Tommy Ring

Thomas Ring (8 August 1930 – 5 October 1997) was a Scottish footballer, who played at outside left for Ashfield Juniors, Clyde, Everton, Barnsley, Aberdeen, Fraserburgh, Stevenage Town and for Scotland.

This article is about the Scottish footballer. For the Irish hurler, see Tommy Ring (hurler). For the Danish singer, see Thomas Ring.

Tommy Ring
Personal information
Full name Thomas Ring[1]
Date of birth (1930-08-08)8 August 1930
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Date of death 5 October 1997(1997-10-05) (aged 67)
Place of death Glasgow, Scotland
Position(s) Outside left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1948–1949 Ashfield
1949–1960 Clyde 280 (124)
1960–1961 Everton 27 (6)
1961–1963 Barnsley 21 (1)
1963 Aberdeen 2 (0)
1963–1964 Fraserburgh
1964–1965 Stevenage Town
International career
1953–1957 Scotland 12 (2)
1953–1957 Scottish League XI 8 (4)
1952 Scottish League Two XI[2] 1 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Ring was born in Glasgow and is best known for his time with Clyde, during which he won the Scottish Cup in 1954–55 and also in 1957–58. Ring scored the winning goal in the 1955 Scottish Cup Final replay versus Celtic.[3]

He started out as a promising junior player with Ashfield.[4] After he represented an RAF XI against Blackpool Reserves, an opposition scout tried to recruit him. He'd already joined the Bullywee, but that scout turned out to be ex Clyde captain Danny Blair.[5]

Clyde also won the Division Two title twice in 1951–52 and 1956–57. He scored 178 goals in 384 appearances for the club in national competitions.[6]

Ring was transferred to Everton in January 1960 for £12,000.[7] He made a significant contribution for the Toffees in the 1960–61 season; many headlines were written concerning him, such as 'Blues could just Ring for service'.[8]

Ring departed Goodison Park after a broken leg injury in November 1961[8] and then signed for Barnsley. He returned to Scotland in 1963 to sign for Aberdeen for a short spell before ending his career with further brief spells at Fraserburgh in the Highland League and then Stevenage Town in the Southern League.

International career

In the 1950s, Ring along with Harry Haddock, and Archie Robertson, were three of 49 junior players to later earn full international honours for that decade.[9]

Ring was capped a dozen times for Scotland whilst playing for the Bully Wee and scored two goals, with one versus the famous Hungary team with Ferenc Puskás during the 1954–55 season. The other was scored versus England at Wembley in 1957. Ring scored in the first minute, although England went on to win 2–1.

He was the second Division Two player to be capped against the auld enemy,[10] and he remains the last.[11] Five of his twelve caps were awarded in Division Two.[11] Ring also represented the Scottish League XI.[12]

International goals
Scores and results list for Scotland's, Scottish League XI's, and Glasgow's goal tally first.
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
'A' Internationals
18 December 1954Hampden Park, Glasgow Hungary1–22–4Challenge match
26 April 1957Wembley Stadium, London England1–01–21956–57 Home Championship
League Internationals
117 March 1954Dalymount Park, DublinRepublic of Ireland League of Ireland XI3–03–1Challenge match
26 September 1956Windsor Park, BelfastNorthern Ireland Irish League XI2–17–1Challenge match
326 September 1956Shawfield Park, GlasgowRepublic of Ireland League of Ireland XI3–03–1Challenge match
413 March 1957Ibrox Park, GlasgowEngland The Football League XI2–13–2Challenge match
'B' League Internationals
117 March 1954Solitude, BelfastNorthern Ireland Irish B League XI[13]2–06–0Challenge match
25–0
Inter-county matches
110 November 1954Shawfield Park, GlasgowEngland Sheffield4–5Floodlight friendly
214 November 19562–2

Ring's name is now a running gag on BBC Radio Scotland's Off the Ball radio programme, as his surname has multiple connotations. This ensures that he makes it into the show's 'team of the week' almost every Saturday.[14]

Honours

Clyde

Everton

Individual

References
  1. "Tommy Ring". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  2. Scottish League Division B team scottishleague.net. Retrieved 28-10-2013.
  3. "Clyde win the Scottish Cup for second time". Glasgow Herald. 29 April 1955. Retrieved 24 September 2018 – via The Celtic Wiki.
  4. "RENTON'S TOUGH TASK". Evening Telegraph. 24 September 1948. Retrieved 13 June 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "HE SHOULD KNOW". Sunday Post. 5 June 1949. Retrieved 13 June 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "Clyde Legends: Archie Robertson & Tommy Ring". SFQAs. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  7. "Thomas Ring". Everton F.C. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  8. "Blues could just Ring for service". Liverpool Echo. 24 November 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  9. "Scottish Cup football: Juniors' chance to come of age in the Cup". The Scotsman. 26 September 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  10. "Tommy Ring". Herald Scotland. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  11. "Scotland Caps Below Top Level of Scottish football". SFQAs. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  12. "Scotland FL Players by Appearances". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  13. "McPHAIL'S THREEIN ROUT OF IRISH". Dundee Courier. 16 April 1952. Retrieved 13 June 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. "Off The Bawl - 5 May". BBC. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  15. "1951–52: Clyde 5 v 1 St. Johnstone". Clyde FC. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
    "1951–52: St Johnstone 2 v 2 Clyde". Clyde FC. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  16. "1951–52: Celtic 1 v 2 Clyde". Clyde FC. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
    "1958–59: Rangers 0 v 1 Clyde". Clyde FC. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  17. "1951–52: Third Lanark 2 v 2 Clyde". Clyde FC. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
    "1957–58: Rangers 0 v 4 Clyde". Clyde FC. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  18. "May 1960". Blue Correspondent. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  19. "Smith Named as Player of the Year". Clyde FC. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  20. "Hall of Fame: Tommy Ring". Irish Heritage Towns. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
    "A trip down memory lane: This 'Ring' a bell?". Laois People. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
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