Tommy Boyle (footballer, born 1886)

This article is about the footballer born 1886. For other uses, see Tommy Boyle.

Tommy Boyle

Personal information
Full name	Thomas William Boyle
Date of birth	(1886-01-29)29 January 1886
Place of birth	Hoyland, England
Date of death
Position(s)	Half back
Youth career
	Hoyland Star
	Elsecar Athletic
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1906–1912	Barnsley	160	(17)
1912–1923	Burnley	210	(36)
1923–1924	Wrexham	7	(0)
Total		377	(53)
International career
1913	England	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thomas William Boyle (29 January 1886 – 5 January 1940) was an English footballer, primarily associated with Burnley

Tommy Boyle is the only player to have captained a Burnley team in a winning FA Cup Final. He was a Yorkshireman born in the village of Hoyland near Barnsley, and he started his career at Barnsley In 1912 Boyle crossed the Pennines to sign for Burnley for what was then a club record fee of £1,150.

He was described as a great header of the ball, an excellent passer with great leadership qualities, and as being one of the best players ever to play for Burnley. Having lifted the FA Cup in 1914, he then became the first Burnley captain to lift the League Championship Trophy as Burnley won the 1920-21 title.

By then, he was 33 and his career was coming to an end. That season was to be his last full season in the first team. He made his last appearance for Burnley during the 1921-22 season, and after a further year playing in the reserves he signed for Wrexham, where he ended his playing career.

After his playing career, he had a spell coaching in Germany.

He never received the recognition many felt he deserved and won only one England cap against Ireland in Belfast in 1913. He also played in three representative matches for the Football League.

External links

• England profile