contributed to their second-place finish in their first season and their Northern Section title in 1924–25. Before Winship could represent Darlington in Second Division football, they had to pay £100 to Arsenal to transfer his registration, which that club had retained. He was not a regular at the higher level, but still took his total of league appearances for Darlington to nearly 150 over five seasons. He then spent one last season in the Football League with Third Division Crewe Alexandra before returning to his native north-east of England where he played at non-League
level for a further three years.

Early life and career

Winship was born in the

North-Eastern League club Wallsend Park Villa, and it was from the latter club that he signed for Woolwich Arsenal of the Football League First Division in late 1910. He was reported in the London press as "considered one of the best junior players in the North".[7][8]

The Woolwich Gazette's correspondent was not overly encouraged by his performance in a reserve-team match against Luton Town's reserves on Arsenal's Manor Ground, assessing him as "a smart little player, who, I fancy, will not be smart enough for the Seniors."[9] The writer was concerned less by his lack of height – at just 5 ft 3+1⁄2 in (1.61 m),[10] he was nicknamed "Wee Winship"[4][11][12] – than by the effect that his build might have on a perceived lack of pace: "I do not think he is fast enough, and he may be a bit too stocky to become appreciably faster."[9] He did give him credit for "one advantage over others who have filled the outside-left position – he can centre, and seldom wastes one, and this is a great thing nowadays."[9]

Woolwich Arsenal

Winship made his first-team debut on

Aston Villa abandoned because of bad light, before Charles Lewis took over at outside left and David Greenaway returned to the side on the right wing.[14]

Arsenal faced

West Bromwich Albion and played no further part in the first team that season.[14][19] Winship married in Newcastle later that year. His wife, Rose Kilpatrick, was one of two domestic servants of a restaurant proprietor in Byker.[20][21][22]

In the

relegated to the Second Division at the end of that season, and promptly re-signed Winship, who had played just twice for Fulham. Questions were asked as to the probity of the transfer – Sir Henry Norris had been and remained a director of Fulham before becoming major shareholder in and chairman of Arsenal[24] – but the Football League's management committee ratified his return.[25] Woolwich Arsenal began the 1913–14 season in their new stadium with the visit of Leicester City on 6 September. The visitors took a one-goal lead, and George Jobey scored the equaliser – Arsenal's first goal at what would become generally known as Highbury – with a header from Winship's corner; Arsenal went on to win the match 2–1 with a second-half penalty.[3]

Later that season, the club dropped the "Woolwich" from its name and began to call itself The Arsenal.[3] Winship scored the first goal for the club under that new name to equalise against Bristol City: Jobey sent a free kick across goal "and Winship, running in, crashed the ball into the net with a magnificent first-time drive".[26] He also scored what would have been a winning goal, had the officials not disallowed it; the game was temporarily halted while the police dealt with displeasure among the home support.[3] Winship never established himself as a first-team regular; his Arsenal career ended when the Football League was suspended for the duration of the First World War, at which point he had played 56 first-team matches.[13]

First World War

Winship returned to

Lance-Corporal Winship played for the 1st Royal Engineers stationed at Newark, Nottinghamshire, against a Derby-based eleven featuring the former England international Steve Bloomer, who was making his first footballing appearance since his return from a German prisoner-of-war camp.[33]

By February 1919, Winship was back in the north-east and playing for

Hartlepools United in the Northern Victory League. He appeared in eight of the fourteen matches and scored twice.[4][34] When league football resumed in the 1919–20 season, he did not return to Arsenal, but became one of a number of former Football League players to sign for the re-formed Darlington club, playing in the North-Eastern League.[35]

Darlington

North-Eastern League

Darlington began the 1919–20 North-Eastern League season well. By mid-October, when Winship contributed two goals to a 5–3 defeat of

Yorkshire Post's reporter, in his absence "there were long spells in the game when Winship, who is very clever when he gets an opening, was left without the slightest chance of gaining distinction."[41] Winship missed a penalty, Birmingham won 4–0, and "it must have been exasperating to the supporters of Darlington to see Winship having such an idle time on the far wing."[41] The Northern Echo suggested that the reason Winship was not himself was "a staggering blow in the face from the Birmingham right half's elbow" received early on in the match.[42]

Winship was a key player in 1920–21.[43] He scored eleven goals,[5] which included the only goal of the away match against Hartlepools United and a penalty in the 3–2 win away to Middlesbrough Reserves,[44][45] as Darlington finished one point ahead of the latter to win the title.[37] They were one of four North-Eastern League teams to be elected to the newly formed Northern Section of the Third Division for the 1921–22 Football League season.[37]

Football League

Within the first minute of Darlington's first Football League match, at home to

assists over the season,[47][48] including one cross that confused Wrexham defenders into giving away an own goal,[49] and scored goals as well, including two in a 7–3 defeat of Durham City,[50] as Darlington finished in second place.[51]

Although Darlington performed rather less well in

Derby Daily Telegraph described him as "quite the most consistent forward in Darlington's weak attack" whom "no inducement has yet proved sufficient" to persuade to leave.[54] Arsenal had retained his registration, and listed him for transfer at a fee of £300, a not inconsiderable sum for a man of nearly 33.[55]

At the end of the next season, Winship was awarded a benefit match, in recognition of his five years' service as "one of the most popular players ever connected with the Skerneside club";[56] he could not play in the match, against a Middlesbrough eleven, because of injury.[57]

He began the 1924–25 season in the reserves, Walter Creasor being preferred at outside left,[58] but soon returned to first-team duties. In their first defeat of the season, away to Rochdale in mid-September, the Athletic News reported that "Winship was the pick of the Darlington forwards, and several of his early centres should have been turned to good account",[59] and two weeks later he produced a "swinging shot which curled into the net" to open the scoring at home to Bradford.[60] Darlington soon established a lead at the top of the division which they were to hold for the rest of the season, despite their team containing numerous "real old stagers", players who were well known before the war.[61][5] Winship himself was still "nippy",[62] despite his veteran status, though not as quick as the outside-right Mark Hooper.[63]

If Darlington wanted to retain Winship's services for their Second Division campaign, Arsenal required payment to release his registration; a fee of £100 was agreed, and he became Darlington's player. Likewise, they had to pay £150 to Bury for the transfer of full-back Tommy Greaves, who had been with the club a similar length of time.[64][65] By October, the team were struggling at the higher level, and Winship and other of the older men were dropped in favour of "younger and speedier players".[66] Darlington retained their Second Division status, and Winship brought his career statistics to 17 goals from 146 Football League matches with the club.[1]

Later life and career

Winship,

Crewe Alexandra.[68] Winship scored what was to prove his only goal for Crewe in a 3–3 draw with Lincoln City in September,[69] but after the game conceded "without hesitation" that the goal should have been disallowed because a teammate was clearly in an offside position.[70] The Derby Daily Telegraph wrote in December that he had been one of Crewe's most consistent players of the season thus far, that his experience counted for much, and despite his advancing years, he was still capable of being a "very powerful and dangerous raider".[71] A few days later, he twisted his knee in a match against his former employers Hartlepools United and was out for four months.[72][73] Appearances in the last three fixtures of the season took his total to 23 in senior competitions for Crewe, and put an end to a Football League career in which he scored 25 goals from 224 matches.[74]

Winship returned to his native north-east of England where he set up in business.[75] In December, he returned to the North-Eastern League with his former club Wallsend (renamed from Wallsend Park Villa).[75] He went on to play for Trimdon Grange, Cockfield, Spen Black and White and Marley Hill UCG before retiring at the age of 40.[10][74] The 1939 Register finds him living with his wife and three adult sons in Second Avenue in the Heaton district of Newcastle and working as a house painter.[76]

Winship died in Newcastle in late 1976 at the age of 86.[2]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Woolwich Arsenal
1910–11[14]
 First Division 6 0 0 0 6 0
1911–12[14]
 First Division 8 2 1 0 9 2
1912–13[14]
 First Division 14 1 0 0 14 1
Total 28 3 1 0 29 3
Fulham
1912–13[74]
 Second Division 2 0 — 0 0
Woolwich Arsenal
1913–14[14]
 Second Division 15 2 0 0 15 0
Arsenal
1914–15[14]
 Second Division 12 2 0 0 12 2
Total 27 4 0 0 27 4
Hartlepools United 1919[4] Northern Victory League 8 2 — 8 2
Darlington 1919–20[5]
North-Eastern League
 13 6 2 6 15
1920–21[5] North-Eastern League 11 3 0 3 11
1921–22[5]
 Third Division North 34 4 4 0 38 4
1922–23[5]
 Third Division North 35 3 2 0 37 3
1923–24[5]
 Third Division North 36 7 4 0 40 7
1924–25[5]
 Third Division North 34 2 5 1 39 3
1925–26[5]
 Second Division 7 1 1 0 8 1
Total 146 41 25 3 171 44
Crewe Alexandra
1926–27[74]
 Third Division North 21 1 2 0 23 1
Career total 232 51 28 3 260 54

Honours

Darlington[5]

  • North-Eastern League
    winners: 1920–21; runners-up: 1919–20
  • 1921–22

Notes

  1. ^ The club was renamed from Woolwich Arsenal to Arsenal in 1914.[3]
  2. ^ Appearances and goals in the Northern Victory League[4]
  3. North-Eastern League are not readily available – Frank Tweddle's Definitive Darlington F.C. lists goalscorers but not lineups for matches in this competition[5] – these figures include only Football League
    appearances and goals.

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6
    .
  2. ^ a b "England & Wales deaths 1837–2007 Transcription". Thomas Winship. Birth date: 14 Jul 1890. Death quarter: 4. Death year: 1976. District: Newcastle upon Tyne. County: Northumberland. Volume: 2. Page: 0757. Retrieved 3 August 2015 – via Findmypast.
  3. ^
    ISBN 1-84596-104-8
    .
  4. ^ a b c d "Wee Winship". In The Mad Crowd. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-1-899468-15-7
    .
  6. ^ "1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription Wilfred Street, Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England". Census reference: RG12 4214 38 24. Retrieved 29 July 2015 – via Findmypast.
  7. ^ "World of Sport". Daily Mirror. London. 2 December 1910. p. 18.
  8. ^ London (2 December 1910). "New player for Woolwich". Daily News. p. 10. The Woolwich Arsenal Football Club have signed on a new player, named Thomas Winship, an outside left, of Wallsend Park Villa, Newcastle. He is 20 years of age, weighs 10st. 7lbs., and is considered to be one of the best junior players in the North.
  9. ^ a b c Red Rover (20 December 1910). "The woes of Woolwich. With the reserves". Woolwich Gazette and Plumstead News. p. 3.
  10. ^
    ISBN 978-1-84596-232-6
    .
  11. ISBN 978-1-899429-03-5
    .
  12. ^ Tynesider (23 December 1912). "Football Features. Local lads at Ayresome". Newcastle Daily Chronicle. p. 10. Although visitors to Ayresome Park sadly missed the figure of Common, the old Middlesbrough player from the Woolwich team, they were keenly interested in the doings of two other local youths in Wee Winship, who hails from Byker, and Randall, the Hobson lad.
  13. ^ a b c "Tommy Winship". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Arsenal first team line-ups". The Arsenal History. Andy Kelly. Retrieved 19 April 2020. Select season required.
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  16. ^ Athleo (9 January 1911). "Best of five. United win a unexpectedly close match". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. p. 3.
  17. ^ Brown, Paul (23 December 2019). "What happened to football on Christmas Day? The lost history of a Victorian tradition". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 22 April 2020. It was customary to play return matches on Christmas Day and Boxing Day against the same opponent, to ensure that paired-up teams had equal distances to travel.
  18. ^ "Arsenal avenged. 'Spurs defeated on a morass at Plumstead". Daily Mirror. London. 27 December 1911. p. 6.
  19. ^ "Arsenal checked. Albion demonstrate marked superiority". Daily Express. London. 18 March 1912. p. 8.
  20. ^ "England & Wales marriages 1837–2008 Transcription". Thomas Winship. Marriage quarter: 3. Marriage year: 1912. Spouse's last name: Kilpatrick. District: Newcastle upon Tyne. County: Northumberland. Volume: 10B. Page: 206. Retrieved 3 August 2015 – via Findmypast.
  21. ^ "1911 England Census for Rose Kirpatrick". Census of England and Wales, 1911. RG14 30687 0583 – via Ancestry Library Edition.
  22. ^ "Those Who Proudly Served: 4449147 Pte Anthony Corkhill 2 DLI". Durham Light Infantry 1920–1946. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  23. ^ Mancunian (14 March 1913). "Important transfer". Manchester Courier. p. 2.
  24. ^ Attwood, Tony; Kelly, Andy; Andrews, Mark (13 May 2014). "When Arsenal died one man stepped up and rescued the club. The story of May 1910". The History of Arsenal. AISA Arsenal History Society. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  25. ^ "English Football League settle transfers and players' claims". Dundee Courier. 14 June 1913. p. 7. An explanation as to the transfer of Winship from Fulham to Woolwich, about which there had been some doubt, was accepted.
  26. ^ "City's creditable draw". Western Daily Press. Bristol. 6 April 1914. p. 9.
  27. ^ "Charity match in Newcastle". Newcastle Daily Journal. 9 October 1915. p. 11.
  28. ^ "Association football". Newcastle Daily Journal. 22 March 1916. p. 9.
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  30. ^ "Football. Association". Yorkshire Post. 11 September 1916. p. 10.
  31. ^ "Football. Notes on to-day's matches". Yorkshire Post. 24 November 1917. p. 12.
  32. ^ "Sports and pastimes". Grantham Journal. 7 September 1918. p. 7.
  33. ^ "Steve Bloomer's re-appearance". Derby Daily Telegraph. 7 December 1918. p. 3.
  34. ^ "1918/19". In The Mad Crowd. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  35. ^ The Ranger (27 August 1919). "North-Eastern League. Prospects of the competition". Sunderland Daily Echo. p. 4.
  36. ^ "North-Eastern League". Yorkshire Post. 13 October 1919. p. 12.
  37. ^ a b c Abbink, Dinant (6 December 2006). "England – North Eastern League". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  38. ^ J.W.H. (22 December 1919). "English Cup and League surprises". Daily Mirror. London. p. 11.
  39. ^ Free Lance (14 January 1920). "Wednesday's tie. Goalless draw wth Darlington at Feethams". Yorkshire Telegraph & Star. p. 8.
  40. ^ Free Lance (19 January 1920). "Cup replay. Wednesday forwards' missed chances". Yorkshire Telegraph & Star. p. 5.
  41. ^ a b "Birmingham v. Darlington. Darlington easily defeated". Yorkshire Post. 2 February 1920. p. 5.
  42. ^ Lloyd, Chris (1 February 2020). "The day non-leaguers Darlington FC were too good for Sheffield Wednesday". The Northern Echo. Darlington. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  43. ^ a b c Lloyd, Chris (16 August 2003). "The day Feethams started life as a football ground". The Northern Echo. Darlington. p. 10 – via Newsbank.
  44. ^ "North-Eastern League. Hartlepools United v. Darlington". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 28 January 1921. p. 5.
  45. ^ "North-Eastern League". Yorkshire Post. 4 January 1921. p. 12.
  46. ^ "Darlington v. Halifax Town". Yorkshire Post. 29 August 1921. p. 4.
  47. ^ "Lincoln's ill-luck". Lincolnshire Echo. 19 November 1921. p. 4.
  48. ^ "Darlington v. Walsall". Yorkshire Post. 3 January 1922. p. 4.
  49. ^ "Darlington v. Wrexham". Yorkshire Post. 17 October 1921. p. 12.
  50. ^ "Durham City v. Darlington: heavy scoring". Yorkshire Post. 24 October 1921.
  51. ^ "Darlington". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  52. ^ "Drawn game at Darlington". Yorkshire Post. 3 January 1923. p. 12.
  53. ^ "Darlington v. Stalybridge Celtic". Yorkshire Post. 8 January 1923. p. 4.
  54. ^ "North and South". Derby Daily Telegraph. 3 March 1923. p. 4.
  55. ^ "The Football League. Benefit matches and transfers sanctioned". Nottingham Evening Post. 12 March 1923. p. 6.
  56. ^ "Sports items". Derbyshire Times. 26 January 1924. p. 9.
  57. ^ "Untitled". Yorkshire Post. 24 April 1924. p. 11.
  58. ^ "World of Sport. Darlington's selections". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 28 August 1924. p. 5.
  59. ^ "Rochdale's rally. Darlington beaten after a plucky fight". Athletic News. Manchester. 15 September 1924. p. 7.
  60. ^ "Darlington's remarkable home record". Yorkshire Post. 29 September 1924. p. 3.
  61. ^ "North and South". Derby Daily Telegraph. 27 December 1924. p. 4.
  62. ^ "In the world of sport. "The Quakers'" famous men". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 22 April 1925. p. 11.
  63. ^ Athleticus (8 April 1925). "The duel with Darlington". Burnley Express. p. 6.
  64. ^ "World of Sport. Another "Quaker" re-engaged". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 16 May 1925. p. 5. His transfer is nominally held by The Arsenal, and is necessary before he can play in Second League Football, but negotiations have so far proceeded as to justify the directors re-engaging him.
  65. ^ An outside right (20 May 1925). "Close season chatter. Coaches not popular in England; Darlington happy". Derby Daily Telegraph. p. 6.
  66. ^ "Promotion points". Derby Daily Telegraph. 10 October 1925. p. 4.
  67. ^ "Signings-on". Daily Express. London. 20 May 1926. p. 12.
  68. ^ "Tomorrow's football. Crewe Alexandra v. Lincoln City". Lincolnshire Echo. 17 September 1926. p. 4.
  69. ^ "Crewe Alexandra v. Lincoln City. Lincoln's smart recovery". Yorkshire Post. 20 September 1926. p. 4.
  70. ^ "Lincoln's fight at Crewe. Offside goal saves Railwaymen". Lincolnshire Echo. 20 September 1926. p. 2.
  71. ^ "North and South". Derby Daily Telegraph. 18 December 1926. p. 4.
  72. ^ "Bee's Notes on sport of the day". Liverpool Echo. 31 December 1926. p. 10.
  73. ^ Forward (23 April 1927). "Crewe Alexandra. Gratifying results in holiday matches". Staffordshire Sentinel. p. 6.
  74. ^ a b c d "Player search: Winship, T (Thomas 'Wee')". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  75. ^ a b "Sporting notes. Winship with Wallsend again". Newcastle Daily Journal. 3 December 1927. p. 15. Wallsend Football Club have signed on T. Winship, outside left, a former popular player of the club, who a few years ago was transferred to Woolwich Arsenal, and afterwards played for Darlington and Crewe. Winship had offers from a number of clubs for this season, but preferred to remain at Wallsend, where he has commenced business.
  76. ^ "1939 England and Wales Register for Thomas Winship". 1939 Register. 38 Second Avenue Newcastle-on-Tyne North – via Ancestry Library Edition.
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