Thomas was born in Darwen in April 1851 he would become one of footballs great pioneers in the early years of the game.
He became immortalised in football folklore as the first man to pay a footballer to play the game, and was one of Darwen football club's greatest stalwarts for over fifty years.
He played with the club almost from the offset, but an accident terminated his playing days, after hanging up his boots he then began to join in the running of the club first as Secretary then President in their football league days. It was whilst he was secretary of the club that the rumours of Darwen paying Fergie Suter and James love for playing in 1879 first arose, Tom always strongly denied that Love and Suter were paid to play football and there was never any evidence produced to contradict him. He never denied however that the posts which the two occupied in Darwen were far more remunerative than those they had held in Scotland and were a reward for their services to the club.
A meeting of the football clubs of Lancashire called by Thomas Hindle acting on behalf of Darwen Football club, was held on the 28th September 1878 at the Cooperative Hall, School Street, Darwen. The meeting was to consider the formation of a Lancashire Football Association. (LFA) Some weeks later another meeting was arranged, this was held at the Volunteer Inn, Bromley Cross Turton, by the end of this meeting the new Association was born with Thomas Hindle the Secretary of the Association. Thomas held the position untill 1882, when he became the honourable Treasurer, a position he held untill 1909, He was elected a life member of the Association until he retired in 1919 (a total of 41 years service) Thomas also held various positions on the Football League Committee and Football Association during his many years in the game. Thomas died in June 1927 aged 76. He had been a active member of Darwen football club right up until his death.

Acknowledgements for the history in this section are made to :  Darwen RBL -- who originally published this page in 2002