Tommy Leishman
Midfielder · Liverpool 1959–1963
Personal
- Born
- 3 September 1937
- Place of birth
- Stenhousemuir, Scotland
- Died
- 21 July 2021
- Other clubs
- St. Mirren (1953-59), Hibernian (1963-65), Linfield (1965-68), Stranraer (1968-70)
At Liverpool
- Signed from
- St. Mirren
- Joined
- 20 November 1959
- Transfer fee
- £10,000
- Debut
- 28 December 1959
- First goal
- 24 August 1960
- Last goal
- 8 September 1962
- Last appearance
- 27 October 1962
- Left the club
- 12 January 1963
Liverpool career
118
Appearances
7
Goals
6
Assists
- League 107 apps · 6 goals · 6 assists
- Win ratio 50.85% — W 60 · D 29 · L 29
Honours
- Second Division
- 1961-62
Player profile
Tough guy Leishman excelled in the Second Division but was surplus to requirements when Liverpool made the step up to top-flight football. Leishman was a Scottish left-half who arrived at Anfield as a 22-year-old from St. Mirren in November 1959. He figured in 15 of the last 19 League matches of the 1959/60 season and became a regular member of the side for the next two years, missing only three League fixtures during that period. He was a vital part in Shankly’s 3-3-4 masterplan implemented in the 1960/61 season after a terrible start to the campaign. He moved inside-left Jimmy Harrower back as a semi half-back thus drawing his opposing half-back out of place and from his position playing either Tommy Leishman or Johnny Wheeler as they moved forward supplying the drive and support which the forward line so badly needed. Liverpool finally climbed back into the top division after winning the second division title by eight points from Leyton Orient in 1961/62. Leishman only missed one League match and Shankly noted that "Tommy Leishman had settled down and having mellowed in his game was playing extremely well." Leishman proved inadequate for the top-flight and was soon replaced by his compatriot Willie Stevenson.
Appearances per season
| Season | League | FA | LC | Europe | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-1960 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| 1960-1961 | 40 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 44 |
| 1961-1962 | 41 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 |
| 1962-1963 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Totals | 107 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 118 |
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
| Apps | Mins | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| 118 | 10,650 | All opponents |
| 6 | 540 | Luton Town |
| 6 | 540 | Sunderland |
| 5 | 450 | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 5 | 450 | Charlton Athletic |
| 5 | 450 | Huddersfield Town |
| 5 | 450 | Middlesbrough |
| 5 | 480 | Preston North End |
| 5 | 450 | Rotherham United |
| 5 | 450 | Stoke City |
| 5 | 450 | Swansea City |
| 4 | 360 | Bristol Rovers |
| 4 | 360 | Ipswich Town |
| 4 | 360 | Leeds United |
| 4 | 360 | Leyton Orient |
| 4 | 360 | Norwich City |
| 4 | 360 | Plymouth Argyle |
| 4 | 360 | Scunthorpe United |
| 4 | 360 | Southampton |
| 3 | 270 | Derby County |
| 3 | 270 | Lincoln City |
| 3 | 270 | Portsmouth |
| 3 | 270 | Sheffield United |
| 2 | 180 | Bury |
| 2 | 180 | Newcastle United |
| 2 | 180 | Walsall |
| 1 | 90 | Aston Villa |
| 1 | 90 | Blackburn Rovers |
| 1 | 90 | Blackpool |
| 1 | 90 | Bolton Wanderers |
| 1 | 90 | Chelsea |
| 1 | 90 | Coventry City |
| 1 | 90 | Everton |
| 1 | 90 | Hull City |
| 1 | 90 | Leicester City |
| 1 | 90 | Manchester City |
| 1 | 90 | Manchester United |
| 1 | 90 | Nottingham Forest |
| 1 | 90 | Oldham Athletic |
| 1 | 90 | West Bromwich Albion |
| 1 | 90 | West Ham United |
| 1 | 90 | Wolves |
| Total | Started/substitutions |
|---|---|
| 118 | Started |
| 0 | Substituted |
| 0 | Substitute |
| 0 | On bench |
| Total | Venue |
|---|---|
| 58 | Home |
| 59 | Away |
| 1 | Neutral |
| Total | Competition |
|---|---|
| 107 | League |
| 9 | FA Cup |
| 2 | League Cup |
| Total | W | D | L | Win% | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 118 | 60 | 29 | 29 | 50.8% | Bill Shankly |
Goals per season
| Season | League | FA | LC | Europe | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960-1961 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1961-1962 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1962-1963 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
The player scored 7 goals in 7 different matches.
A more detailed look at the player's goals
| Total | Opponent |
|---|---|
| 2 | Scunthorpe United |
| 1 | Leeds United |
| 1 | Leyton Orient |
| 1 | Luton Town |
| 1 | Nottingham Forest |
| 1 | Southampton |
| Total | Started/substitutions |
|---|---|
| 7 | Started |
| Total | Competition |
|---|---|
| 6 | League |
| 1 | League Cup |
| Total | Goal minute period |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1-15 minutes |
| 1 | 16-30 minutes |
| 1 | 31-45 minutes |
| 1 | 46-60 minutes |
| 3 | 76-90 minutes |
| Total | Goal origin |
|---|---|
| 7 | Open play |
| Total | Assisted by |
|---|---|
| 1 | Dave Hickson |
| 1 | Gerry Byrne |
| 1 | Jimmy Harrower |
| 1 | Jimmy Melia |
| 1 | Johnny Wheeler |
| 1 | Kevin Lewis |
Assists per season
| Season | League | FA | LC | Europe | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-1960 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1960-1961 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1961-1962 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Totals | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
A more detailed look at the player's assists
| Total | Opponent |
|---|---|
| 2 | Plymouth Argyle |
| 1 | Bury |
| 1 | Charlton Athletic |
| 1 | Huddersfield Town |
| 1 | Leeds United |
| Total | Competition |
|---|---|
| 6 | League |
| Total | For player |
|---|---|
| 3 | Roger Hunt |
| 2 | Dave Hickson |
| 1 | Alan A'Court |
Related Articles
Silenced Kop!
News Chronicle and Daily Dispatch report on Liverpool - Charlton Athletic on 28.12.1959.
Lethal Leishman snuffs Hamilton
The Daily Express report on Liverpool - Sheffield United on 16.01.1960.
Unique Programmes: The Beginning of the League Cup.
Although Liverpool were late developers in the League Cup we have certainly made up for lost time – winning it a record seven times since its inception in the 1960-61 season.