GoS: Player Details

TOMMY BRIERCLIFFE

Note: One record book says that Argyle lost 1-0 against Swindon on 30 Mar 1907, but newspaper reports prove that it was a 1-1 draw, with Briercliffe scoring the goal. His total goal count therefore differs from at least one other source.

Full Name: Thomas Briercliffe

Born: 05 March 1874

Came from: Woolwich Arsenal Went to: Brentford

First game: 02 September 1905 Last game: 27 April 1907

Appearances: 89 (89/0) Goals: 17

Briercliffe was born in Blackburn and began his career with local side St Lukes Wheelton before a spell with another nearby club, Clitheroe. In 1897 he joined Blackburn Rovers, spending three seasons at Ewood Park, where he scored 10 goals in 56 appearances, playing mainly as a winger or forward.

He then spent the 1900-01 season with Stalybridge Rovers, who competed in both the Lancashire League and Lancashire Combination and existed between 1889 and 1908. The club also once fielded future Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman as a player. Following their demise in 1908, the present-day club, Stalybridge Celtic, was formed the following year.

Later in 1901, Briercliffe moved to Woolwich Arsenal and made an immediate impact. He was ever-present on the right wing during his first season and finished as the club's leading goalscorer in the Second Division. Two years later he helped Arsenal win promotion to the First Division, where the club has remained ever since, and featured regularly during their first campaign in the top flight before leaving to join Argyle in April 1905. In total he scored 33 goals in 122 appearances during Arsenal's years at the Manor Ground in Plumstead.

Joining Argyle under Bob Jack in 1905, he quickly became a fixture in the side. The 1906-07 club handbook described him as "a typical Lancastrian lad, both in style and play, knows all the tricks of the game, fearless, swift and skilful." He spent two seasons at Home Park, playing under both Jack and, later, William Fullarton, scoring a creditable 17 goals in 89 appearances.

After leaving Home Park in 1907, he returned to London to play for Brentford before finishing his career with Darwen back in Lancashire, although no appearances are recorded for either club, which is not uncommon for non-Football League sides of the period.

Little is known of his post-football life, but he returned to Blackburn, where he passed away in 1948, aged 74.

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APPEARANCE DETAILS [reselect competitions]

The details below reflect appearances in the following selected competitions: Southern & Western Leagues, English Football League, Football League, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Minor Cups

Excluded: Football League (1939), War Leagues

I'm very grateful to many who have helped write GoS-DB's player pen-pictures, and to Dave Rowntree, the PAFC Media Team and Colin Parsons for their help with photos. Thanks also to staff at the National Football Museum, the Scottish Football Museum and ScotlandsPeople for their valuable assistance.

The following publications have been particularly valuable in the research of pen-pictures: Plymouth Argyle, A Complete Record 1903-1989 (Brian Knight, ISBN 0-907969-40-2); Plymouth Argyle, 101 Golden Greats (Andy Riddle, ISBN 1-874287-47-3); Football League Players' Records 1888-1939 (Michael Joyce, ISBN 1-899468-67-6); Football League Players' Records 1946-1988 (Barry Hugman, ISBN 1-85443-020-3) and Plymouth Argyle Football Club Handbooks.