Born Liverpool, November 17, 1955.

Lest any of our younger viewers think that media produced talent competitions are a modern invention dreamed up by Simon Cowell then let us put them straight right now.

Searching for a star has been a popular activity on television and in the newspapers for many decades.

The 1970's, the decade that taste forgot, was a particular hotbed of such activity and anyone bemoaning the presence of Pop Idol and The X Factor on their television screens should thank their lucky stars that they don't have to suffer New Faces or Opportunity Knocks.

It's true. Whilst the current fad for talent shows has given us Cowell, Girls Aloud and Will Young in the 70's we were "treated" to Hughie Green, Lena Zavaroni and Lennie Bennett. I wouldn't be surprised if The Krankies appeared in this way too.

The 1970's also gave us Tommy Tynan, a robust young Liverpudlian who won a competition run by the Liverpool Echo to gain a professional contract with Liverpool Football Club.

The competition was unlikely to unearth a superstar, the success rate of youth team players making the grade even when schooled by professional clubs has always been exceptionally low, and Tynan would be unable to break into the first team at Anfield. In bringing Tynan to prominence, however, the competition did provide the English lower divisions with a stalwart servant and prolific goalscorer.

Tynan could hardly be described as a failure even at Anfield. In both 1974 and 75 Tynan collected Central League winners medals with Liverpool Reserves and was the teams' top scorer in both seasons.

At a club heading towards European domination the bustling youngster was never likely to become first team material but a short loan spell at fourth division Swansea City showed that he could be effective lower down the ladder.

Early in the 1976-77 season Tynan left Liverpool, moving to Sheffield Wednesday in the third division for £10,000. The Hillsborough side were in something of a rut on Tynan's arrival but the hard running, straight forward blonde striker provided immediate hope for the future.

Tynan scored fourteen goals in his first season with Wednesday as the club finished 8th in the third division and was even more impressive the following season although the team as a whole struggled.

Tynan managed sixteen league goals and scooped the clubs' Player of the Year award. He also made an impression by smashing home a spectacular televised goal in the League Cup against Everton, albeit in a 3-1 defeat.

Wednesday found no consistency at all during that season, however, eventually finishing 14th and after a quiet start to the following campaign, Tynan was surprisingly discarded by manager Jack Charlton.

Tynan moved to Lincoln City for £33,000 but after only a couple of months with a team heading for relegation from Division Three he was on the move again, this time dropping into the fourth division with Newport County in a £25,000 deal.

Tynan might well have had his doubts about moving to the tiny South Wales footballing outpost that Newport undoubtedly was. One doubt he probably did not harbour was his ability to win a regular place in the County line up, but that would prove to be the case. Tynan went into the first team on his arrival and created a decent impression with seven goals in twenty games as the side finished the season in 8th place.

The following year, however, the emergence of another Scouser, the quicksilver John Aldridge, and the signing of the experienced Dave Gwyther meant Tynan was not an automatic choice as Newport claimed promotion in 3rd position.

Gwyther was remarkably similar in style to Tynan but there was one crucial asset the younger man had going for him over the older, besides years. Tynan was far more potent in front of goal.

Steadily, Tynan came to usurp Gwyther as Aldridge's main partner Newport's first season in Division Three was a memorable one for everyone connected with the club, Tynan included. The team adapted well in the league and finished a creditable 12th.

Newport had also won the Welsh Cup the previous season and thereby qualified for the European Cup Winners Cup competition. They would have an unforgettable campaign.

Having thrashed Crusaders of Northern Ireland and Haugar of Norway in the first two rounds Newport were pitted against the East Germans Carl Zeiss Jena in the quarter finals. Two goals by Tynan, including one in the last minute, gave the Welsh side a superb 2-2 draw in Jena and left hopes high for the second leg.

In front of 18,000 people at Somerton Park, Newport pounded the German goal for most of the game with Tynan a constant menace, but cruelly lost 1-0 to a breakaway goal. Equally cruelly, they had been without Aldridge in both games, a genuine case of what might have been.

Two seasons later Tynan, finally free of Gwyther's challenge, cracked in 25 goals for County, a return which prompted Plymouth Argyle to spend £55,000 to secure his services.

Tynan was an instant hit at Home Park, scoring consistently in the league and spearheading The Plilgrims as they won through to the FA Cup semi finals and a Villa Park meeting with Watford FC. Again there was heartbreak for Tynan as another valiant display ended in a 1-0 defeat.

After two seasons in Devon, Tynan headed back north in a move to Rotherham. The apparent motivation behind this move was his wifes' inability to settle in the south, although Tynan himself seemed less keen on the change.

Tynan scored steadily in South Yorkshire but never really hit it off with his new manager, Norman Hunter, or felt happy back in the area. Towards the end of the season Rotherham loaned Tynan back to Plymouth who were chasing promotion from Division Three. Instantly re-invigorated, Tynan smashed ten goals in nine games as the Pilgrims made it into the second division.

Tynan moved back to Rotherham but his days there were definitely numbered. Hunter had objected to Tynan playing against his side whilst on loan at Plymouth, Tynan had played anyway and inevitably scored. After just two games of the next season and another confrontation with Hunter, Tynan was on his way back to Plymouth on a permanent basis. Happy, valued and relaxed at Home Park, Tynan scored consistently in the second division for four seasons even though this spell took him into his mid thirties.

Tynan was obviously losing some pace but he was an instinctive finisher who could also serve up the spectacular as well as accepting the bread and butter.

His performances could still be destructive. In 1988 Tynan scored all four as Plymouth defeated Blackburn Rovers 4-3. Even though Tynan was approaching 35 years of age the Argyle fans were still deeply disappointed to see their undoubted idol move on to Torquay United as player coach in 1990.

Tynan helped Torquay to promotion from Division Four in his only season at Plainmoor after a dramatic play off final victory over Blackpool.

Surprisingly, however, he then moved on to Doncaster Rovers to see out the last rites of his career. Even on his last legs, Tynan was able to make an impression. The current West Bromwich Albion stopper, Darren Moore, recently reminisced that "playing against him (Tynan) was an education."

He then went on to expand, "Tynan in the old third division and Ruud Van Nistelrooy in the Premiership. Both difficult opponents in their own way." Quite a compliment, especially considering that all available records suggest the pair never crossed each others path on a football field. Perhaps they trained together at Torquay though.