Tom Daykin

Daykin was born in Shildon, County Durham, in 1882, one of many children of Thomas Daykin, a coal miner, and his wife, Lucy.[1][6] By the time of the 1891 Census, the family had moved to nearby Eldon,[6] and ten years later the 18-year-old Daykin had followed his father into the colliery.[7] He married Ann Ellen Green on 30 April 1907 at Auckland St Andrew.[8]

By January 1900, Daykin was playing football for his local team, Eldon Albion.[9] He was a member of the team that put up a "splendid display" in the final of the 1903 Durham Senior Cup, taking a two-goal lead against cup-holders Sunderland "A" before "eventually class told" and Eldon lost 3–2.[10] A trial with Newcastle United came to nothing, and Daykin also appeared for Bishop Auckland and Hobson Wanderers,[11] before playing for Shildon Athletic of the Northern League in 1904–05.[12]

Daykin joined Football League First Division club Sunderland in March 1905 on amateur forms until the end of the season, at which point he was expected to turn professional.[13] With Jimmy Watson absent on international duty, Daykin made his debut on 1 April playing at left back at home to Manchester City. The match finished goalless, and the Athletic News' correspondent wrote how he "tackles well and with good judgment, and kicks splendidly in any position, his only weakness being his heading", and "bids fair to develop into a really good full-back."[4] He played once more in what remained of the season, and returned to the side in late September.[11] In his second match, he injured a knee, was confined to bed for some weeks, and was then referred to a Manchester hospital for further treatment.[14] He played no more first-team football that season, but was fit enough by March to be on the winning side for the "A" team against Hebburn Argyle in the 1906 Durham Senior Cup Final,[15] and his services were retained for another year.[16]

Daykin finally established himself in Sunderland's first team halfway through the 1906–07 season. He came into the side for a visit to Woolwich Arsenal in early December when Watson was rested, and "played excellently" in a 1–0 win; the Athletic News noted that "even when beaten, he made some remarkable recoveries."[17] He recovered from influenza just in time to stand in for Watson when he fell ill with the same complaint at the end of January, and missed only two more league matches that season, playing either alongside Watson or in his place.[11][18] Daykin began the 1907–08 season as first choice at left back, partnering new signing Bob Bonthron, but other players were tried in mid-season. He came back into the side in March,[11] but this time lost his place through injury.[19] He was retained for 1908–09, and played in the opening fixture, but was dropped in favour of Tommy Tait, and made just three more appearances for Sunderland before moving on.[11] His last match was the local derby against Newcastle United in December 1908. Sunderland took an early lead before the visitors equalised with a penalty just before half-time. Sunderland regained the lead two minutes into the second half, and in the next half hour scored seven more goals to make the final score 9–1; it remains the club record league away win.[20]

A few days later, Daykin signed for Second Division club Birmingham. The clubs had agreed terms some weeks before, but the player had reportedly been reluctant to move.[21] The Daily News described the new arrival as "Speedy and tenacious, he has the reputation of being one of the most useful and versatile men in the North. He has usually appeared in the intermediate line, where his abilities as a two-footed player make him useful in either position, but when occasion has demanded he has been a general utility man, both forward and at back."[22] He played regularly at left half until injury forced him to miss five matches towards the end of the season.[23][24] He remained first choice at left half until early 1910, when he was tried at right back because of several injuries in that position. During his second match at full back, he broke a leg and would be out for the rest of the season.[25][26] The only fit senior full back, Walter Corbett, who had been in dispute with the club, offered his services after Daykin's injury, but he was unable to play in the next match because the Football Association turned down his request to withdraw from the amateur international on the same day.[27]

Birmingham finished bottom of the Second Division, applied successfully for re-election to the League,[28] and, after a season in which the players pledged wages to an appeal to keep the struggling club afloat,[29] it underwent a complete overhaul both on and off the field.[30] Daykin survived the clearout, and made more appearances than any other player over Birmingham's 1910–11 season, used half the time at right back and the remainder in the half-back line.[31] When Daykin started making mistakes in the middle of the 1911–12 season,[32] Billy Ball was able to establish himself in the side at right back, and Daykin made his final first-team appearance on 22 January 1912 in a 3–0 defeat at home to Barnsley in the FA Cup.[33] He returned to non-League football in the north east, first with Spennymoor United and then, from February 1913, with South Shields.[11][34]

The 1939 Register finds Daykin living with his wife in Mary Terrace, Bishop Auckland, and working for the local council as a general labourer.[35] They were still resident at that address when he died in Tindale Crescent Hospital, Bishop Auckland, in 1960 at the age of 77.[2][3]

General

• Hunt, Brian (1989). Northern Goalfields. Official Centenary History of the Northern League 1889–1989. Skol Northern League Management Committee. ISBN 0-9514597-1-6.
• Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
• Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 82. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.

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