Biography
Thomas Murray joined Hull City in February 1914 for a £600 fee amid some fanfare. A proven goalscorer from his time in Scotland, it was reported that Murray had recently recovered from a serious knee injury that had limited his game time at former club Bradford City. With the Tigers challenging for promotion the scene looked set for the 24 year old Murray to thrive – but alas after only two starts for City his knee problems returned and he had to retire from the game.
Thomas Murray was born in Middlesbrough to a blacksmith father and a mother who hailed from Galway in Ireland. He attracted the attention of his local First Division side Middlesbrough at the tender age of 16 and made his debut in September 1905, scoring his first Boro goal against Nottingham Forest a week later. He remained on the fringes of Middlesbrough’s first team for two seasons and scored two goals in 12 appearances, then in July 1907, when still only 18 years of age, he ventured north to sign for Aberdeen. Murray was a regular starter for the Dons in the 1907/08 season and netted 14 times, form that attracted the attention of Glasgow Rangers who signed Thomas in May 1908 and immediately used him their Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup campaign, in which he scored twice.
Thomas’s only full term at Rangers in the 1908/09 season was spent as an effective support striker, he scored eleven goals in 15 senior starts including a November 1908 hattrick against Morton and two goals in two starts against arch rivals Glasgow Celtic. However in June 1909 he returned to Aberdeen for two seasons, then spent the 1911/12 season at Heart of Midlothian. In July 1912 Murray returned to England and joined First Division side Bradford City, but knee cartilage problems meant he made no first team appearances in his first season at Valley Parade and managed only six starts in the 1913/14 season, scoring just once and decisively in an October 1913 3-2 victory over Manchester City. It was reported that surgery had corrected his knee trouble when he left Bradford City in February 1914.
After football Murray, who had previously worked in the printing trade to top up his football wages, moved to Rochdale and worked in the cotton industry for many years. Despite his dodgy knees Murray lived to the ripe old age of 87, dying in Rochdale in 1976.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 7 April 1889, Middlesbrough
Hull City First Game: 21 February 1914, Leeds City H (Division Two), 24 years, 320 days old
Hull City Final Game: 28 February 1914, Clapton Orient A (Division Two), 24 years, 327 days old
Clubs
Middlesbrough (1905-1907), Aberdeen (1907-1908), Glasgow Rangers (1908-1909), Aberdeen (1909-1911), Heart of Midlothian (1911-1912), Bradford City (1912-1914), Hull City (1914)
Hull City Record
Career: 2 apps, 0 goals
Thomas Murray| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913/14 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |