Mitchell: Thomas Morris (Tom)

1926-1931 (Player Details)

Outside Left

Born: Spennymoor: 13-09-1899

Debut: v Sunderland (h): 06-11-1926

5’9” 11st 6lb (1930)

Mitchell was one of the most popular players at Leeds during the inter-war years. He played little football at school but was talked into playing for Durham area junior club, Parkside United. He also played for Tudhoe United, Blyth Spartans and Spennymoor United, and cost Newcastle United £100 in 1920,to take him from non-League football with the latter, but he was a very classy player indeed and a bargain. Talented and pacy he was a goal-creator of merit. Although he spent most of his time at Newcastle in the shadow of the legendary Stan Seymour his form in the 1921-22 season was good enough to keep even him out. But he spent almost half of his five and a half seasons there in the Reserves and he jumped at the chance to join Leeds, who paid £785 in November 1926. While at St James’ Park he scored five goals in sixty League games and also played in one F.A. Cup tie. His pace and skill were two factors behind United’s 1927-28 promotion season, when he played in every game. He continued to delight the crowds until he joined York City in September 1931. He scored five times in twenty-three League appearances for York City, playing until he was well into his thirties. He also holds the distinction of scoring the first goal ever scored at Bootham Crescent, when he opened the scoring for York on 31st August 1932 in a 2-2 draw with Stockport County. He coached for several summers in Norway and before the end of the war when he was an RAF pilot stationed in Norway, he and was married in Oslo Cathedral. He was appointed York City Manager in March 1937. On demob he returned to York and was Manager from 1946 until he resigned in February 1950. He later became a York City Director and soccer coach to Yorkshire Schools. He also excelled at Tennis, ran a Sports Shop in Whitley Bay in his Newcastle days and then had a similar shop in York and later took a pub in Leeds. He died in York on 22nd November 1984.