Farnall Thomas “Tot” Image 2 Birmingham 1896

Description

Birmingham born right half Thomas “Tot” Farnall began his football career with Eastville Rovers (now Bristol Rovers) in 1892 and signed for Small Heath (now Birmingham City) in August 1893. He made his debut in an FA Cup tie defeat to Bury at Muntz Street in February 1896, his Football League debut coming two days later in a First Division match at Everton. He then played for Birmingham in the Test Match series at the season end that saw them relegated to the Second Division, and played a single season for them in the Second Division in 1896-97.

He returned to Bristol Rovers in 1897 and stayed two seasons, before returning to Small Heath in May 1899. He helped Small Heath to third place in the Second Division in 1899-1900 but left the club to join Worcester City in March 1900 after 2 goals in 53 appearances across his two spells with Small Heath.  In July 1900 he joined Southern League Watford, making his Watford debut in a heavy defeat at Bristol City that September. Farnall scored once in 21 appearances before re-joining Bristol Rovers for a third spell, making 20 Southern League appearances for them in 1901-02. He returned to Watford in May 1902 but only lasted until December, his second Cassio Road stint ended with his being sacked for repeated disciplinary transgressions, which included a failure to turn up for a game in which he was due to play, after 2 goals in 34 matches across his two spells with them.

He returned to Football League action in May 1903 joining new Second Division club Bradford City, and played in their inaugural League fixture at Grimsby Town that September. He scored twice in 26 appearances during 1903-04 but didn’t play during 1904-05, and he then got “at loggerheads with the Bradford authorities”, walking out on the club. He joined Walsall in November 1905, and played for Barrow from May 1906 before finishing his career with Gloucester City, joining them in 1907.