Sir Tom Finney - M.O.M - England 9 Ireland 2

[joditot]

i can't see the ball in this vid

[mizofan]

It's a great pity so many people on youtube seem completely ignorant of football history and British greats like Finney, Matthews, John Charles, Edwards..

[TheWhitehall]

I had the great privilige of meeting Sir Tom, he graciously signed a vintage photograph of himself. A true England legend.

[TheLegendfamily]

Agreed, "The Plumber" was a true England all-time great. I feel very lucky to have seen him play for both PNE & England as well.

[bothcancp]

i know him hes my friends great grandad

[MrMuppet07]

ive met tom finney! he said hi to me and i shook his hand! he rules!

[TheLegendfamily]

This match was in Nov. '49 & is was actually against Northern Ireland, IIRC. Didn't Man. Utd.'s Jack Rowley bag four gls. in this game?

[seanreillyireland]

You are so right. You know, they are having real problems with all these gymn obsessed jogging 18 yr old guys who have been trying to join the royal marines for the past 20 years... their tests haven't changed since pre WWII days. People were so hard working and active in this era, no cars, running about, shovelling etc all day long... I agree with you 100%.

The chief problem in comparing is the ball's ever decreasing weight.

But I have another point to put to you...

Continued

[seanreillyireland]

Legend... I think that the old '1-5-5' formation allowed for genuine artists to break into soccer in a unique way until the mid 60's.  Ok, wingers, full backs, and centreforwards were 'specialist' positions. But both the half back roles and the inside forward roles... you could be a general in any of these 4 roles, whether it be Busby, Cullis, Carter, Doherty... the list is endless. And as for centre half, the best ones were generals too, a la Franklin or Varela of Uruguay.

[TheLegendfamily]

Thanx for all the kind words, seanreilly. Another example of the field generals that u r talking about is Duncan Edwards. Look how much he got forward & attacked, both in a creative & goalscoring way, and he was an orthodox #6 for the love of God!

[chavmanx]

@seanreillyireland 1-5-5 there was never a 1-5-5 formation, it was 2-3-5 (W-M). 2 full backs, 3 half backs and 5 forwards. And it changed well before the mid 60s, brazil won the world cup in 1958 playing 4-2-4.

[seanreillyireland]

Thanks for the comment: I know you are only trying to clarify something for me so I appreciate it... of course the error I made was putting the 1 in the 1-5-5, of course I meant 1 being the keeper! Regarding the whole 2 inside forwards / full backs / half backs / wingers, and 1 centre half / centre forward, I am familiar with that notion.

Thanks for the post. Sean

[joeypne09]

As the great Bill Shankly said "Tom Finney would have been great in any team, in any match and in any age

... even if he had been wearing an overcoat." A true loyal legend to PNE was Finney. Thankyou Sir Tom.

[TheLegendfamily]

People who say that say shite like "The Preston Plumber" couldn't hack it in the modern game need to watch more footage like this. Like a poseur could bag 30 gls. 4 England; many while playing @ either wing pos., mind u! Mortensen put on quite a little display here as well, IMHO. It's said a lot, but Mortensen really had the lot as a goalscorer, pace, ball control, shooting ability, and he always knew where the goal was @ all times.

[joeypne09]

PNE was once a first division side because of him and his quality. And you can tell that by when he retired in 1960 as we got relegated a year later in 1961 and never returned to top flight ever since. Just 3 years before our relegation with Finney we was 2nd in the first division but nothing without him. I'd still having him playing today even at his age! Jon Parkin and him would make a great partnership ;)

[02baldwincc]

tom finny, the only player who would still be able to play in todays pace.

[rockteen2k8]

Tom Finney is my great uncle, well sumthin like that

he is ma grans dads cousin

family is confusin

[peterdelane]

Irelands zonal marking was to blame

[chiefchips]

duncan was better

i saw him

my dad saw him

[markyw]

wouldn't last 5 mins today in prem league.

[thetoon99]

no danger mate sir tom would run riot in the prem just ask the guys who saw him play.

[LoudAndProudPRESTON]

when these lads played football it was like rugby far from the diving game it has become now if anything players like christiano ronaldo wouldnt last 2 minutes in finneys day

[TheLegendfamily]

Finney would DOMINATE in the modern EPL; this is one of the few things that toon99 & I agree on. (;D, mate) Most opposing EPL fullbacks would really have little or no idea how to mark him. Finney was essentially a more physical version of CR7 who could play on either wing equally well. Finney was WAY better in the air than CR7, & he was every bit as good of a goalscorer (He didn't bag 30 goals 4 England by standing in one spot & scratching his arse.).

[WILL94PNE4EVA]

finney was the greatest of his time, if any people disagrees jus send me a message :D

[dumpingboy]

Finney WAS the greatest of all time. Played in all the forward & wing positions for England & scored 30 goals. The thing is, having met him, I can also say he's the most humble gentleman I've ever met. He's the one man you wish was your grandad, you'd be so proud. Sir Tom you're a legend.

[tandrewl]

Finney was a great player I believe - european player of the year which was an accomplishment all those years ago, before television. I'm pretty sure he would have had more acclaim if the war had not taken 5 years out of his footballing career.

He's up there with the greats - read Bill Shankley's book in which he says Finney was a better player than Pele.

[tandrewl]

Footnote - apologies due, as Finney was not a European Footballer of the year

[lkijju]

He was great, but how on Earth do you know? He packed in years bedore you were born.

Great footage. Thanks.

[thetoon99]

mate finney was not the greatest but the reason why people today know how great he was is because we read and hear about him.

[VernonsBoots]

thetoon99 what a spanner you really are. I have never seen anyone contradict themselves in so few words.

You never saw Jackie Milburn play but I would wager that you think he is the greatest striker ever to pull on the black and white.

Sir Tom Finney is a great man, whether or not he was the greatest fottballer is down to opinion. To me he will always be the greatest.

[thetoon99]

shearer is the best player to play for newcastle.finney is not the greatest why because you need to litien to people who saw player you never saw and i mean fans not punits.people from the 50's call duncan edwards the best ever no fan says finney who is englands second best ever or in the top 5 anyway.

[WILL94PNE4EVA]

my grandad played along side him, he is my mates grandad and my dad grew up all his chid hood living nxt door to him, all them peaple who have lots of proof say he is the greatest, i bet the only support you hav got is being a fan of him or gettin his autograph

[02baldwincc]

Sir top finney = the greatest player of all time.

[thetoon99]

yes finney was great but the greatest was his team mate for england duncan edwards who died at 21 robbing him of the title of the greatest by fifa.