Tommy Ring


Thomas Ring was a Scottish footballer, who played at outside left for Ashfield Juniors, Clyde, Everton, Barnsley, Aberdeen, Fraserburgh, Stevenage Town and for Scotland.

Club career

Ring was born in Glasgow and is best known for his time with Clyde, during which he won the Scottish Cup in 1954โ€“55 and also in 1957โ€“58. Ring scored the winning goal in the 1955 Scottish Cup Final replay versus Celtic.
He started out as a promising junior player with Ashfield. After he represented an RAF XI against Blackpool Reserves, an opposition scout tried to recruit him. He'd already joined the Bullywee, but that scout turned out to be ex Clyde captain Danny Blair.
Clyde also won the Division Two title twice in 1951โ€“52 and 1956โ€“57. He scored 178 goals in 384 appearances for the club in national competitions.
Ring was transferred to Everton in January 1960 for ยฃ12,000. He made a significant contribution for the Toffees in the 1960โ€“61 season; many headlines were written concerning him, such as 'Blues could just Ring for service'.
Ring departed Goodison Park after a broken leg injury November 1961 and then signed for Barnsley.
He returned to Scotland in early 1963 to sign for Aberdeen FC for only a three month spell, and playing just two first team games, before ending his career with further brief spells, signing for Fraserburgh FC in July 1963 in the Scottish Highland Football League, and then for Stevenage Town FC in 1964, in the Southern League.

International career

In the 1950s, Ring along with Harry Haddock, and Archie Robertson, were three of 49 junior players to later earn full international honours for that decade.
Ring was capped a dozen times for Scotland whilst playing for the Bully Wee and scored two goals, with one versus the famous Hungary team with Ferenc Puskรกs during the 1954โ€“55 season. The other was scored versus England at Wembley in 1957. Ring scored in the first minute, although England went on to win 2โ€“1.
He was the second Division Two player to be capped against the auld enemy, and he remains the last. Five of his twelve caps were awarded in Division Two. Ring also represented the Scottish League XI.

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
'A' Internationals'A' Internationals'A' Internationals'A' Internationals'A' Internationals'A' Internationals'A' Internationals
18 December 1954Hampden Park, Glasgow1โ€“22โ€“4Challenge match
26 April 1957Wembley Stadium, London1โ€“01โ€“21956โ€“57 Home Championship
League InternationalsLeague InternationalsLeague InternationalsLeague InternationalsLeague InternationalsLeague InternationalsLeague Internationals
117 March 1954Dalymount Park, DublinIRE

In popular culture

Ring's name is now a running gag on BBC Radio Scotland's Off the Ball radio programme, as his surname has multiple connotations. This ensures that he makes it into the show's 'team of the week' almost every Saturday.

Honours

Clyde
  • Scottish Cup: 1954โ€“55, 1957โ€“58
  • Scottish Division Two: 1951โ€“52, 1956โ€“57
  • Supplementary Cup: 1951โ€“52
  • Glasgow Cup: 1951โ€“52, 1958โ€“59
  • Glasgow Charity Cup: 1951โ€“52, 1957โ€“58
Everton
Individual