Benfield Tommy Image 1 Leicester Fosse 1910

Description

Leicester born inside forward Tommy Enfield played for Leicester Old Boys, Leicestershire Regiment and Leicester Nomads before joining hometown Second Division Leicester Fosse in 1910, making his Football League debut against Hull City in November 1910. His 11 goals in 1913-14 were enough to make him the club’s leading scorer, and included scoring the first ever goal at Arsenal’s new Highbury stadium in Leicester’s match there on 6th September 1913, netting in the 18th minute. In total he scored 23 times in 111 appearances for The Fossils before moving to Derby County in June 1914.

At Derby he scored 15 goals in 39 games as The Rams won the Second Division Championship in 1914-15 including scoring twice against his old club in Derby’s record 6-0 win at Leicester in December 1914.

After the outbreak of The First World War Benfield re-enlisted in the Leicestershire Regiment and after peacetime football was suspended in the summer of 1915 he continued playing wartime football for Derby County, making his final appearance in March 1918. He was serving as a sergeant when he was shot by a sniper in the area of Équancourt and Heudicourt, The Somme, on 11th September 1918, during the Hundred Days Offensive. He died of his wounds on 19th September, just under two months before the Armistice and he is buried in Varennes Military Cemetery.