Hindle: Thomas (Tom)

1943-1948 (Player Details) (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Inside Forward/Winger

Born: Keighley: 22-02-1921

Debut: v Middlesbrough (h) (F.A. Cup): 05-01-1946

5’8” 11st (1946)

A product of Ingnow Council School in Keighley, Hindle captained Keighley Boys and had trials with Bradford City before joining Leeds. During World War Two he worked for an engineering firm and joined United on a permanent basis from Keighley Town in September 1943. He made his debut at Inside Left in a 3-0 home win over Middlesbrough on 25th September 1943 in the 1943-44 Football League Northern Section (First Championship) and then featured regularly from then, missing only eighteen matches until the Football League fixtures recommenced. He was the club’s top scorer in the 1944/45 season, banging in 26 goals, in the two competitions.He played ninety-six War-time games, scoring thirty-nine times, and was in the side when peacetime football resumed in 1946. Although he played eleven games in the 1946-47 season he was not a regular, mostly playing second fiddle to John Short, and it wasn’t until he became a Winger, mostly at Outside Left, that he regained his place on a regular basis in the second half of the 1947-48 season. He held his regular spot at Outside Left until, in February 1949, he went to York City in an exchange deal involving Jimmy Rudd and he made his final appearance for Leeds in a 1-1 away draw with Bradford Park Avenue on 9th October 1948. After scoring twice on his debut with the Minstermen in a 2-2 draw with Bradford City at Valley Parade on 12th February 1949, he only added one more in scoring three goals in nineteen games in his seven month stay at Bootham Crescent. He had a spell with Halifax Town from September 1949 to March 1952, scoring seventeen goals in eighty-five appearances. His next move was to Rochdale where he played from March to June 1952, scoring once in six appearances, before going to Lancashire Combination club Wigan Athletic, where he stayed until joining another Lancashire Combination club, Nelson, in June 1955. During the War his brother played for East Fife. He retired from football and lived in Keighley. He died on 15th August 2011 in the Airedale Hospital