A product of City’s youth scheme who played in the same outstanding youth team as Mark Hateley and Danny Thomas and won several England Youth caps. A slightly built striker with a great nose for goal, he burst on the scene, virtually from nowhere, in August 1979 when he scored twice in his first senior game against Manchester City in the Skol Cup. Manager Gordon Milne put the 17-year old straight into the league side and he scored two goals in his first three games deputising for the injured Ian Wallace. Despite an awkward, gangling style his potential seemed enormous and for eighteen months he confirmed the promise.
The arrival of Dave Sexton in 1981 saw the start of a downward spiral. Hateley was preferred and Tom was hampered with off the field problems and played only sporadically. It was no surprise when he was swopped for Leicester’s Jim Melrose. At Filbert Street under Gordon Milne he played alongside Gary Lineker and played 28 games in their 1983 promotion team. Released by Leicester in 1984 he played briefly for numerous clubs including Rochdale, Plymouth, Colchester and several Essex non-league teams as well as short spells in Hong Kong and Australia. For two seasons he played alongside his brother Tony, another City youth product, and in 1986 both brothers were sent off in a game at Crewe.

Hat tricks (1)
1980-81
14 March 1981 v Leicester City, Division One