We are deeply saddened with the news that our former centre forward Tommy Hamilton has passed away at the age of 90.
Once on the books of the well-known soccer nursery Johnville in Dublin, Tommy made his debut for Manchester United in the quarter finals of the FA Youth Cup against Everton in 1953 as a guest player. Having impressed in that game, Tommy was offered the chance to sign for the Old Trafford Club.
A talented Gaelic footballer, Tommy played with the Wicklow County team in the Leinster Minor Final in 1952.
In 1955 Tommy returned to Dublin and joined the ‘Coad’s Colts’ – an incredible team put together by Paddy Coad at Milltown. His reason for returning home was due to the fact that conscription for military service in Britain still applied and Tommy wished to continue playing football. Two years later, he found himself playing against many of the young players he had lined out with during his time at Old Trafford. Rovers were drawn against United in the first round of the European Cup in 1957 when Tommy came up against players he would have played with at Old Trafford. It was fitting in a sense that he scored the second goal for Rovers against the Busby Babes in the return leg at Old Trafford.
On a personal level, it would have been with enormous sadness when Tommy heard of the deaths of so many of his former colleagues when the plane carrying the official Manchester United party crashed at Munich Airport on 6th February, 1958.
During his time at Rovers, Tommy won two league titles and two FAI Cups – including the famous final of 1957 when he scored one of the goals during an incredible comeback against Cork Athletic.
After he departed from Milltown in 1962 Tommy joined Cork Hibernians and later finished out his League of Ireland career with Limerick FC.
In 1997 Tommy was incorporated into the Shamrock Rovers Hall of Fame at the Player of the Year Awards held at Royal Dublin Hotel.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam
RG
