Tommy Finn | |||||||
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OVERALL STATISTICS | |||||||
| BIRTH | AGE | SIGNED ON | FROM | ||||
| DEBUT | LAST MATCH | LEFT | |||||
| CAREER | APPEARANCES (SUBS) | ||||||
| TRIES | GOALS | DGOALS | PTS | ||||
Biography of Tommy Finn | ||||
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 HERITAGE NO : 705 This lively and gifted scrum half showed great promise when he signed for his local club in 1951. He was given first team duties almost immediately and played eight matches for the Saints during the rest of the campaign. Tom scored a try in the narrow away loss to Whitehaven in January 1952 but played just one further game for the Saints. His last match was against Hull FC and it was those opponents who enticed him to continue his career in East Yorkshire.Tom went on to play regularly for the Airlie Birds and featured in the 1959 Challenge Cup Final against Wigan when he scored a fine try, only to be outdone by a rampant Wigan team that day. Dave Dooley Alex Service wrote this obituary of the lad from Thatto Heath Farewell Tommy FinnSt Helens RFC Heritage Number #705Born St Helens 18th December 1933Died Billinge 21st May 2021It is sad to report that another of Saints’ former players, scrum-half Tommy Finn, has passed away at the age of 87 after a long illness. Tommy Finn was a prominent member of the St Austins school team in the early days after the second world war. On field clashes with near neighbours Grange Park were eagerly anticipated and played in front of large crowd in what were halcyon days for junior rugby league. Norman Owen was a winger with Grange Park and remembers just how prominent Tommy was for the opposition: “He was what you would call a real hard knock, strong and fast for his size, with a terrific hand-off. He came from Upland Road and Tommy was one of three brothers who all played rugby.” It was no surprise to see the Lancashire schoolboy representative signed by the Saints and he became a member of a strong A team just before coach Jim Sullivan took over the coaching reins at Knowsley Road. He made his debut on Christmas Day 1951 at Leigh, when his stand-off was another local product, Jimmy Honey. Saints lost 3-13 that day and Tommy made 8 appearances in total during the 1951-52 campaign. His last match in the red and white jersey was against Hull at the Boulevard on 5th April 1952 when the visitors lost 7-14. Tommy’s stand-off partner was Duggie Greenall, with Jimmy Honey on the wing. Hull must have noted the potential of Saints’ young number 7. Fast forward to December 1954 and as a result of a surplus of half-backs at Knowsley Road, he was signed by the East Yorkshire club, after initially being placed on the transfer list at £500. He went on to make 375 appearances in just over ten years for the Airlie Birds, scoring 132 tries. Tommy played at Wembley, twice, although on the losing side and helped the Humbersiders to two title triumphs in 1955-56 and 1957-58. In retrospect, Tommy’s departure could have been seen as damaging to Saints’ future team-building plans, yet a few years later the St Austins ‘rugby academy’ went on to produce two more half-backs who would more than make their mark on Saints’ history: Alex Murphy and Austin Rhodes. There was always a reminder of Tommy for television viewers in the 1960s, when he was featured in the opening sequences of BBCs Saturday afternoon Grandstand programme. Tommy is one of many rugby league stars who have been produced not just in the Thatto Heath area, but in our town over the years and gives us all a tremendous sense of civic pride. | ||||
PLAYER HONOURS | ||||
SEASON STATISTICS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season (Official Matches) | Tries | Goals | DGoals | Matches |
| 1951~52 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| TOTALS: | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Season (Other Matches) | Tries | Goals | DGoals | Matches |
| TOTALS: | ||||
ALL MATCHES | ||||
| Date | Match | Pos | Opponents | Comp | Venue | FT | FTO | T | G | DG | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25th Dec 1951 | 1 | L |
7 | Leigh | L | A | 3 | 13 | VIEW | |||
| 26th Dec 1951 | 2 | D |
7 | Wigan | L | H | 2 | 2 | VIEW | |||
| 29th Dec 1951 | 3 | L |
7 | Swinton | L | A | 2 | 27 | VIEW | |||
| 1st Jan 1952 | 4 | W |
7 | Leigh | L | H | 9 | 0 | VIEW | |||
| 5th Jan 1952 | 5 | L |
7 | Belle Vue Rangers | L | H | 5 | 6 | VIEW | |||
| 12th Jan 1952 | 6 | W |
7 | Batley | L | H | 22 | 2 | VIEW | |||
| 19th Jan 1952 | 7 | L |
7 | Whitehaven | L | A | 5 | 7 | 1 | VIEW | ||
| 5th Apr 1952 | 8 | L |
7 | Hull | L | A | 7 | 14 | VIEW |
| *Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub. |
| WINS : 2 | LOSSES : 5 | DRAWS : 1 |
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GALLERY |
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