Members News: Amazingly Our Former Striker Hits 63 Today. ‘Happy Birthday’ Tom!!

Tom in the Sky Blue 1980

Today is the 63rd birthday of former Sky Blues forward Tom English and the Association joins all City fans in wishing him ‘Many Happy Returns’! Though an irregular visitor back to Coventry, Tom has been the Association’s ‘special guest’ at past Ricoh games (and we hope will do so again at the CBS Arena).

Born in Cirencester on 18th October 1961 though brought up in Colchester, both Tom and his brother Tony came to CCFC as trainees. However, it was Tom who made the grade, not only winning England Youth recognition whilst with City but also stepping up to the the Sky Blues professional ranks under manager (and now fellow Association member) Gordon Milne in summer 1979. He made his Division One debut that August in a 3-2 defeat at Stoke City as part of an illustrious forward line which included Steve Hunt and fellow CCFPA members Mick Ferguson, Barry Powell and Tommy Hutchison.

Tommy in Sky Blue action

Tom appeared in all five forward slots that season and a return of ten league goals in his thirty starts cemented his reputation as an accomplished young goal-poacher and foil to the team’s top marksmen. Tommy was not so effective under Dave Sexton after Gordon departed. Nevertheless, by the time Tom left the club for M69 rivals Leicester City in a player exchange (with now fellow CCFPA member Jim Melrose) in September 1982 Tommy had clocked up 76 first team appearances and a creditable 22 strikes!

After a couple of less prolific seasons at Filbert Street Tom became somewhat of a wandering star trying his luck at Rochdale, Plymouth Argyle and Colchester United (1984) and Canberra City Olympians in Aussie before returning to Colchester United in 1985.

Tom (left) reciving his CCFPA tie from the late Bob Bromage in 2012

A spell with non-league outfits Wealdstone and Bishop Stortford followed before a third stint at Colchester United in 1989. Tom tried out a season’s football in Hong Kong with Happy Valley in 1990 before returning to finish his career back in Essex with non league clubs like Crawley Town, Wivenhoe Town, Sudbury Town and Harwich & Parkestone up to the late 1990s when he finally hung up his boots. Tommy’s son Tom (jnr) followed him into the game.

Rude Boys: A Young Tommy & Garry Thompson Make A Noise

Three Sky Blue England Youth recruits- Tom English, Mark Hateley & David Barnes (1980)

Why not check out the YouTube video from former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson‘ (‘Cov on the Box’) of former Sky Blues icon Jimmy Hill reporting on a goal from Tommy in the Sky Blues 3-1 win at Filbert Street on 11th October 1980. City were wearing their infamous chocolate strip on the day!!

Have a great day Tommy!