Tosswill John Image 1 Queen’s Park Rangers 1911

Description

Eastbourne, Sussex born inside-right John (sometimes Jack) Tosswill began his football career with Eastbourne in 1906 and played for Hastings & St Leonards in 1907 before joining Aberdare Town in 1908, returning to the south east to play for Tunbridge Wells Rangers in 1909 and Maidstone United in 1910. In 1911 he joined Southern League Queen’s Park Rangers where he scored once in 3 appearances during their 1911-12 Southern League Championship season. Tosswill was very deaf and, unable to hear the referee’s whistle, would on occasion score a brilliant goal only to find that some seconds before, the game had been stopped for offside or a foul.

He was then signed by First Division Liverpool in June 1912, Tosswill’s 11 League appearances for Liverpool all came in the 1912-13 season. Tosswill scored his only goal on his Football League debut against Oldham Athletic in a 2-0 victory and played in the first six matches before losing his place. He wasn’t recalled until March 1913 and played a further five games before the end of the season. After one season at Anfield he joined Southern League Southend United in August 1913, moving later the same season to Coventry City, where he scored once in 17 appearances.

During the First World War Tosswill was a Corporal in the Royal Engineers but before he could serve overseas passed away after illness at only 24 years of age on 28th September 1915 in the Eastbourne Military Hospital. After his death he was described: “though rather eccentric in his game (he) was at times capable of showing flashes of real brilliance, and was a useful goalgetter.”