Tom Finney, the plumber who revolutionized English football

Last update 26 March, 2024 by Alberto Llopis

Football in the decade of the 50 It was another story, almost we speak of a time when football was in its infancy far from professional sports today where a story would be unthinkable like Tom Finney, a player of Preston triumphing on the pitch when ended his long, hard day repairing water leaks at home.

Tom Finney, the goal plumber

Tom Finney was known as “Preston Plumber”. And that combined his football with his office by going to the emergency room at home, repairing water leaks and addressing the problems caused by annoying flooding when a pipe breaks or becomes clogged. And despite all this, chroniclers of the time say Finney English was the most complete player of the time. Among them it is Bill Shankly, legendary Liverpool manager.

It was a big one in the British Isles but unknown outside them for two reasons: the Second World War which cut its progression and coincide in time with it one of the best players that has given English football in its history, the long-lived Sir Stanley Matthews. Above they played in the same position although their play was very different.

The press compared him to Stanley Matthews

As often happens in these cases and it happened in England that the 50-60, The press sought comparisons and even confrontations between the two.. But the truth is that they got along so well that even Matthews Finney included in his biography as one of the best ever alongside Pele, Maradona etc.. Both shared selection for 21 parties. Finney in total wore the English jacket in 76 occasions.

So the young man who had to combine for a time his work as a plumber with the world of football, besides having been called up in the Second World War, He became one of the best of his time. But unfortunately falling into oblivion in the general public. It would have been another thing in today's world with Youtube, Google e Internet in general. In short, which possibly he would never have gone unnoticed. But that was another football, another time, more romantic.