Leach Tony Image 5 Newcastle United 1935

Description

Wincobank, Rotherham born centre half Thomas “Tony” Leach played junior football with Blackburn Wesleyans (of Doncaster) in 1922, Retford Town in 1923 and Wath Athletic in 1924. After an unsuccessful trial with Liverpool, he joined Sheffield Wednesday in October 1925, making his debut in an FA Cup tie at South Shields in February 1927, soon establishing himself as a regular member of The Wednesday’s first team. He was a key member of The Owls’ teams that won back to back League Championships in 1929 and 1930 and finished third three seasons in a row thereafter. He played in Sheffield Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat by Arsenal in the F.A. Charity Shield at Stamford Bridge in October 1930, and was also an FA Cup semi finalist earlier the same year as Wednesday were beaten 2-1 by Huddersfield Town at Old Trafford.

He won the first of his two England caps in October 1930 against Ireland in a 5-1 win at Bramall Lane, the second coming a month later against Wales in a 4-0 win at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham. He also played once for The Football League.

He signed for recently relegated Second Division club Newcastle United in June 1934 for £1,100 having scored 12 goals in 261 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday over eight seasons at Hillsborough, spending two years on Tyneside as the club captain, playing 53 games for Newcastle before Stockport County signed him for £300 in July 1936. Having scored 4 goals in 16 matches for The Hatters during eight months at Edgeley Park, he left for Carlisle United in exchange for centre forward Joe Mantle in February 1937 although he won a Third Division (North) Championship medal when Stockport were subsequently crowned the division champions. At Carlisle he played 53 matches, scoring once, before signing for Lincoln City in September 1938, retiring on the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 after scoring twice in 28 appearances for The Imps.