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Tom Butler (footballer, died 1923)

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Tom Butler
Butler in a Port Vale squad photo in 1923
Personal information
Full name Thomas Butler
Place of birth Darlaston, England
Date of death (1923-11-11)11 November 1923
Place of death Hackney, England
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)[1]
Position(s) Inside-left
Youth career
Willenhall
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1921–1922 Walsall 28 (12)
1922 Darlaston
1922–1923 Port Vale 32 (11)
Total 60 (23)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thomas Butler (died 11 November 1923) was an English footballer who played as an inside-left. He played 60 league games in the English Football League, scoring 23 goals. He played for non-League Willenhall, before spending the 1921–22 season at Walsall. He joined Port Vale via Darlaston in December 1922. He broke his arm in a game on 3 November 1923 and died eight days later from a subsequent tetanus infection.

Career

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Butler started his career at Birmingham & District League side Willenhall before joining Walsall in 1921.[2] He played 28 Third Division North games for the "Saddlers" in 1921–22, scoring 12 goals. He then returned to semi-professional football with Darlaston.

He had a one-month trial at Second Division Port Vale in December 1922, and manager Joe Schofield signed him permanently for £100 the following month. Butler was a huge success in the 1922–23 season, becoming top scorer with nine goals in 26 games. At the end of the season, he played in a defeat to local rivals Stoke in the North Staffordshire Infirmary Cup. He started 1923–24 by scoring in a defeat to Stoke at The Old Recreation Ground. However, after scoring in a 1–1 draw with Clapton Orient on 3 November, he suffered a compound fracture of the left arm; he died from tetanus (also called lockjaw) eight days later in Hackney Hospital after complications had set in.[3] The club paid his widow the rest of his wages. Other clubs donated money to provide his widow with a £700 benefit fund.[4]

Career statistics

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Source:[5]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Walsall 1921–22 Third Division North 28 12 6 3 34 15
Port Vale 1922–23 Second Division 25 9 0 0 25 9
1923–24 Second Division 7 2 0 0 7 2
Total 32 11 0 0 32 11

References

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  1. ^ "The lure of promotion. Port Vale". Athletic News. Manchester. 13 August 1923. p. 6.
  2. ^ Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 45. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
  3. ^ Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 49. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  4. ^ Fielding, Rob (6 June 2017). "Cult hero 63: Tom Butler". onevalefan.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  5. ^ Tom Butler at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)