Tucker Croft

Thomas "Tucker" Croft was an Irish international footballer who played professionally in Ireland and the United States as an inside right.

Tucker Croft
Personal information
Full name Thomas Croft
Place of birth Belfast, Ireland
Date of death 1955
Place of death Northern Ireland
Position(s) Inside right
Youth career
Dundela
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1918–1921 Glentoran 39 (10)
1921–1924 Queen's Island ? (?)
1924–1926 Fall River Marksmen 75 (36)
1926–1927 J & P Coats 10 (3)
1927 Fall River Marksmen 3 (3)
1927 Newark Skeeters 5 (1)
1927–1928 New York Nationals 8 (2)
1928–1929 Newark Skeeters 1 (0)
1928–1929 Queen's Island ? (?)
1929–1930 Glentoran 27 (5)
1930 Glenavon
1930–1931 Dundela
1931–1933 Drumcondra (6)
National team
1922–1924 Ireland 3 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club

Born in Belfast, Croft played in his native Ireland for Dundela, Glentoran and Queen's Island. In 1924, he left Northern Ireland for the United States, joining the Fall River Marksmen of the American Soccer League. He was under contract to Queen's Island at the time and the move led to his suspension by the IFA. During his time with the Marksmen he was noted for his discipline problems and in 1925, he petitioned the Irish Football Association for re-admittance. When this was denied, he returned to Fall River.[1] In 1926, Croft began the season with Fall River, but moved to J & P Coats after fourteen games. Croft was back with Fall River for the start of the 1927–1928 season, but quickly moved to the Newark Skeeters. In December 1927, the New York Nationals purchased Croft's contract.[2] He played only eight games for the Nationals, and was back with the Skeeters for the 1928–1929 season, but played only one game before returning to Northern Ireland. The IFA re-admitted Croft on December 7, 1928 and he played with both Queen's Island and Glentoran, before retiring in 1930.

International

Croft also represented Ireland at international level between 1922 and 1924, scoring one goal in three appearances. The goal was the winning goal against England, and marked the first win for Ireland over England following the advent of the partition of Ireland in 1922.

  • NIFG
  • Jose, Colin (1998). American Soccer League, 1921-1931 (Hardback). The Scarecrow Press. (ISBN 0-8108-3429-4).

References

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