841:
45:
149:
611:
funny lad indeed. We started the weeks training on
Tuesday mornings and every Tuesday he followed a habit which he could never break. He would go round all the refreshment bars on the ground and finish off the lemonade customers, storing the remains in the bottles! Then he would start a little of his trainingβbut that seldom lasted very long.
573:
Tom played for quite a few junior teams in the
Tranmere area before catching the eye of the legendary Rovers scout Jack Lee. Lee offered Waring a place in the Tranmere reserves and a casual job helping out on matchdays. Tom would sell cigarettes and chocolate to the fans in the stands as well as help
610:
There were no rules for Pongo. Nobody knew what time he would turn up for trainingβten o'clock, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock, it made no odds. Nobody on the staff could do anything with him although I think I can claim, as the captain in his days, to be the only person able to handle him. He was a
601:
His 226 appearances for Villa yielded 167 goals, including 10 hat-tricks and a club record 49 league goals in the 1930β31 season, 50 goals in all competitions. He is considered an Aston Villa legend, a reputation buoyed by his likeable personality as discussed by Villa's captain of the day,
623:
Over 6ft tall and tough as teak, his goal dashes were electrifying and if he could not get adequate service from his wings he went out and got the ball himself. He would streak his way through opposing defences, and then turn around grinning all over his
564:
Thomas Waring was born on 12 October 1906 at 4 Chapel Place in Higher
Tranmere. He was the third child (out of 4) of Henry Arthur and Charlotte Waring. The Waring family lived at 15 Walker Place, which was a ten-minute walk from Tranmere Rovers' ground.
868:
578:
in 1926 at the relatively late age of 20 and made his debut on August 29, 1927 away to
Rotherham United. He scored 23 goals in 24 games, including 6 goals in an 11β1 victory against
1995:
2050:
861:
1985:
2020:
880:
2015:
2055:
854:
2030:
2045:
1216:
1183:
1131:
1990:
2000:
1260:
1227:
1153:
977:
962:
940:
929:
651:, angering many Villa fans and prompting 5,000 of them to call for his return to the club. After a spell at Barnsley, Waring also played for
2040:
1980:
1194:
1172:
1161:
1076:
632:'s altercation with a fan, an Olton pensioner stated that Waring - "Picked the ball up then he jumped into the crowd and gave him a thump"
603:
748:
1546:
1205:
1937:
1915:
1705:
1672:
1657:
1098:
699:
Waring died in
December 1980 at the age of 74. His ashes were scattered in the Holte End goal mouth before a game against Stoke City.
2005:
1771:
907:
128:
809:
676:
2025:
2035:
2010:
877:
688:
660:
514:
346:
66:
31:
1017:
109:
652:
582:
in
January 1928 which brought him to the attention of First Division clubs. He moved to Aston Villa for Β£4,700 in 1928.
310:
1944:
1933:
1922:
1911:
1900:
1889:
1878:
1863:
1852:
1841:
1830:
1815:
1804:
1793:
1782:
1767:
1756:
1745:
1734:
1723:
1712:
1701:
1690:
1679:
1664:
1653:
1638:
1623:
1612:
1601:
1586:
1575:
1564:
1553:
1542:
1531:
1520:
1509:
1498:
1487:
1476:
1465:
1454:
1443:
1432:
1421:
1410:
1399:
1388:
1377:
1366:
1355:
1344:
1333:
1322:
1311:
1300:
1289:
1278:
1267:
1256:
1245:
1234:
1223:
1212:
1201:
1190:
1179:
1168:
1149:
1138:
1127:
1116:
1105:
1094:
1083:
1072:
1061:
1050:
1039:
1028:
1006:
995:
984:
969:
958:
947:
936:
925:
914:
903:
892:
81:
1392:
62:
88:
55:
1590:
1458:
1716:
668:
616:
476:
380:
95:
77:
1975:
1970:
656:
591:
575:
537:
328:
256:
30:
For the Irish barrister and Member of
Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, see
672:
440:
424:
556:. In his career, he scored 243 league goals in 363 matches over 12 seasons for 5 different clubs.
574:
in preparing the ground for matches before he was handed a professional contract. He signed for
1797:
1775:
1749:
1381:
579:
549:
274:
17:
1845:
1819:
1425:
1142:
1087:
951:
918:
840:
590:
A crowd of 23,000 saw him play on his Villa debut in a reserve game against local rivals
635:
Whilst playing football, Waring also worked for The
Hercules Motor and Cycle Company in
102:
1760:
1568:
1502:
1491:
1480:
1469:
1238:
664:
553:
364:
213:
1964:
1904:
1786:
1683:
1646:
1627:
1616:
1605:
1579:
1557:
1524:
1304:
1282:
1249:
1157:
1065:
1032:
1021:
1010:
988:
973:
846:
648:
292:
826:
1926:
1882:
1871:
1834:
1738:
1535:
1513:
1436:
1414:
1403:
1120:
1054:
1043:
999:
896:
629:
458:
835:
716:
1893:
1867:
1823:
1668:
1631:
1594:
1447:
1359:
1348:
44:
1948:
1808:
1727:
1694:
1642:
1337:
1315:
1293:
1271:
1109:
190:
679:, and after the war he returned for a second spell with Ellesmere Port Town.
536:(12 October 1906 β 20 December 1980) was an English professional association
1370:
730:
595:
830:
148:
1856:
545:
636:
749:"Erling Haland equals goal record of Birkenhead's 'Pongo' Waring"
850:
38:
671:, Graysons, Birkenhead Docks and Harrowby. He guested for
810:"All you need to know about Villa legend Pongo Waring"
775:
Birmingham Daily
Gazette - Thursday 05 March 1953 p.7
548:of the time called Pongo the Pup, Waring is one of
508:
503:
486:
470:
452:
434:
418:
404:
390:
374:
358:
340:
322:
304:
286:
268:
250:
224:
219:
209:
197:
186:
171:
163:
158:
69:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
621:
608:
862:
8:
771:
769:
691:, scoring four goals between 1931 and 1932.
141:
527:*Club domestic league appearances and goals
869:
855:
847:
839:
234:
147:
140:
2051:First Division/Premier League top scorers
129:Learn how and when to remove this message
619:described Pongo in his heyday at Villa:
1996:England men's international footballers
708:
606:. In Walker's autobiography, he wrote:
2021:Accrington Stanley F.C. (1891) players
687:Waring was also capped five times by
7:
2016:Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
742:
740:
242:
67:adding citations to reliable sources
1986:Men's association football forwards
731:"THE ADVENTURES OF "PONGO THE PUP""
2056:Everton F.C. wartime guest players
594:, in which he scored a first half
25:
647:In November 1935, Waring went to
2031:Ellesmere Port Town F.C. players
43:
2046:English Football League players
784:Solihull Times 17 Feb 1995 p.22
54:needs additional citations for
1:
2001:Tranmere Rovers F.C. players
831:Aston Villa Players Database
794:"Visitors Score Ten Goals".
747:Bowman, Jamie (1 May 2023).
18:Tom 'Pongo' Waring
2041:New Brighton A.F.C. players
1981:Footballers from Birkenhead
2072:
827:Aston Villa career details
29:
1991:English men's footballers
887:
526:
212:
200:
189:
174:
166:
146:
2006:Aston Villa F.C. players
617:Birmingham Daily Gazette
653:Wolverhampton Wanderers
311:Wolverhampton Wanderers
2026:Bath City F.C. players
878:English First Division
626:
613:
2036:Harrowby F.C. players
2011:Barnsley F.C. players
659:(for a second time),
838:at Englandstats.com
683:International career
504:International career
159:Personal information
63:improve this article
669:Ellesmere Port Town
628:During the time of
477:Ellesmere Port Town
381:Ellesmere Port Town
143:
661:Accrington Stanley
552:'s all-time great
347:Accrington Stanley
27:English footballer
1958:
1957:
717:"Everton Results"
531:
530:
139:
138:
131:
113:
16:(Redirected from
2063:
1951:
1940:
1929:
1918:
1907:
1896:
1885:
1874:
1859:
1848:
1837:
1826:
1811:
1800:
1789:
1778:
1763:
1752:
1741:
1730:
1719:
1708:
1697:
1686:
1675:
1660:
1649:
1634:
1619:
1608:
1597:
1582:
1571:
1560:
1549:
1538:
1527:
1516:
1505:
1494:
1483:
1472:
1461:
1450:
1439:
1428:
1417:
1406:
1395:
1384:
1373:
1362:
1351:
1340:
1329:
1318:
1307:
1296:
1285:
1274:
1263:
1252:
1241:
1230:
1219:
1208:
1197:
1186:
1175:
1164:
1145:
1134:
1123:
1112:
1101:
1090:
1079:
1068:
1057:
1046:
1035:
1024:
1013:
1002:
991:
980:
965:
954:
943:
932:
921:
910:
899:
871:
864:
857:
848:
843:
814:
813:
812:. 27 March 2021.
806:
800:
799:
798:. 13 April 1946.
791:
785:
782:
776:
773:
764:
763:
761:
759:
744:
735:
734:
733:. British PathΓ©.
727:
721:
720:
713:
511:
473:
455:
437:
421:
410:Birkenhead Docks
407:
393:
377:
361:
343:
325:
307:
289:
271:
253:
244:
236:
204:
201:20 December 1980
181:
179:
151:
144:
134:
127:
123:
120:
114:
112:
71:
47:
39:
21:
2071:
2070:
2066:
2065:
2064:
2062:
2061:
2060:
1961:
1960:
1959:
1954:
1943:
1932:
1921:
1910:
1899:
1888:
1877:
1862:
1851:
1840:
1829:
1814:
1803:
1792:
1781:
1766:
1755:
1744:
1733:
1722:
1711:
1700:
1689:
1678:
1663:
1652:
1637:
1622:
1611:
1600:
1585:
1574:
1563:
1552:
1541:
1530:
1519:
1508:
1497:
1486:
1475:
1464:
1453:
1442:
1431:
1420:
1409:
1398:
1387:
1376:
1365:
1354:
1343:
1332:
1321:
1310:
1299:
1288:
1277:
1266:
1255:
1244:
1233:
1222:
1211:
1200:
1189:
1178:
1167:
1148:
1137:
1126:
1115:
1104:
1093:
1082:
1071:
1060:
1049:
1038:
1027:
1016:
1005:
994:
983:
968:
957:
946:
935:
924:
913:
902:
891:
883:
875:
823:
818:
817:
808:
807:
803:
793:
792:
788:
783:
779:
774:
767:
757:
755:
746:
745:
738:
729:
728:
724:
715:
714:
710:
705:
697:
685:
657:Tranmere Rovers
645:
592:Birmingham City
588:
571:
562:
554:centre forwards
544:after a famous
509:
471:
453:
435:
419:
405:
391:
375:
359:
341:
329:Tranmere Rovers
323:
305:
287:
269:
257:Tranmere Rovers
251:
202:
182:12 October 1906
177:
175:
154:
135:
124:
118:
115:
72:
70:
60:
48:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
2069:
2067:
2059:
2058:
2053:
2048:
2043:
2038:
2033:
2028:
2023:
2018:
2013:
2008:
2003:
1998:
1993:
1988:
1983:
1978:
1973:
1963:
1962:
1956:
1955:
1953:
1952:
1941:
1930:
1919:
1908:
1897:
1886:
1875:
1860:
1849:
1838:
1827:
1812:
1801:
1790:
1779:
1764:
1753:
1742:
1731:
1720:
1709:
1698:
1687:
1676:
1661:
1650:
1635:
1620:
1609:
1598:
1583:
1572:
1561:
1550:
1539:
1528:
1517:
1506:
1495:
1484:
1473:
1462:
1451:
1440:
1429:
1418:
1407:
1396:
1385:
1374:
1363:
1352:
1341:
1330:
1319:
1308:
1297:
1286:
1275:
1264:
1253:
1242:
1231:
1220:
1209:
1198:
1187:
1176:
1165:
1146:
1135:
1124:
1113:
1102:
1091:
1080:
1069:
1058:
1047:
1036:
1025:
1014:
1003:
992:
981:
978:J. J. Campbell
966:
955:
944:
933:
922:
911:
900:
888:
885:
884:
876:
874:
873:
866:
859:
851:
845:
844:
833:
822:
821:External links
819:
816:
815:
801:
786:
777:
765:
736:
722:
707:
706:
704:
701:
696:
693:
684:
681:
644:
641:
587:
584:
570:
567:
561:
558:
529:
528:
524:
523:
520:
517:
512:
506:
505:
501:
500:
495:
490:
488:
484:
483:
481:
479:
474:
468:
467:
464:
461:
456:
450:
449:
446:
443:
438:
432:
431:
429:
427:
422:
416:
415:
413:
411:
408:
402:
401:
399:
397:
394:
388:
387:
385:
383:
378:
372:
371:
369:
367:
362:
356:
355:
352:
349:
344:
338:
337:
334:
331:
326:
320:
319:
316:
313:
308:
302:
301:
298:
295:
290:
284:
283:
280:
277:
272:
266:
265:
262:
259:
254:
248:
247:
238:
231:
226:
222:
221:
220:Senior career*
217:
216:
214:Centre forward
211:
207:
206:
205:(aged 74)
199:
195:
194:
188:
187:Place of birth
184:
183:
173:
169:
168:
165:
161:
160:
156:
155:
153:Waring in 1927
152:
137:
136:
119:September 2014
51:
49:
42:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
2068:
2057:
2054:
2052:
2049:
2047:
2044:
2042:
2039:
2037:
2034:
2032:
2029:
2027:
2024:
2022:
2019:
2017:
2014:
2012:
2009:
2007:
2004:
2002:
1999:
1997:
1994:
1992:
1989:
1987:
1984:
1982:
1979:
1977:
1974:
1972:
1969:
1968:
1966:
1950:
1946:
1942:
1939:
1935:
1931:
1928:
1924:
1920:
1917:
1913:
1909:
1906:
1902:
1898:
1895:
1891:
1887:
1884:
1880:
1876:
1873:
1869:
1865:
1861:
1858:
1854:
1850:
1847:
1843:
1839:
1836:
1832:
1828:
1825:
1821:
1817:
1813:
1810:
1806:
1802:
1799:
1795:
1791:
1788:
1784:
1780:
1777:
1773:
1769:
1765:
1762:
1758:
1754:
1751:
1747:
1743:
1740:
1736:
1732:
1729:
1725:
1721:
1718:
1714:
1710:
1707:
1703:
1699:
1696:
1692:
1688:
1685:
1681:
1677:
1674:
1670:
1666:
1662:
1659:
1655:
1651:
1648:
1644:
1640:
1636:
1633:
1629:
1625:
1621:
1618:
1614:
1610:
1607:
1603:
1599:
1596:
1592:
1588:
1584:
1581:
1577:
1573:
1570:
1566:
1562:
1559:
1555:
1551:
1548:
1544:
1540:
1537:
1533:
1529:
1526:
1522:
1518:
1515:
1511:
1507:
1504:
1500:
1496:
1493:
1489:
1485:
1482:
1478:
1474:
1471:
1467:
1463:
1460:
1456:
1452:
1449:
1445:
1441:
1438:
1434:
1430:
1427:
1423:
1419:
1416:
1412:
1408:
1405:
1401:
1397:
1394:
1390:
1386:
1383:
1379:
1375:
1372:
1368:
1364:
1361:
1357:
1353:
1350:
1346:
1342:
1339:
1335:
1331:
1328:
1324:
1320:
1317:
1313:
1309:
1306:
1302:
1298:
1295:
1291:
1287:
1284:
1280:
1276:
1273:
1269:
1265:
1262:
1258:
1254:
1251:
1247:
1243:
1240:
1236:
1232:
1229:
1225:
1221:
1218:
1214:
1210:
1207:
1203:
1199:
1196:
1192:
1188:
1185:
1181:
1177:
1174:
1170:
1166:
1163:
1159:
1155:
1151:
1147:
1144:
1140:
1136:
1133:
1129:
1125:
1122:
1118:
1114:
1111:
1107:
1103:
1100:
1096:
1092:
1089:
1085:
1081:
1078:
1074:
1070:
1067:
1063:
1059:
1056:
1052:
1048:
1045:
1041:
1037:
1034:
1030:
1026:
1023:
1019:
1015:
1012:
1008:
1004:
1001:
997:
993:
990:
986:
982:
979:
975:
971:
967:
964:
960:
956:
953:
949:
945:
942:
938:
934:
931:
927:
923:
920:
916:
912:
909:
905:
901:
898:
894:
890:
889:
886:
882:
879:
872:
867:
865:
860:
858:
853:
852:
849:
842:
837:
834:
832:
828:
825:
824:
820:
811:
805:
802:
797:
790:
787:
781:
778:
772:
770:
766:
754:
750:
743:
741:
737:
732:
726:
723:
718:
712:
709:
702:
700:
694:
692:
690:
682:
680:
678:
674:
670:
666:
662:
658:
654:
650:
642:
640:
638:
633:
631:
625:
620:
618:
612:
607:
605:
599:
597:
593:
585:
583:
581:
577:
568:
566:
559:
557:
555:
551:
547:
543:
539:
535:
534:Thomas Waring
525:
521:
518:
516:
513:
507:
502:
499:
496:
494:
491:
489:
485:
482:
480:
478:
475:
469:
465:
462:
460:
457:
451:
447:
444:
442:
439:
433:
430:
428:
426:
423:
417:
414:
412:
409:
403:
400:
398:
395:
389:
386:
384:
382:
379:
373:
370:
368:
366:
363:
357:
353:
350:
348:
345:
339:
335:
332:
330:
327:
321:
317:
314:
312:
309:
303:
299:
296:
294:
291:
285:
281:
278:
276:
273:
267:
263:
260:
258:
255:
249:
246:
239:
237:
232:
230:
227:
223:
218:
215:
208:
198:Date of death
196:
192:
185:
172:Date of birth
170:
167:Thomas Waring
162:
157:
150:
145:
133:
130:
122:
111:
108:
104:
101:
97:
94:
90:
87:
83:
80: β
79:
75:
74:Find sources:
68:
64:
58:
57:
52:This article
50:
46:
41:
40:
37:
33:
32:Thomas Waring
19:
1326:
836:Pongo Waring
804:
796:Formby Times
795:
789:
780:
756:. Retrieved
753:Wirral Globe
752:
725:
711:
698:
686:
673:New Brighton
646:
634:
630:Eric Cantona
627:
622:
614:
609:
604:Billy Walker
600:
589:
572:
563:
541:
540:. Nicknamed
533:
532:
497:
492:
441:New Brighton
240:
233:
228:
203:(1980-12-20)
125:
116:
106:
99:
92:
85:
78:"Tom Waring"
73:
61:Please help
56:verification
53:
36:
1976:1980 deaths
1971:1906 births
1798:Worthington
963:J. Campbell
941:J. Campbell
930:J. Campbell
881:top scorers
643:Later clubs
586:Aston Villa
580:Durham City
550:Aston Villa
275:Aston Villa
210:Position(s)
1965:Categories
1761:MacDougall
1382:Richardson
952:Southworth
919:Southworth
703:References
560:Early life
538:footballer
191:Birkenhead
178:1906-10-12
142:Tom Waring
89:newspapers
1820:Archibald
1787:Latchford
1776:Macdonald
1750:Macdonald
1525:Lofthouse
1470:Mortensen
1132:Parkinson
665:Bath City
596:hat-trick
510:1931β1932
454:1941-1942
436:1939β1940
365:Bath City
360:1938β1939
324:1936β1938
288:1935β1936
270:1928β1935
252:1926β1928
193:, England
164:Full name
1938:A. Smith
1916:A. Smith
1905:Aldridge
1894:C. Allen
1846:Blissett
1706:T. Brown
1591:Crawford
1547:B. Smith
1514:R. Allen
1503:Glazzard
1426:Westcott
1305:Halliday
1250:Chadwick
1217:J. Smith
1143:Shepherd
1088:Shepherd
1077:A. Brown
1055:Raybould
649:Barnsley
576:Tranmere
425:Harrowby
396:Graysons
293:Barnsley
1927:Lineker
1883:Lineker
1872:Lineker
1739:Channon
1684:Greaves
1628:Greaves
1617:Greaves
1606:Greaves
1580:Greaves
1569:Viollet
1558:Greaves
1536:Charles
1481:Robledo
1283:Trotter
1261:Roberts
1184:Elliott
1154:Hampton
1121:Freeman
1066:Bloomer
1033:Bloomer
1022:Garraty
1011:Bloomer
1000:Wheldon
989:Bloomer
974:Bloomer
897:Goodall
689:England
677:1939β40
546:cartoon
542:"Pongo"
515:England
459:Everton
103:scholar
1949:Wright
1870:&
1835:Keegan
1822:&
1774:&
1728:Robson
1673:Davies
1671:&
1658:Davies
1647:Irvine
1645:&
1632:McEvoy
1630:&
1593:&
1492:Wayman
1415:Lawton
1404:Lawton
1393:Steele
1360:Bowers
1349:Bowers
1327:Waring
1316:Watson
1272:Harper
1239:Buchan
1228:Wilson
1206:Morris
1195:Parker
1173:McLean
1162:McLean
1160:&
1158:Holley
1044:Settle
976:&
569:Career
105:
98:
91:
84:
76:
1868:Dixon
1824:Withe
1809:Boyer
1695:Astle
1595:Kevan
1459:Davis
1437:Rooke
1371:Drake
1099:Young
758:8 May
695:Death
637:Aston
624:face!
498:(245)
487:Total
282:(159)
225:Years
110:JSTOR
96:books
1945:1992
1934:1991
1923:1990
1912:1989
1901:1988
1890:1987
1879:1986
1864:1985
1857:Rush
1853:1984
1842:1983
1831:1982
1816:1981
1805:1980
1794:1979
1783:1978
1772:Gray
1768:1977
1757:1976
1746:1975
1735:1974
1724:1973
1713:1972
1702:1971
1691:1970
1680:1969
1669:Best
1665:1968
1654:1967
1643:Hunt
1639:1966
1624:1965
1613:1964
1602:1963
1587:1962
1576:1961
1565:1960
1554:1959
1543:1958
1532:1957
1521:1956
1510:1955
1499:1954
1488:1953
1477:1952
1466:1951
1455:1950
1448:Moir
1444:1949
1433:1948
1422:1947
1411:1939
1400:1938
1389:1937
1378:1936
1367:1935
1356:1934
1345:1933
1338:Dean
1334:1932
1323:1931
1312:1930
1301:1929
1294:Dean
1290:1928
1279:1927
1268:1926
1257:1925
1246:1924
1235:1923
1224:1922
1213:1921
1202:1920
1191:1915
1180:1914
1169:1913
1150:1912
1139:1911
1128:1910
1117:1909
1110:West
1106:1908
1095:1907
1084:1906
1073:1905
1062:1904
1051:1903
1040:1902
1029:1901
1018:1900
1007:1899
996:1898
985:1897
970:1896
959:1895
948:1894
937:1893
926:1892
915:1891
908:Ross
904:1890
893:1889
760:2023
615:The
472:1946
420:1939
406:1939
392:1939
376:1939
354:(10)
342:1938
336:(42)
306:1936
264:(23)
235:Apps
229:Team
82:news
1717:Lee
829:at
675:in
522:(4)
493:367
466:(1)
448:(0)
318:(3)
300:(7)
279:216
243:Gls
65:by
1967::
1947::
1936::
1925::
1914::
1903::
1892::
1881::
1866::
1855::
1844::
1833::
1818::
1807::
1796::
1785::
1770::
1759::
1748::
1737::
1726::
1715::
1704::
1693::
1682::
1667::
1656::
1641::
1626::
1615::
1604::
1589::
1578::
1567::
1556::
1545::
1534::
1523::
1512::
1501::
1490::
1479::
1468::
1457::
1446::
1435::
1424::
1413::
1402::
1391::
1380::
1369::
1358::
1347::
1336::
1325::
1314::
1303::
1292::
1281::
1270::
1259::
1248::
1237::
1226::
1215::
1204::
1193::
1182::
1171::
1156:,
1152::
1141::
1130::
1119::
1108::
1097::
1086::
1075::
1064::
1053::
1042::
1031::
1020::
1009::
998::
987::
972::
961::
950::
939::
928::
917::
906::
895::
768:^
751:.
739:^
667:,
663:,
655:,
639:.
598:.
351:22
333:74
315:10
297:18
261:24
870:e
863:t
856:v
762:.
719:.
519:5
463:3
445:0
245:)
241:(
180:)
176:(
132:)
126:(
121:)
117:(
107:Β·
100:Β·
93:Β·
86:Β·
59:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.