Tom Mather

Tom Mather

Personal information
Full name	Thomas Mather
Date of birth	1888
Place of birth	Chorley, England
Date of death	1957 (aged 68–69)
Place of death	Stoke-on-Trent, England
Managerial career
Years	Team
1915–1919	Bolton Wanderers
1920–1921	Southend United
1923–1935	Stoke City
1935–1939	Newcastle United
1945–1946	Leicester City
1947–1948	Kilmarnock

Thomas Mather (1888–1957), was an English football manager who managed in the Football League for Bolton Wanderers, Leicester City, Newcastle United, Stoke City and Southend United.

Career

Mather was assistant secretary of both Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers before taking the manager's job at Bolton at the beginning of the First World War, remaining at the club until 1915 when he was called up by the Royal Navy. He remained as manager, in name only, until July 1919, his duties being taken on, and then over, by his assistant Charles Foweraker. After his national service he moved to Southend United as secretary-manager. He spent three years at the "Shrimpers" before joining Stoke City in October 1923. Stoke had just been relegated from the First Division and had to get over the shock of seeing Jock Rutherford quit the club after just four weeks in charge. Mather's first season in charge saw Stoke finish in 6th position and he decided to move on a number of players at the end of the season. This did not go down well with some of the released players who smashed up the offices at the Victoria Ground and caused a considerable amount of damage.

Things did not improve quickly and Stoke suffered relegation to the Third Division North in 1925–26 season. But Mather spent his transfer budget well and Stoke gained an instant return to the second tier. The goals of Charlie Wilson proved invaluable as Stoke began to start pushing for a return to the First Division. Mather gave Stanley Matthews his debut in February 1932. After a number a failed attempts ,Stoke finished as Second Division champions in 1932–33. Mather remained in charge of Stoke for two more seasons before Bob McGrory took over and Mather left in 1935 to join Newcastle United. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Mather attempted to encourage Matthews to join him at Newcastle, but Matthews declined.

He spent four years in charge of Newcastle United until the start of World War II. He spent a season in charge of Leicester City in 1945–46 and then a year at Scottish club Kilmarnock. He then returned to Stoke-on-Trent to work for a catering company.

Career statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	From	To	Record
			P	W	D	L	Win %
Bolton Wanderers	1 August 1915	31 May 1919	144	61	21	62	042.4
Southend United	August 1920	May 1921	45	16	8	21	035.6
Stoke City	October 1923	June 1935	523	222	122	179	042.4
Newcastle United	June 1935	September 1939	179	78	32	69	043.6
Leicester City	June 1945	June 1946	44	8	8	28	018.2
Kilmarnock	June 1946	June 1947	38	10	9	19	026.3
Total			973	395	200	378	040.6

Honours

Stoke City

• Football League Second Division champion: 1932–33
• Football League Third Division North champion: 1926–27