| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas White | ||
| Date of birth | (1939-08-12)12 August 1939 | ||
| Place of birth | Musselburgh, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 17 December 2019(2019-12-17) (aged 80) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1959 | Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1959–1962 | Raith Rovers | 30 | (11) |
| 1962–1963 | St Mirren | 35 | (20) |
| 1963–1965 | Hearts | 37 | (30) |
| 1965–1966 | Aberdeen | 14 | (4) |
| 1966–1968 | Crystal Palace | 39 | (13) |
| 1968–1969 | Blackpool | 34 | (9) |
| 1969–1971 | Bury | 48 | (13) |
| 1971–1972 | Crewe Alexandra | 4 | (0) |
| Total | 241 | (100) | |
| International career | |||
| 1964[1] | SFL trial v SFA | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1990 | Blackpool (caretaker-manager) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Thomas White (12 August 1939 – 17 December 2019) was a Scottish professionalfootballer. He played as aforward.
A prolific scorer during his early career withRaith Rovers, White's time at Rovers was shortened by two years ofNational Service, during which time he played for theBritish Army. He also played forSt Mirren, then managed byJackie Cox. White joinedHearts for £8,000 in November 1963 and was soon dubbed "Goal-a-game White" by the local media.[2] His attacking partnership withWillie Wallace was particularly effective and earned the sobriquet the "W-formation", White's abrasive, bustling style complementing Wallace.[3] In tandem, they scored 48 goals during the1963–64 season; however, White's progress was interrupted when he suffered severe injuries in a car crash inWallyford.[2]
White remained a regular in the Hearts side up until January 1965; however, withDonald Ford blossoming into first-team contention, managerTommy Walker saw fit to allow White to go, and in June 1965 he moved toAberdeen in an exchange deal forDon Kerrigan.[2]
White moved toCrystal Palace, then playing in theSecond Division, in May 1966, in a combined deal along with teammateJohn McCormick. He scored 14 times for Palace in 40 appearances, in all competitions, before moving toBlackpool in February 1968.[4]
He finished his playing career with a short spell atCrewe Alexandra in1971–72. He later became a director of Blackpool for 12 years only to be ousted by the then new chairman of the club,Owen Oyston.[2]
White was the younger brother ofJohn White andEddie White, both professional footballers.[5]
In July 1964 his 27-year-old brother John was killed atCrews Hill Golf Course, Enfield, by alightning-strike. That year in November, White played in a testimonial match for his sibling for Tottenham Hotspur against aScotland national side; 25,000 spectators paid their respects, as, despite White's goal, Scotland won 6–2.[3][1]
White died on 17 December 2019, aged 80.[6]