Today’s Friday Feature ahead of Brentford’s match at Ipswich Town on Saturday profiles ‘the forward that got away’ – Tomy Garneys.

Garneys was discarded by Brentford after just 12 league matches but would go on to break Ipswich Town’s individual scoring record.

Born on August 25, 1923, Thomas Thurston Garneys started his football career with Isthmian League Walthamstow Avenue before the Second World War.

He later signed for Leytonstone, also of the Isthmian League, before war interrupted his football career.

Signing for Notts County after peacetime, he failed to make a league appearance before moving to Chingford of the Southern League.

Brentford manager then Jackie Gibbons secured his signature in December 1949 and made his league debut at Blundell Park, home of Grimsby Town, on April 29, 1950.

Tom marked his first game in Brentford colours with a goal, as The Bees lost 4-1 in their final match of the league campaign.

Chances at Griffin Park for the Leyton-born forward were limited in the next season, making 11 Division Two appearances and scoring one goal.

In May 1951, Tom moved to Ipswich Town, then of Division Three (South) and celebrated his debut with a goal in the 4-1 home defeat of Southend United in August 1951.

His return of 15 goals in 45 league games was not spectacular, but as the years grew on, he would become more prolific, 19 goals in 44 league games in 1953/54 giving Ipswich the Third Division (South) championship.

Tom became the first Ipswich player to score four Football League goals in a game, coming in a 5-1 home Second Division win over Doncaster Rovers.

It was not a happy debut in the top two tiers for the Suffolk club, being immediately relegated, but Tom chipped in with 20 goals from just 24 appearances.

Ipswich become Third Division (South) champions once again in 1957, and have never played in the lower divisions since.

Tom retired at the age of 36 in February 1959 having scored 123 league goals in 248 appearances for Ipswich Town, which has only been surpassed since by John Wark, Ted Phillips and Ray Crawford.

He took over the running of the Mulberry Tree public house, now called the Milestone, in Ipswich.

Tom died in a Basildon nursing home in 2007, aged 83 after spending his later years in Billericay.