Charlton Tommy Image 1 Gateshead 1932

Description

Jarrow, County Durham born outside right Tommy Charlton began his football career with Palmer’s of Jarrow from where he signed, initially as an amateur, for Third Division (North) club South Shields in October 1929, making his Football League debut against Chesterfield three days before the year end. He featured in a further 15 matches for South Shields and scored a hat-trick in what proved their penultimate League match in a win over Carlisle United at the end of April 1930. When the club moved to Gateshead in the summer of 1930 and changed its name, Charlton continued as a regular in the first team and scored 10 goals during the 1931-32 campaign as Gateshead finished runners up in the Third Division (North), narrowly missing out on promotion.

Charlton had once again scored 10 goals during their 1932-33 campaign when he lost his place, most likely through injury, in January 1933 and after 36 goals in 118 appearances he returned to north east non league football first with Jarrow later in 1933, playing for Walker Celtic in 1935, Hexham in 1936 and City of Durham in 1937 before his eventual retirement.

NB the photograph was taken before the League match between Walsall and Gateshead at Fellows Park on 15th October 1932. Walsall won the match 2-0.