*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Tommy Jenkins
Appearances: 72+4 Goals: 13
Date / Year of birth: 2nd December 1947
Position: Left winger / Striker
Season of first appearance: 1967/68
Season of last appearance: 1968/69
Also played for: Leyton Orient (0), Orient (1,0), Hendon, West Ham United (0), Reading (24,5), Southampton (95,6), Swindon Town (100+14,5), Lusitano (South Africa) and Seattle Sounders (USA)
Gifted, pacy 5' 9" tall left-footed attacker who was born in Bethnal Green, London.
Tommy started his career with Leyton Orient and played for the FA's youth side during 1965/66 whilst on the O's books. He also played for Hendon's reserves during that season. On 30.4.66 Tommy made what turned out to be his only senior appearance for Leyton Orient when he wore the number 11 shirt in a 2-1 defeat at Bristol City.
In December 1967 Tommy left Orient (by then the club had changed their name from Leyton Orient) and joined West Ham. Towards the end of January 1968 he left the London club to join Margate, initially on a month's trial, on the recommendation of Hammers boss Ron Greenwood, an old friend of Almer Hall's. Margate just beat Wimbledon to Tommy's signature.
He made his debut on 5.2.68 as Margate thrashed King's Lynn 8-1 in a Southern League Cup tie at Hartsdown Park. Tommy had a great game and scored an excellent goal with a shot described as a "rocket" by the local press. He went on to turn in a string of brilliant performances and within weeks Football League scouts were watching him. Tommy's cultured, creative play marked him out as "a young man of much promise" in the eyes of the Isle of Thanet Gazette. His ball control and dribbling skill meant that he was able to beat defenders with almost nonchalant ease and other press reports described him as "dazzling" and showing "touches of true class". Tommy made a total of 24 appearances before the end of 1967/68 and scored six goals. One of them was a long-range effort in a 10-0 win over Sheppey on 19.2.68 and he also scored a spectacular goal from distance in a 2-1 win at Burton on 16.3.68.
On 13.4.68 Tommy played as Margate drew 0-0 at Ramsgate in the 2nd Leg of the Southern League Cup Final and on 16.5.68 he was in the team that secured the trophy with a 3-1 win in a replay at Hartsdown Park.
During the 1968/69 season Tommy made a further 52 appearances (four as sub), mostly on the left wing, and scored seven goals. He continued to attract the attention of Football League clubs with Wolves, Tottenham and Arsenal scouts all watching him at various times. Tommy was in especially outstanding form early in the season and on 12.8.68 he scored a superb solo goal as Margate won the Southern League Championship Match 4-1 at Chelmsford. Tommy he ran from the halfway line and slotted home after a mazy dribble. He also scored with a right foot shot described by the local paper as a "bullet" during a 4-0 over Ashford on 30.9.68 and the goal helped to dispel the myth that he was one-footed. Tommy was said to have "wreaked havoc" during the game.
A thigh injury put him on the sidelines for seven weeks halfway through the season but Tommy continued to turn in consistently excellent performances once he had recovered. His display in a 4-2 win over Poole on 25.4.69 was described by the local paper as "scintillating" and Tommy scored with a brilliant curling 'banana' shot from 20 yards during the match. His dribbling ability remained a key element of his game and the Isle of Thanet Gazette wrote that "his ability to ghost his way past tackles looks as pretty as his ball distribution is effective". On 20.5.69 Tommy played as Margate drew 1-1 at Maidstone in the 1st Leg of the Kent Floodlight Cup Final and he also featured in the 2nd Leg at Hartsdown Park on 24.5.69 as Margate won 3-1 to claim the trophy. That turned out to be Tommy's final outing for Margate.
In June 1969 he requested a transfer as he wanted to find a club nearer to his London home and before the month was out 3rd Division Reading signed Tommy for an initial fee of £500. It was also agreed that Margate would receive a further £1,000 when he'd made ten first team appearances and that the club would get a small percentage of any future transfer fee. Almer Hall said "he has the ability to do really well."
Tommy made an immediate impact at Reading and within weeks bigger clubs were watching him. He scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over Tranmere on 24.11.69 and had scored five goals in 24 appearances when Southampton came in for him in December 1969. The 1st Division club paid the then very hefty fee of £60,000 for his services, just five months after he'd left Hartsdown, and Margate received around £1,000 as a result of the sell-on clause they'd wisely negotiated.
Tommy went on to play regularly in the Saints' 1st Division side for the next three years and made 95 senior appearances (including four in Fairs / UEFA Cup ties), scoring six goals (one in European competition), before joining Swindon in November 1972.
He made 114 first team appearances for Swindon and scored five goals before moving to America in 1976 to join Seattle Sounders. Tommy had also had a spell in South Africa with Lusitano during the summer of 1975.
Tommy spent four seasons with Seattle - 1976 to 1979 inclusive - and scored twice in a total of 42 appearances. He won many honours with the club. He then played three seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League with Pittsburgh and Phoenix between 1981 and 1984 before retiring and moving into management / coaching.
Tommy had spells in charge of various teams, including his old club Seattle, between 1984 and 2000 and in 2001 he was Coaching Director of Club Dosveedanya - a women's side.
In 2009 Tommy was coaching Seattle-based Emerald City's Under-16's team.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
KSS |
|
1967/68 (MFC) |
24 (82) |
0 |
6 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (8TH OF 22) |
2R |
W |
1R |
GR |
N/A |
| Played in Southern
League Cup Final 2nd Leg (13.04.68 - drew 0-0 at Ramsgate
Athletic). Played in Southern League Cup Final replay (16.05.68 - beat Ramsgate Athletic 3-1 at home). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
SLCH |
|
1968/69 (MFC) |
48 (75) |
4 |
7 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (18TH OF 22) |
1R |
3R |
RU |
W |
W |
| Played in Kent
Senior Cup Final 1st Leg (30.04.69 - lost 4-0 at Folkestone
Town). Played in Kent Senior Cup Final 2nd Leg (08.05.69 - beat Folkestone Town 2-0 at home). Played in Kent Floodlight Cup Final 1st Leg (20.05.69 - drew 1-1 at Maidstone United). Played in Kent Floodlight Cup Final 2nd Leg (24.05.69 - beat Maidstone United 3-1 at home). Played and scored in Southern League Championship Match (12.08.68 - won 4-1 at Chelmsford City). | |||||||||