Tommy Drain was the man who scored Leeds City's first goal after election to the Football League, in a 2-2 draw with Lincoln City on 9 September 1905. Just for good measure he added the second goal in the same game and hit an upright.

Drain spent his early career in Scottish football, including a brief spell with Celtic, before coming south of the border to join Bradford City in October 1903.

He had a great start to his time at Valley Parade, scoring on his Football League debut (a 3-1 defeat of Burnley) and then following up with a hat trick in the next game, against Bolton Wanderers. He faded badly thereafter and was mostly a reserve for the Bantams, though he was honoured by selection for a Midland League representative XI to meet champions Sheffield United at Bramall Lane at the end of the season.

When Leeds City were elected to the Second Division in 1905, Drain joined them along with team mate James Henderson. He was given his debut in their second match, against West Bromwich Albion on 9 September, and then his two goals against Lincoln brought City's first point in the next game.

Drain was regarded very much as a reserve to Fred Hargraves, only making ten appearances in all during his season with Leeds.

He left the Peacocks at the end of the campaign and moved back to Scotland with Kilmarnock. He was later on the books of Aberdeen, Carlisle United, Exeter City, Woolwich Arsenal, Nithsdale Wanderers and Galston before retiring in 1912.

In later years Drain worked as a fireman in Fife and died in Edinburgh on 19 September 1952.