Full name Thomas Casey Role Footballer Name Tommy Casey | Years Team Place of death Somerset, England | |
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Date of birth (1930-03-11)11 March 1930 Place of birth Comber, Northern Ireland Date of death 13 January 2009(2009-01-13) (aged 78) Died January 13, 2009, Somerset, United Kingdom | ||
Thomas "Tommy" Casey (11 March 1930 – 13 January 2009) was a Northern Ireland international footballer, coach and football manager, whose career in professional football spanned 30 years.
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Playing career
Casey was transferred from Irish League team Bangor to Leeds United in May 1949 where he played alongside the young John Charles. Following a season with Leeds he was transferred to Third Division Bournemouth, where he remained for the following two seasons. He joined Newcastle United at a time when they were enjoying the most successful period in their history having won the FA Cup in 1951 and 1952 and played in the 1952 FA Charity Shield match against Manchester United. He remained at Newcastle until 1958 with the highlight being the 1955 FA Cup Final when Newcastle defeated Manchester City 3-1. He played for First Division Portsmouth during season 1958-59, before being signed for Bristol City by his international manager Peter Doherty, where he remained until 1963.
He represented Northern Ireland in the 1958 FIFA World Cup Finals in Sweden where they reached the quarter finals before being defeated by France. Playing alongside colleagues such as Danny Blanchflower, Harry Gregg, Jimmy McIlroy and Peter McParland, Casey was nicknamed Tommy "Cast Iron" Casey due to his hard tackling approach.
Managerial career
He managed Gloucester City between 1963–65 and after a short spell playing for Inter Roma in Canada joined Third Division Swansea Town as coach in 1966-67, before returning to Northern Ireland to manage Lisburn Distillery. He served Everton successively as youth, reserve and first team coach between 1968 and 1971 and as caretaker manager for 19 matches from January 1972. Following a recommendation by legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly he joined Gordon Milne and Joe Mercer as coach to First Division Coventry City in 1973. His period as manager of Third Division Grimsby Town was notable for the number and quality of young players he discovered and introduced to the team and who formed the core of the side that propelled Grimsby Town to the verge of promotion to the First Division in season 1983-84.
He managed Northern Ireland in the 1975 UEFA European Youth Championship in Switzerland and was considered a leading contender for the position of senior national team manager, a role which did not eventuate. Spells managing overseas in Iceland and Norway preceded a later career as a fishmonger and retirement in Somerset.
Honours
Personal life
Connor Pain, Central Coast Mariners footballer is his grandson