Tom Finney (1946–1960, Preston North End and England)

Tom Finney was one of the finest forwards of the post-war era, born in Preston in 1922. He spent his entire Football League career with his home town club, Preston North End, making more than 400 league appearances and scoring over 200 goals in all competitions.

Able to play on either wing or through the middle, he combined close dribbling skill with an eye for goal. Preston refused a lucrative approach from Palermo in 1952, and Finney remained at the club for the rest of his playing days.

He helped Preston North End win the Second Division title in 1950-51 and reached the FA Cup final in 1954. He was voted Footballer of the Year twice, in 1954 and 1957, the first player to receive the award two times. Known as the “Preston Plumber” because he kept up his trade during his playing days, he earned a reputation as a model professional who was never cautioned or sent off in his career.

For England he won 76 caps and scored 30 goals between 1946 and 1958, appearing at the 1950, 1954 and 1958 World Cups. He retired in 1960 after a long-standing injury. He was appointed OBE in 1961 and CBE in 1992, and was knighted in 1998. He was an inaugural inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

1948 Barratt Famous Footballers Tom Finney

1948

Barratt Famous Footballers

1948 Turf Footballers Tom Finney

1948

Turf Footballers WITH TABS

Turf Cigarettes #41 Tom Finney

1941

Turf Cigarettes #41

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Tom Finney – Rookie Cards and Significant Others

As his career began in the 1940s, Finney’s earliest cards are post-war British trade and cigarette issues, and he continued to appear in popular trade sets through the 1950s. The 1948 Turf Cigarettes Footballers #41 is among the most sought after, one of the classic cigarette issues of the period.

His earliest and most collectable issues include:

  • 1946-47 Birmingham Evening Gazette These Are Soccer Stars New Series #53
  • 1948 Kiddys Favourites Popular Footballers #23
  • 1948 S&B Products Torry Gillick’s Internationals #63
  • 1948 Turf Cigarettes Footballers #41
  • 1948-49 Barratt & Co. Famous Footballers
  • 1949-50 Barratt & Co. Famous Footballers
  • 1950 Clifford Footballers #39

See the 2002 Hall of Fame Inductees or browse the full list.