Tom Finney, one of England’s finest footballers, passed away on Valentine’s Day at the age of 91 and BTLM is dedicating three posts this week to Preston and their famous Plumber as our own tribute. This particular post in our Vintage series collects up some of the most striking images of Tom from the 1950s and 60s. Click any of the images to open the gallery.
We’ve also included a BBC produced video which looks back on his life. There’s some great footage of the man in action and interviews with his contemporaries.
Tom Finney, England
Tom discusses England tactics with Stanley Mathews and Johnny Haynes
High jinks in the England camp with Billy Wright and Bobby Charlton
Tom Finney chats to Deepdale crowd
Tom meets the Queen Mother at Wembley before the 1954 FA Cup Final
The Splash – Stamford Bridge
Tom shakes hands with the West Brom captain, Len Millard, at start of 1954 FA Cup Final
Tom Finney, Arsenal v Preston North End, 1957
Tom Finney Footballer Of The Year, 1957
A rare header by Tom as Preston take on Newcastle
Tom runs out at Craven Cottage
Tom Finney receives his OBE, 1961
Tom Finney & Tommy Lawton
Tom Finney & George Best
All picture rights with their respective owners.
Beyond The Last Man 
Good video but its not true Finney rejected a move to Italy. The PNE Chairman blocked it out of hand. Finney is reported to have said he would have gone if given the choice.
Indeed, curious revisionism in an otherwise nicely done video. Preston paid him £12 each week and Palermo offered £120. How could he have chosen to turn that down!
Preston Chairman was rumored to have said “If ‘tha don’t play for us, then tha plays for nobody else”. Imagine telling that to some of today’s little darlings. We will never know if he ever regretted not pleading for the opportunity but Finney was a different breed of player when they where loyal and he WAS a gentleman. I was only 2 when he retired so sadly never saw him, but my grandfather did and he said he was the best he saw and it was a great shame he wasn’t around in ’66. It’s so difficult to compare players back then with the modern era, but I do wonder what kind of value you would have placed on him. A legend, not only to Preston but to English football, the last of his kind has gone forever. May he rest in peace.
Absolutely. Finney played at an unlucky time before the abolition of the maximum wage, but through his own endeavours he at least had a decent life after his football career needed. Many of his contemporaries were not nearly so lucky.