Thomas Hubert Best was a Welsh professional footballer who played as a centre forward.
14 Facts About Tommy Best
1.
2.
Tommy Best was the first black professional footballer to play at the top level in Ireland and was the first black player to appear for Chester and Hereford in the Football League.
3.
Tommy Best was born in Milford Haven to a Barbadian father and Welsh mother.
4.
Tommy Best joined the Royal Navy as a teenager and during World War II was stationed aboard HMS Gloman, a minesweeper vessel.
5.
Tommy Best attended a match between Belfast Celtic and Drumcondra in the Dublin and Belfast Inter-City Cup at Grosvenor Park and was asked to play when Drumcondra proved to be short of a full team.
6.
Tommy Best played against Ireland international Bertie Fulton in the match, scoring one of Drumcondra's goals, and impressed enough to be offered a deal with Belfast Celtic.
7.
Tommy Best spent one season with the club, playing alongside internationals such as Jimmy McAlinden and Norman Kernaghan.
8.
Tommy Best played for fellow Irish side Cliftonville and went on to play football in Queensland, Australia after being stationed there.
9.
In July 1947, Tommy Best joined Chester after a successful trial, making his move into the professional game at the late age of 26 due to the hostilities.
10.
Tommy Best's fee was a club record sale for Chester at the time and would stand until the sale of Billy Foulkes to Newcastle United in 1951.
11.
Tommy Best played in the last thirteen matches of the season, scoring six times.
12.
Tommy Best later had spells with non-league sides Milford Haven, Hereford United, where he made over 100 appearances, and Bromsgrove Rovers.
13.
Tommy Best retired to live in Hereford with his wife, Eunice, and the couple had three children, Jennifer, Paul and Judy.
14.
Tommy Best suffered from Alzheimer's disease in later life and died on 16 September 2018 at the age of 97.