Tom Finney

Left: 1953 Cup Winners Blackpool appear on the popular TV show

What’s My Line?

Opposite: Argentina score against England at Wembley when the teams meet for the first time in May 1951. Argentina's defence held on to their 1-0 lead until Mortensen equalised from a header and Milburn hit the back of the net 10 minutes before time.

Above: Tom Finney trains with the England team at Stamford Bridge.

Dubbed the "Preston Plumber", Tom Finney was a brilliant ball-playing winger A contemporary of Stanley Matthews, he shared many of Matthews' creative and skilful qualities. However; he was a much more versatile player; Matthews concentrated on being simply the best outside-right of his era. Finney was two-footed and could operate on either wing, and he also played as a central striker He played throughout his career for Preston North End and his 187 goals in 24 seasons for the club remains a record at Deepdale - testimony to his clinical finish; but Finney was also a provider for other strikers. His loyalty to his home-town club probably cost him in terms of silverware, for he ended his illustrious career with no major honours.

Nevertheless, his talents did not go unnoticed and he earned 76 England caps. During his service for the national side he bagged 30 goals in 76 appearances which set a new record. Even now, on the list of all time record England scorers he lies at joint third, alongside Nat Lofthouse and Alan Shearer

He received a rare footballing accolade in being twice named Footballer of the Year; in 1954 and 1957. And Bill Shankly a former team-mate, once famously said that Finney would have been brilliant in any era, ‘even if he’d been wearing an overcoat'. Rewarded for his loyalty to Preston and his services to football, Tom Finney became club president at Deepdale, and was knighted in 1998.

England

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