Tommy Tynan: The Original Football Idol

Signed for Liverpool by legendary Bill Shankly after winning the "Search for a Soccer-Star" competition, Tommy went on to become a cult figure during his time at Plymouth Argyle and Newport County.

Many decades before SKY TV's popular "Football Idol" series Tommy Tynan won a newspaper competition called "Search for a Soccer-Star"; he was just 16 years old. His reward was an apprenticeship at Bill Shankly's famous Liverpool Football Club.

At Jack Charlton's "Sheffield Wednesday", he was a hit. At Newport County, playing alongside John Aldridge, they marched into Europe. At Plymouth Argyle, his goals propelled the team to promotion and a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

At Plymouth Argyle, his goals propelled the team to promotion and a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Tommy was a goal-machine wherever he went, and he wasn't afraid of controversy. Today, to many thousands of people, he is a cult-hero.

About the Author

Ryan Danes stood on the terraces of Home Park as a boy and experienced the highs and lows, the elation and the sadness of following Plymouth Argyle. He has grown up with the club and is Plymouth through and through.

Ryan became a writer at 15 and has had numerous successes, including winning a competition to write a play for BBC radio and having his work published locally.