Lives in Cricket No 20 - Maurice Tompkin

There was support for the young man making his first-team debut, already accepted because he was following in his father’s footsteps, and playing in the same position as well. There was no question that this, and his enthusiasm and commitment, all worked in his favour. Leicester in 1938 was still very much a close community – if everyone did not know each other, they knew someone who did: ‘This Tompkin lad, e’s Percy’s lad; remember he played in the twenties.’ And ‘Old Fairy is a businessman now; runs his own factory, doing all right he is.’ However, Leicester lost the game against Birmingham by 4-1, and generally the team did not play well. Playing on the right wing, the press were quite complimentary about his efforts though, even spelling his name correctly: ‘Tompkin did not seem in the least overawed by the senior company he was in, and in a game in which he was getting few chances, he was doing remarkably well.’ The Sunday Express was unenthusiastic, saying that he did no worse than some of the other forwards. The Sunday Dispatch was more encouraging: ‘Tompkin played very well indeed, showing marked ability to centre the ball quickly and accurately and at times was able to outwit more experienced opponents.’ The Daily Herald agreed: ‘Tompkin, a new lad, was most impressive.’ The match attendance, at 13,255, was the second lowest of the season, perhaps reflecting the lack of importance to Leicester of the fixture, but also the fact that over 9,000 were watching Leicestershire take on the Australians on the other side of Burnmoor Street. Indeed, at the start of the game, the Leicester Mercury report suggests that there were more at the cricket than the football. When he resumed football in August 1938, he played in a couple of trial matches, ‘Blues v Reds’ and was then in the Reserves for the first couple of matches. The Reserves were playing in the London Combination, which included most of the reserve teams of clubs in the London and Midlands. He was reported as ‘playing well’ in a 7–4 drubbing by Derby County on 20 August, but he did not play after another defeat, this time 4–2 at the hands of Southend United. He was however back to play Chelsea on 10 September, ‘Tompkin hit a fine effort straight to the goalkeeper’ and another defeat. He was still playing with the number seven on his back on the right wing. Football winters 35 ‘Impressive’ start. Maurice, in white shorts, on his First Division debut for Leicester City at Filbert Street on 7 May 1938.