Thomas William Sword (born 12 November 1957) is a former professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

defender, who primarily played for Stockport County and has since been inducted into their Hall of Fame.

Biography

Born in

Newcastle-upon-Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...

, Sword started his professional footballing career with Stockport County after making a name for himself as a free-scoring striker in the

Northern Football League The Northern League is a British men's association football, football league in North East England, north east England. Having been founded in 1889, it is the second-oldest football league in the world still in existence after the English Footb ...

with

Bishop Auckland Bishop Auckland ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish at the confluence of the River Wear and the River Gaunless in County Durham, England. It is northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham, England, Durham. M ...

. He started in good form at County, scoring twice in a 2–1 win over Hartlepool United on his full debut, but was soon asked to play in defence when County were short due to injuries. Sword enjoyed a successful transition from striker to defender, playing out the remainder of his career at the back. Despite playing from defence, he maintained a good scoring record thanks mostly to converting 25 penalties. Sword was transferred to Hartlepool for £5,000 in July 1986, but soon returned to County for a brief stint to finish his footballing career. He was awarded a testimonial against

Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...

soon after finishing playing professionally. In 2005, he was inducted into Stockport's Hall of Fame.Stockport County Hall of Fame

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sword, Tommy Living people 1957 births English men's footballers Footballers from Newcastle upon Tyne English Football League players Bishop Auckland F.C. players Stockport County F.C. players Hartlepool United F.C. players Halifax Town A.F.C. players Men's association football defenders