holford was born in hanley, and started his career with cobridge before moving on to one of the two local league clubs; stoke in may 1898. he "did not put a foot wrong" in his first seasons at the club, before establishing himself as the centre of stoke's half-back line between james bradley and george baddeley following alf wood's departure in march 1901. he was nicknamed "dirty tommy" due to his sometimes reckless tackling.