Biography
Thomas “Tom” Berry was born in Clayton-le-Moors on the fringes of Accrington in Lancashire. Any pretentions the teenage Berry may have had of becoming a footballer were quashed when World War Two broke out in September 1939 and he served in the Royal Air Force until 1947, which afforded him the opportunity to meet several prominent footballers while playing for various Forces teams. During the 1946/47 season Berry played as an amateur for Great Harwood, a side local to his birthplace, and Oxford City – in March and April 1947 while at Oxford City he was twice chosen for Isthmian League representative XIs.
In June 1947 he signed for Hull City, managed by Frank Buckley, and rapidly became a vital and versatile part of Hull City’s defensive line, playing in full back and half backs roles. When Buckley was replaced by Raich Carter, himself an RAF man during the War, in May 1948 Berry retained his place at left back and was a key part of the team that won the Division Three North title in the 1948/49 season. He remained part of the first team during several seasons of Division Two football under Carter’s leadership, holding his own alongside the star players that Raich attracted to the club. Tom switched to centre half for much of the 1950/51 season and it wasn’t until the 1954/55 season that he lost his place, only to came back into the first team picture during the 1955/56 season. In February 1956 against Port Vale Tom scored his only goal for the club in suitably grand fashion, a free kick from inside his own half that slithered past the unvaliant goalkeeper after skidding on the icy Boothferry Park surface. That goal secured a rare win in a campaign that saw the Tigers slip back to Division Three North, and Berry remained on the first team fringes for another season as injuries and failing eyesight hampered him. He left the Tigers in October 1957.
Berry signed for Cheshire League side Buxton when he left City in October 1957, where he played for a season before joining the coaching staff. He died in September 2003 in Clayton-le-Moors, the Lancashire town where he was born.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 31 March 1922, Clayton le Moors
Hull City First Game: 6 September 1947, Rotherham United A (Division Three North), 25 years, 159 days old
Hull City Final Game: 23 September 1957, Mansfield Town A (Division Three North), 35 years, 176 days old
Clubs
Great Harwood (1946), Oxford City (1946-1947), Hull City (1947-1957), Buxton (1957-1958)
Hull City Record
Career: 295 apps, 1 goals
Tom Berry| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947/48 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1948/49 | 39 | 0 | 7 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1949/50 | 34 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1950/51 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1951/52 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1952/53 | 29 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1953/54 | 35 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1954/55 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1955/56 | 29 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1956/57 | 12 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1957/58 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |