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Tom Willighan

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Thomas Willighan
Personal information
Full name Thomas Willighan
Date of birth (1903-03-22)22 March 1903
Place of birth Belfast, Northern Ireland
Date of death 7 July 1936(1936-07-07) (aged 33)
Place of death Belfast, Northern Ireland
Position(s) Full back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
pre-1924 Forth River FC
1924–1927 St. Mary's FC
1927-1929 Willowfield FC
1929–1934 Burnley FC 61
International career
1932-1933 Northern Ireland national football team 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Tom (Thomas) Willighan (22 March 1903 - 7 July 1936) was an Irish full-back football player. He was capped twice for the Ireland national football team (Northern Ireland), played five seasons for Burnley FC and won leagues and cups during his early days in his hometown of Belfast.

Early Days

Tom Willighan began his playing career in Belfast for Forth River FC, St Mary's FC and Willowfield FC.

He was captain of the St. Mary's team that won the Steel and Sons Cup in the 1925-26 season, beating Summerfield 4-0 in the final.

After moving to Willowfield FC, he again tasted victory in the Steel and Sons in 1927-28, beating Ormiston 2-1 in a final replay. This was a remarkable season for the club as they won the Irish Cup that year, becoming the first from outside the Irish League to win the Irish Cup since the League's formation in 1890. They defeated Larne 1-0 in the final at Windsor Park. Also that season, Willowfield won the Irish Intermediate League and Irish Intermediate Cup. Four trophies, including the Irish Cup, in one season - an amazing achievement.

Burnley

He moved to English First Division side Burnley in 1929 and made his debut against Manchester United in March 1930. However, the team finished in 21st place and were relegated down to the Second Division. He was a strong, robust defender and made sixty-one appearances over a further four seasons for the Lancashire club. His career ended in late 1933 after suffering a serious leg injury playing against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Tom never recovered from the injury and returned home to Belfast.

International

Willighan twice represented Ireland (now known as Northern Ireland). On 7 December 1932, he was a defender in the 4-1 defeat to Wales at Wrexham and on 16 September 1933 he was in the starting XI that beat Scotland 2-1 in Glasgow.

Personal Life

Tom Willighan was the third of ten children born in Cambrai Street, Belfast. He married Alice Bradshaw in Burnley in 1934 and witness to their wedding were Burnley team-mate and best friend George Waterfield, along with wife Nellie.

Tragedy struck two years later when Tom died from cancer on 7 July 1936 at the age of 33. His son Thomas Waterfield Willighan was just 5 months old. Thomas Jnr still lives in Burnley with his family.

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