Tom Galley
Posted on: Wed 17 Nov 2004
Thomas Galley was born in Hednesford on the 4th August, 1915. After he had left school he joined Cannock Town and then was an amateur with Notts County before he was signed for Wolves by Major Frank Buckley in April, 1934.
He spent the first half of his first term at Molineux, adjusting to the rigours of playing professional football with the Central League side and he was introduced to top flight soccer on the 5th January, 1935, at Roker Park. Wearing the centre forward's shirt, Tom helped his side to a point in a goal-less draw with Sunderland. He then missed the next two games before returning for the home match with Grimsby in which Wolves crashed, 3-0.
Tom was dropped again and he didn't return to the side until he played in the last four games of the season, which was a disappointing one for Wolves who finished just four places above a relegation spot. Tom, now playing in the inside right position, scored his first goal for the club in the 6-1 trouncing of Chelsea at Molineux in the second of those four games.
He played in the first two games of the next season and then was left out of the team until the beginning of November when he moved to play in the defence at right half. He missed just nine games before the term's end although he once again changed positions when he was moved to left half with two months left of a season that had seen Wolves slightly improve their league position on the previous year.
Season 1936/37 was to bring about a change in fortunes for both Tom and the team. By the time the season had drawn to a close, Wolves had finished in fifth spot in the league and had also reached the quarter final of the FA Cup, only going out to Sunderland after a second replay. Tom missed only seven games and he finished behind Gordon Clayton as second highest scorer with 16 goals.
He began that season again wearing the number six shirt before he moved back into the attack. In one tremendous spell he hit a dozen goals in just 15 games. His versatility for Wolves was recognised by the England selectors and he was chosen to play for his country twice in 1937, against Norway and Sweden.
In the following season in which he missed seven games, he played in six different positions for the club including the three half back roles, inside right and inside left as well as centre forward. What's more, he scored goals from five of those positions. He was also chosen to play for the Football League against the Scottish League at Molineux. The season ended with Wolves claiming the runners up spot in the league which was also to be the case in 1938/39 when they were runners up in the FA Cup Final too. Tom played in every game in that season, all but four of them at right half.
He remained with the club during the war years and in 1942, he skippered the side that beat Sunderland in the Wartime League Cup Final. After hostilities had ended Wolves met non-League Lovells Athletic in the 1945/46 FA Cup. That season was the only one in the history of the competition where ties were decided on a two legged basis. Lovells were the works team of the sweet factory based just outside Newport in South Wales. Wolves were 4-2 up from the first leg and at Molineux they totally outplayed the now defunct Athletic and won 8-2 with Tom Galley scoring his only hat trick for the club.
In 1947/48, he played in all but nine games as Wolves yet again ended the season just outside the honours, this time finishing third. He was only to make six more appearances in the following campaign before, in November 1947, he was transferred to Grimsby Town. He captained the Mariners for just over a year before injury curtailed his league career. He assisted Kidderminster Harriers for a short time and then became player coach of Clacton Town until he retired from football in 1960. He retired to live in Hednesford where he passed away in 2000.
WOLVES PLAYING CAREER 1934-1948
League Appearances 183 Goals 41
FA Cup Appearances 21 Goals 8
TOTAL APPEARANCES 204 GOALS 49
He spent the first half of his first term at Molineux, adjusting to the rigours of playing professional football with the Central League side and he was introduced to top flight soccer on the 5th January, 1935, at Roker Park. Wearing the centre forward's shirt, Tom helped his side to a point in a goal-less draw with Sunderland. He then missed the next two games before returning for the home match with Grimsby in which Wolves crashed, 3-0.
Tom was dropped again and he didn't return to the side until he played in the last four games of the season, which was a disappointing one for Wolves who finished just four places above a relegation spot. Tom, now playing in the inside right position, scored his first goal for the club in the 6-1 trouncing of Chelsea at Molineux in the second of those four games.
He played in the first two games of the next season and then was left out of the team until the beginning of November when he moved to play in the defence at right half. He missed just nine games before the term's end although he once again changed positions when he was moved to left half with two months left of a season that had seen Wolves slightly improve their league position on the previous year.
Season 1936/37 was to bring about a change in fortunes for both Tom and the team. By the time the season had drawn to a close, Wolves had finished in fifth spot in the league and had also reached the quarter final of the FA Cup, only going out to Sunderland after a second replay. Tom missed only seven games and he finished behind Gordon Clayton as second highest scorer with 16 goals.
He began that season again wearing the number six shirt before he moved back into the attack. In one tremendous spell he hit a dozen goals in just 15 games. His versatility for Wolves was recognised by the England selectors and he was chosen to play for his country twice in 1937, against Norway and Sweden.
In the following season in which he missed seven games, he played in six different positions for the club including the three half back roles, inside right and inside left as well as centre forward. What's more, he scored goals from five of those positions. He was also chosen to play for the Football League against the Scottish League at Molineux. The season ended with Wolves claiming the runners up spot in the league which was also to be the case in 1938/39 when they were runners up in the FA Cup Final too. Tom played in every game in that season, all but four of them at right half.
He remained with the club during the war years and in 1942, he skippered the side that beat Sunderland in the Wartime League Cup Final. After hostilities had ended Wolves met non-League Lovells Athletic in the 1945/46 FA Cup. That season was the only one in the history of the competition where ties were decided on a two legged basis. Lovells were the works team of the sweet factory based just outside Newport in South Wales. Wolves were 4-2 up from the first leg and at Molineux they totally outplayed the now defunct Athletic and won 8-2 with Tom Galley scoring his only hat trick for the club.
In 1947/48, he played in all but nine games as Wolves yet again ended the season just outside the honours, this time finishing third. He was only to make six more appearances in the following campaign before, in November 1947, he was transferred to Grimsby Town. He captained the Mariners for just over a year before injury curtailed his league career. He assisted Kidderminster Harriers for a short time and then became player coach of Clacton Town until he retired from football in 1960. He retired to live in Hednesford where he passed away in 2000.
WOLVES PLAYING CAREER 1934-1948
League Appearances 183 Goals 41
FA Cup Appearances 21 Goals 8
TOTAL APPEARANCES 204 GOALS 49
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