O’Callaghan Eugene “Taffy” Image 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1934

Description

Inside right Eugene “Taffy” O’Callaghan was born in Ebbw Vale, Wales and played junior football for Victoria United in 1923 and Ebbw Vale Corinthians in 1924 before joined First Division Tottenham Hotspur in 1925. He was loaned to Barnet and Tottenham’s nursery club Northfleet in 1925 before returning to White Hart Lane, making his Football League debut at Everton in January 1927. An ever present in 1927-28 he again impressed in the fixture at Everton, scoring four goals in February of that year in a 5-2 victory. Despite his 24 goals that season, when he was the club’s top scorer, Spurs were relegated.

His first cap for Wales was won in a 2-2 draw against Ireland at Wrexham in February 1929 and he went on to play a further 10 times at international level, scoring 3 goals, including two as Wales beat Scotland 5-2 at Tynecastle in October 1932, winning his final cap against England in September 1934.

O’Callaghan helped Tottenham achieve promotion back to First Division at the end of the 1932-33 season as Second Division runners up, scoring 14 goals in the campaign and in the following year was a key member of the side known as The Greyhounds as they played with speed and style.

He was transferred to Leicester City in March 1935 although he later played once again for Tottenham as a ’guest’ during the War years at the time when the Football League had been suspended. During his time at Spurs he made 264 appearances scoring exactly 100 goals for the club.He couldn’t arrest Leicester’s slide towards relegation at the end of the season but he helped them to win the Second Division Championship in 1937 scoring 15 goals that season.After one appearance back in the First Division he left Leicester to join Fulham in October 1937 after 31 goals in 89 appearances for The Foxes, and played for Fulham, scoring 7 goals in 44 appearances, until the outbreak of the Second World War, which finished his career. After the War he went on to a coaching role at Fulham, and was still on their training staff when he passed away in July 1956.