Tommy Duff

Thomas Edwin Duff (q4 1905 – q3 1951) was an English footballer who played as an outside left in the Football League for Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic and Darlington. He was on the books of Huddersfield Town without representing them in the league.[1]

For other people named Thomas Duff, see Thomas Duff (disambiguation).

Tommy Duff
Personal information
Full name Thomas Edwin Duff[1]
Date of birth q4 1905[2]
Place of birth West Cornforth, County Durham, England
Date of death q3 1951 (aged 45)
Place of death Canterbury, Kent, England
Height 5 ft 9 1⁄2 in (1.77 m)[3]
Position(s) Outside left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
192?–1925 Bishop Auckland
1925–1928 Huddersfield Town 0 (0)
1928–19?? Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 3 (0)
1930 Darlington 2 (0)
1930–19?? Crook Town
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Duff was born in West Cornforth, County Durham,[1] the second child of Thomas Duff, a bricklayer, and his wife Elizabeth.[4] He began his football career as an amateur with Northern League club Bishop Auckland, and his performances earned him selection for a Football Association Amateur XI to face an Army XI – the Army won 9–0[5] – and, in November 1925, a move to Football League First Division club Huddersfield Town.[6] Initially, Duff retained his amateur status with Huddersfield, but he turned professional in September 1926.[3] He played for their reserve team in the Central League,[7] but not for the first team. He came close on one occasion: with undisputed first-choice outside-left Billy Smith absent on representative duty with the Football League XI, Duff would have been the obvious replacement, had he not been injured.[8]

Duff moved on to Third Division South club Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, for whom he made his Football League debut during the 1928–29 season. He finished the season, and his spell with the club, with three league appearances.[1] Ahead of the 1930–31 season, Duff joined Third Division Darlington on a month's trial.[9][10] He scored for the reserves,[11] and played twice in the league[1] – he hit the post near the end of the match after Darlington let slip a two-goal lead against Hull City,[12] – but was not taken on permanently because of what the Northern Daily Mail called the "brilliance" of Peter Bell and Reuben Vine.[10] In September 1930, he signed for North Eastern League club Crook Town.[10]

Duff died in Canterbury, Kent, in 1951 at the age of 45.[13]

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 79. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. "England & Wales births 1837–2006 Transcription". Thomas Edwin Duff. Birth year: 1905. Quarter: 4. District: Sedgefield. County: Durham. Volume: 10A. Page: 112. Retrieved 16 November 2014 – via Findmypast.
  3. "Signed for Huddersfield". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 9 September 1926. p. 13 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription Reading Room St West Cornforth, Cornforth, Durham, England". Thomas Duff. Age: 5. Birthplace: Durham West Cornforth. Census reference: RG14PN29689 RG78PN1720 RD546 SD2 ED8 SN151. Retrieved 16 November 2014 – via Findmypast.
  5. "F.A. team overwhelmed by the Army team at York". Yorkshire Post. 19 November 1925. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "Huddersfield's latest acquisition". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 11 November 1925. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "New player for 'Town'". Yorkshire Post. 18 March 1927. p. 16 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Town's amateur winger". Yorkshire Post. 10 March 1928. p. 23 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "No title". Yorkshire Post. 27 August 1930. p. 16 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "West Cornforth player for Crook". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 23 September 1930. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "North-Eastern League". Lancashire Daily Post. 8 September 1930. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "Hull's winning rally". Yorkshire Post. 11 September 1930. p. 17 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "England & Wales deaths 1837–2007 Transcription". Thomas E. Duff. Age: 45. Death quarter: 3. Death year: 1951. District: Canterbury. County: Kent. Volume: 5B. Page: 192. Retrieved 16 November 2014 – via Findmypast.
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