Tommy Higginson
{{short description|Scottish footballer}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Tommy Higginson
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1937|1|6}}
| birth_place = Newtongrange, Scotland
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2012|7|22|1937|1|6}}{{Hugman|id=8944|accessdate=21 April 2019}}
| death_place = Isleworth, England
| height =
| position = Left half, inside forward
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Edina Hibs
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = Penicuik Athletic
| youthyears3 = 1956–1959
| youthclubs3 = Kilmarnock
| years1 = 1959–1970
| clubs1 = Brentford
| caps1 = 387
| goals1 = 15
| years2 =1970–1973
| clubs2 = Hillingdon Borough
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
}}
Thomas Higginson (6 January 1937 – 22 July 2012) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a left half and inside forward. He is best remembered for his 12-year spell in the Football League with Brentford, for whom he made 433 appearances and is a member of the club's Hall of Fame.
Club career
= Kilmarnock =
Higginson began his career with spells at junior clubs Edina Hibs and Penicuik Athletic. In 1956, Kilmarnock manager Malky McDonald saw Higginson playing in a junior match and invited the youngster to a trial with the Scottish League club.{{Cite book |last=Lane |first=David |title=Cult Bees & Legends: Volume One |publisher=Woodpecker Multimedia |year=2005 |isbn=0-9543682-0-7 |location=Hampton Wick |pages=110–117}} He impressed enough to win a contract, but departed Killie in the summer of 1959 without making an appearance, having missed two years due to his National Service and a ligament injury.
= Brentford =
Along with fellow Scot John Docherty, Higginson reunited with manager Malky McDonald at English Third Division club Brentford in June 1959, as cover for forward Jim Towers.{{Cite book |title=TW8 Matchday versus Oldham Athletic |date=25 August 2003 |publisher=The Yellow Printing Company Limited |location=London |page=32}} He began his time with the club in the reserve team.{{Cite web |date=23 July 2012 |title=Tommy Higginson RIP |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/tommy-higginson-rip_56991 |access-date=27 July 2014 |publisher=Brentfordfc.com}} An inside forward, Higginson made his debut in a league match versus Tranmere Rovers on 27 February 1960.{{Cite book |title=100 Years Of Brentford |publisher=Brentford FC |year=1989 |isbn=0951526200 |editor-last=White |editor-first=Eric |pages=385–390}} For the following game versus Bournemouth, Higginson replaced club legend Jim Towers in the line-up and the Griffin Park support responded by booing manager Malky McDonald's decision.{{Cite web |last=Street |first=Tim |date=5 August 2012 |title=Tribute to former Brentford legend Higginson |url=http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/other-sport/tribute-former-brentford-legend-higginson-5974380 |access-date=27 July 2014 |publisher=Get West London}} Despite this beginning, Higginson soon won over the Bees supporters with his performances. Moving back to a left half position, Higginson earned a reputation as a hard man after rugby tackling a Hartlepools United player during a 4–0 victory in October 1962, escaping with only a booking.
Higginson was an ever-present in Brentford's 1962–63 Fourth Division title-winning season. In October 1964, Higginson suffered the ignominy of being the first Brentford player to be sent off since the resumption of football after the Second World War, when he, along with opposition player Eric Brodie, was sent off during a league match versus Shrewsbury Town.{{Cite book |last=Haynes |first=Graham |title=A-Z of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia |date=1998 |publisher=Yore Publications |isbn=1-874427-57-7 |page=43}} The News of the World Football Annual stated that Higginson once passed back to his own goalkeeper from a corner kick.{{Cite book |last=Sewell |first=Albert |title=News of the World Football Annual 1996–1997 |publisher=Invincible Press |year=1996 |isbn=9780002187374 |location=Hammersmith, London |page=297}} In 1967 and with Brentford in a dire financial situation and the subject of a takeover bid by rivals Queens Park Rangers, Higginson volunteered to take part in a Brentford to Brighton walk, to raise funds for the club. While many volunteers gave up, Higginson walked the whole way. Higginson remained with Brentford until the end of the 1969–70 season and was awarded a testimonial versus Queens Park Rangers in April 1969,{{Cite book |last=Haynes |first=Graham |title=Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 |last2=Coumbe |first2=Frank |publisher=Yore Publications |year=2006 |isbn=978-0955294914 |location=Harefield |pages=139–140}} earning £1,853 from a 6,620 crowd.{{Cite book |title=Griffin Gazette: Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus Crewe Alexandra |date=6 April 1996 |publisher=Quay Design of Poole |page=20}} He made 433 appearances for the Bees and is fifth on the club's record appearances list.{{Cite web |title=Tommy Higginson inducted into the Brentford FC Hall of Fame |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/tommy-higginson-inducted-into-hall-of-fame_65423 |access-date=28 December 2016 |website=Brentford FC}} He was posthumously inducted into the Brentford Hall of Fame in December 2016.
= Hillingdon Borough =
Higginson ended his career with Southern League Premier Division club Hillingdon Borough and reached the final of the FA Trophy with the club in 1971.{{Cite book |title=Official Matchday Magazine Of Brentford Football Club versus Oldham Athletic |date=14 August 1999 |publisher=Morganprint |location=Blackheath |page=41}}
Sunday League career
Higginson played on in Sunday league football during the 1970s, appearing for Thornbury, Syon Villa, Northumberland and Sutton Athletic. He retired from all football in 1990, at age 53.
Personal life
Prior to becoming a footballer, Higginson was a champion youth boxer and athlete in Scotland, taking part in the Border Games and running professionally. While playing junior football, he also worked as a butcher. While undertaking his National Service, Higginson saw active duty with the Royal Scots Regiment in Egypt during the Suez Crisis. While playing for Brentford, Higginson settled in Isleworth. After retiring from professional football in 1970, he worked for Firestone for three years, before returning to his old job of butchering. Higginson died at the age of 75 on 22 July 2012. As a mark of respect, two days later the Brentford players wore black armbands during a pre-season friendly versus FC Erzgebirge Aue.{{Cite web |date=24 July 2012 |title=Mark of Respect For Higginson |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/mark-of-respect-for-higginson_56999 |access-date=27 July 2014 |publisher=Brentfordfc.com}} Higginson's funeral was attended by many former Brentford favourites, including Peter Gelson, Alan Hawley and Gordon Phillips.
Career statistics
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup ! colspan="2" |League Cup !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals
!Apps !Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="11" |Brentford
|2 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |— |2 |0 | ||||||
| 1960–61
|Third Division |32 |1 |2 |0 |3 |0 |37 |1 | ||||||
| 1961–62
|Third Division |46 |2 |5 |1 |1 |0 |52 |3 | ||||||
| 1962–63
|46 |1 |1 |0 |2 |0 |49 |1 | ||||||
| 1963–64
|Third Division |37 |1 |5 |0 |1 |0 |43 |1 | ||||||
| 1964–65
|Third Division |31 |2 |3 |0 |1 |0 |35 |2 | ||||||
| 1965–66
|Third Division |30 |1 |2 |0 |2 |0 |34 |1 | ||||||
| 1966–67
|Fourth Division |43 |2 |4 |0 |3 |0 |50 |2 | ||||||
| 1967–68
|Fourth Division |42 |3 |2 |0 |1 |0 |45 |3 | ||||||
| 1968–69
|Fourth Division |39 |1 |1 |0 |3 |0 |43 |1 | ||||||
| 1969–70
|Fourth Division |40 |1 |2 |0 |3 |0 |45 |1 | ||||||
| colspan="3" |Career total
!387 | 15 | 27 | 1
!20 !0 | 433 | 16 |
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
{{Brentford F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Higginson, Tommy}}
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:English Football League players
Category:Men's association football wing halves
Category:Southern Football League players
Category:Kilmarnock F.C. players
Category:Hillingdon Borough F.C. players
Category:Men's association football inside forwards
Category:Penicuik Athletic F.C. players
Category:Footballers from Midlothian