Tom Miller (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Tom Miller was a Scottish
footballer who played for Liverpool
during the early part of the 20th century.
, Scotland
, Miller played for Larkhall Hearts, Third Lanark, Lanark United and Hamilton Academical
before manager Tom Watson
brought him to Anfield
in February 1912 for £400. Miller made his debut in a home Football League First Division
match against The Wednesday
on the 17 February 1912, a game that finished 1-1, his first goal came a fortnight later on the 2 March, a division 1 match, again, at home, and again, in a 1-1 draw, this time with Middlesbrough
, a game that saw the debut of a Liverpool great, winger Bill Lacey.
The inside forward was a main stay of the Reds line-up and helped the club reach their first FA Cup
on the 25 April 1914, unfortunately the game ended in a 1-0 defeat to Burnley
. Despite the result the day will always be remembered as it was to be the last time the show-piece final was to be played at the Crystal Palace
ground but, more significantly, it was also the first time the final was played in front of a reigning monarch, George V
.
Tom's career was curtailed by 4 years due to World War I
but he did return to the Merseyside
club in 1919 after the wars conclusion, he found the going good too, banging in a very respectable 13 goals in 25 matches, better than a goal every other game. Tom's brother John was also at the club by this time but they only appeared in 3 games together, John only made the first team 8 times in all, the first time the Miller's appeared together was in a league game at Boundary Park
against Oldham
on the 2 April 1920, a game that finished 1-1.
This 1919/20 season was to be Miller's last for the Reds as he was transferred to bitter rivals Man Utd
on the 23 September 1920, although this wasn't before he managed to earn himself a descent goals per game ratio at Anfield scoring 56 times in 146 appearances averaging a goal every 2.6 games. Miller also played for Hearts
, Torquay
, Hamilton for a second spell and Raith
before he drew a curtain on his career.
Tom was selected at international level, by Scotland, 3 times, is debut came whilst he was still at Liverpool in an amazing British Championship
fixture at Hillsborough on the 10 April 1920, the game saw Tom score twice (13th & 40th minutes) but still finish on the losing side as England
won 5-4 after being 2-4 down at half-time. Two of Liverpool's all-time greats were also playing in the match, keeper Sam Hardy
and club captain Ephraim Longworth
were in the England line-up.
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
footballer who played for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
during the early part of the 20th century.
Life and playing career
Born in Motherwell, North LanarkshireNorth Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Miller played for Larkhall Hearts, Third Lanark, Lanark United and Hamilton Academical
Hamilton Academical F.C.
Hamilton Academical Football Club, often known as Hamilton Academical, or Accies, are a Scottish football club from Hamilton in South Lanarkshire. They were established in 1874 from the school football team at Hamilton Academy. They remain the only professional club in British football to have...
before manager Tom Watson
Tom Watson (football)
Tom Watson was an English football manager who managed Sunderland A.F.C. and Liverpool F.C. around the turn of the 20th century....
brought him to Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
in February 1912 for £400. Miller made his debut in a home Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
match against The Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
on the 17 February 1912, a game that finished 1-1, his first goal came a fortnight later on the 2 March, a division 1 match, again, at home, and again, in a 1-1 draw, this time with Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, a game that saw the debut of a Liverpool great, winger Bill Lacey.
The inside forward was a main stay of the Reds line-up and helped the club reach their first FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
on the 25 April 1914, unfortunately the game ended in a 1-0 defeat to Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
. Despite the result the day will always be remembered as it was to be the last time the show-piece final was to be played at the Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
The National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in south London, England is a large sports centre and athletics stadium. It was opened in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park, close to the site of the former Crystal Palace, in the former parkland and also usurping part of the former grand prix circuit.It was...
ground but, more significantly, it was also the first time the final was played in front of a reigning monarch, George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.
Tom's career was curtailed by 4 years due to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
but he did return to the Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
club in 1919 after the wars conclusion, he found the going good too, banging in a very respectable 13 goals in 25 matches, better than a goal every other game. Tom's brother John was also at the club by this time but they only appeared in 3 games together, John only made the first team 8 times in all, the first time the Miller's appeared together was in a league game at Boundary Park
Boundary Park
Boundary Park is the main sports stadium of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies at the northwestern extremity of Oldham, with the towns of Royton and Chadderton lying immediately north and west respectively, giving rise to the name Boundary Park....
against Oldham
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
on the 2 April 1920, a game that finished 1-1.
This 1919/20 season was to be Miller's last for the Reds as he was transferred to bitter rivals Man Utd
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
on the 23 September 1920, although this wasn't before he managed to earn himself a descent goals per game ratio at Anfield scoring 56 times in 146 appearances averaging a goal every 2.6 games. Miller also played for Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
, Torquay
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
, Hamilton for a second spell and Raith
Raith Rovers F.C.
Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the...
before he drew a curtain on his career.
Tom was selected at international level, by Scotland, 3 times, is debut came whilst he was still at Liverpool in an amazing British Championship
British Championship
The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. It has been run under various formats and titles since 1930 and contested annually since 1966...
fixture at Hillsborough on the 10 April 1920, the game saw Tom score twice (13th & 40th minutes) but still finish on the losing side as England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
won 5-4 after being 2-4 down at half-time. Two of Liverpool's all-time greats were also playing in the match, keeper Sam Hardy
Sam Hardy
Samuel Hardy was a former England-international goalkeeper.In 1902, Chesterfield manager Jack Hoskin beat Derby County to sign Hardy, doing so under a lamp post in Newbold. Hardy, something of a shrewd character, wouldn't sign the forms until Hoskin promised to pay him 18 shillings when the...
and club captain Ephraim Longworth
Ephraim Longworth
Ephraim Longworth , was an England international footballer for Liverpool in the early part of the twentieth century.-Life and playing career:...
were in the England line-up.
Career details
- Liverpool F.C. (1912 - 1920) 146 appearances, 56 goals - FA Cup runners up medal, this included 4 years lost to the Great War Scotland 3 appearances (1 whilst with Liverpool), 2 goals (Both whilst with Liverpool)