Tommy Jenkins.

[Pete10]

Does anybody have any memories of Tommy Jenkins .
Part of the Jack Mansell , pass and move team 1969/1970
season . He only played 21 games scoring 5 goals
before being sold for a record fee to Southampton.

[West Stand Man]

I was gutted when he left. He was an awesome player, very quick, great ball control and a superb end product.

[old woman]

I too was gutted when he left. A very quick winger who always had cotton wool in his ear

The first time I can remember a player being sold and being upset by it

[OldBiscuit]

He looked great for us, and the few women that went in those days quite fancied him.
Sold to top flight Southampton for big money, never to be heard of again.

[Ark Royal]

Breathtaking player and my first hero. Remember in particular the 2-2 draw against Walsall early in the 69/70 season, where he gave three or four defenders twisted blood in front of the South Bank. I can also remember where I was when I heard he had been sold to Southampton. Gutted, although we did get Gordon Cumming shortly after with some of the transfer fee. Also, all of Jenkins' five goals were scored away from home.

[Half Biscuit]

This may be a false memory, but he seemed a little bit aloof in his attitude. I only saw him a few times but he was definitely a class above everyone else on the field. Scored a hat-trick in the 'Prenton Park massacre' if I remember correctly.

[Sutekh]

Cost about a grand from Margate and flogged for 60k in the space of 6 months. This was 1969 so 60k was a bit and I don't think you can blame the club for cashing in.

As I recall he went on to play for Swindon and then decamped over to the States. Last I heard he was coaching in Seattle somewhere.

He must be about 70 by now.

[bagman]

I seem to remember that his last game for us was against Brentwood in the cup, in 1969. I went along as I had just joined Ford, and he was marked by Dave Jones, a local estate agent, who had just rented us a flat. We lost 1-0. Really bad day.
I thought he was an amazing player, and shortly after went and saw his Saints debut against West Ham at Upton Park in an evening game. He was brilliant, and Saints won, can't remember the score though. Returned to my car, to find it had been towed away to Gants Hill Pound. Taxi there, big fine from Pound, got home from there at 2.30 am. Girl friend accusing me of "playing away". Really, really bad day

[Fox Talbot]

Played three more times after Brentwood, last game v Torquay away 5.12.69 so he was probably sold exactly 48 years ago today.

He played just 10 home games, league and cup, was sold for £60k, a record amount that stood for years and years and pretty much as soon as he went we started playing brilliant football and had a 15 match unbeaten run.

In terms of impact over a short career perhaps only Simon Osborn stands in comparison. Wish I'd seen more of Jenkins.

[RoyalBlue]

Reinforcing our reputation as a 'posh club' even back in those days, I think his song from the Southbank was to the tune of the classical Trumpet Voluntary:

'Tommy, Tommy Jenkins, trala trala tra la la'

And I too was gutted when he was sold so quickly but, at the same time, chuffed that little old Reading could 'produce' such a valuable/expensive player.

[ankeny]

Tommy is alive and well and has granted an interview with our FB Group,we are gathering members questions at the moment for it.

[Pete10]

Tommy is alive and well and has granted an interview with our FB Group,we are gathering members questions at the moment for it.

Sounds good . Will a interesting read. Thanks for all the comments . Looks like Tommy is still highly thought of.

[SpaghettiHoop]

[Expat]

This link may fill in a few gaps for some of you: http://www.margatefootballclubhistory.c ... kins.shtml

Margate was my home town club back in the 1960s, and I've fond memories of watching Tommy at Hartsdown Park. It was a sad day when he moved on to Reading but he was always way too good for the Southern League.