Club career Tom Askin, who came from
Knottingley, made his début for Featherstone Rovers on 21 March 1925, after the club had spotted him playing for
Knottingley Rovers. He was suspended from playing for three matches in early 1927 following an ill-tempered December game against
Wakefield Trinity in which he and three other players were sent off. He played at in Featherstone Rovers' 0-5 defeat by Leeds in the
1928 Yorkshire Cup final at
Belle Vue,
Wakefield, on 24 November 1928. Soon after this, and hours before the midnight, 1 February 1929 cut-off time for players to be registered for the Rugby League Cup, Askin was transferred to Leeds. This was despite both clubs only days earlier scotching rumours of such a transfer, and despite rumoured interest in him from other clubs such as
Oldham,
Salford and
Halifax. Although he had recovered from a leg injury, the 12-
stone, 22-year-old Askin had not played for Featherstone for a few weeks due to a disagreement with the club's board, and they now felt that they had no option but to list him. Featherstone had wanted £1000 for the player but accepted Leeds' offer of £800. Askin played for his new club against
Hull F.C. on 2 February and then injured his leg during Leeds' defeat by
Warrington in the first round of the Cup a week later. He had to have an operation in Liverpool and was out of the team for almost all that remained of the 1928–29 season. Although signed by Leeds to strengthen their left wing, he returned to his more familiar position in the centre for the 1929–30 season and scored 15
tries before being put on the transfer market with an asking price of £500. Askin transferred to Castleford on 13 November 1930, with
The Leeds Mercury commenting that he had "rarely touched his best form in Leeds colours and it may be that now he is nearer the district in which he learned his football he will display the ability which gained him a place in the last tour team". He played for the club from
then until the
1936–37 season, scoring his first try for the club in the 22-3 victory over
Bramley in very bad conditions on 29 November 1930. He was joined at Castleford by his brother,
Ambrose, who made his début against
Hull F.C. on 26 March 1932, a match in which Tom was unable to play due to injury. Tom Askin was listed for transfer by Castleford at a fee of £250 in July 1932. However, he was a part of the Castleford team that won the
Yorkshire County League during the
1932–33 season. He played on the and scored a try in Castleford's 11-8 victory over
Huddersfield in the
1935 Challenge Cup final at
Wembley Stadium, London, on 4 May 1935, in front of a crowd of 39,000. Later that year, in November, he broke his leg in the last minutes of a match against the same club. Although there were fears that the injury might signal the end of his career, he appeared to be training well in the subsequent close season. In March 1937, an exchange deal between Castleford and Newcastle saw Askin move to
North East England while G. L. Taylor travelled in the opposite direction. Newcastle were at that time attempting to establish the sport in the
Tyneside region and the
Yorkshire Evening Post commented that his loyalty and experience could be of much benefit in that regard. In September 1938, Askin returned to Featherstone on loan from Castleford.
International and County honours Askin won
caps for Great Britain in 1928, when he played three matches against Australia and a further three against New Zealand. Askin won
caps for Yorkshire during the
1927–28 season against
Cumberland, Lancashire, and
Glamorgan and Monmouthshire. He played again for the county during the
1928–29 season against Lancashire. In September 1930, he played once more for Yorkshire against Cumberland at
Whitehaven when
George Whittaker of
Swinton was moved from the wing to cover for the injured Castleford international
Arthur Atkinson, thus opening up a spot for Askin. However, he was dropped from the squad in favour of
George Bateman of Hull for the October match against Lancashire at
Belle Vue,
Wakefield. In 1971, Askin, then involved with
Doncaster, was appointed as a replacement for
Brian Snape on the RFL selection panel. ==Personal life==