Glen Thomas
Encyclopedia
Glen Andrew Thomas is an English
former professional association football player. During a fourteen-year professional career he played for Fulham
, Peterborough United
, Barnet
, Gillingham
and Brighton & Hove Albion
, and made over 300 appearances in the Football League
.
district of London
, Thomas began his career as an apprentice professional with Fulham
in October 1984. He turned professional with the club a year later, and spent nine years playing for the Craven Cottage
-based team, playing a total of 295 matches, mainly as a central defender
. During his time with the club, Fulham suffered relegation
on two occasions, and dropped to the bottom division of the Football League
. In November 1994 he moved to Peterborough United
on a free transfer, but played only 11 matches before joining Barnet
in March 1995.
In January 1996 Thomas moved again, this time to Gillingham
. The Kent
-based club was challenging for promotion
from the Football League Third Division
and manager Tony Pulis
was looking to strengthen his team. Thomas remained with the "Gills" until the end of the 1997–98 season
, but played only 30 matches, his opportunities being restricted by a succession of injuries. One such injury occurred in November 1996 as the team were training for an upcoming Football League Cup
match against Ipswich Town
of the First Division
. Thomas jumped for the ball but lost his balance and stumbled into a nearby tree. A branch hit him in the face and he was taken to hospital where he required surgery to save his sight. Pulis commented that the player had come within an inch of losing his eye.
Thomas was released from his contract with Gillingham in July 1998 and joined Brighton & Hove Albion
. He remained with the club until March 1999, but was restricted to just five appearances. His final match at a professional level was in October 1998, in a 3–1 defeat to Mansfield Town
. He subsequently dropped into non-league football
with Barking
, and went on to play for several other clubs in the Isthmian League
. He later moved into coaching and in 2008 was appointed as assistant manager of Redbridge
. He had captained the club in 2001 under its former name of Ford United.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former professional association football player. During a fourteen-year professional career he played for Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
, Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
, Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
, Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
and Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
, and made over 300 appearances in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
.
Career
Born in the HackneyLondon Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
district of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Thomas began his career as an apprentice professional with Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
in October 1984. He turned professional with the club a year later, and spent nine years playing for the Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage is the name of a football stadium in the Hammersmith and Fulham area that has been the home ground of the association football team Fulham F.C. since 1896....
-based team, playing a total of 295 matches, mainly as a central defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. During his time with the club, Fulham suffered relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
on two occasions, and dropped to the bottom division of the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
. In November 1994 he moved to Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
on a free transfer, but played only 11 matches before joining Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
in March 1995.
In January 1996 Thomas moved again, this time to Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
. The Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
-based club was challenging for promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
from the Football League Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
and manager Tony Pulis
Tony Pulis
Anthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
was looking to strengthen his team. Thomas remained with the "Gills" until the end of the 1997–98 season
1997-98 in English football
The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title...
, but played only 30 matches, his opportunities being restricted by a succession of injuries. One such injury occurred in November 1996 as the team were training for an upcoming Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
match against Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
of the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
. Thomas jumped for the ball but lost his balance and stumbled into a nearby tree. A branch hit him in the face and he was taken to hospital where he required surgery to save his sight. Pulis commented that the player had come within an inch of losing his eye.
Thomas was released from his contract with Gillingham in July 1998 and joined Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
. He remained with the club until March 1999, but was restricted to just five appearances. His final match at a professional level was in October 1998, in a 3–1 defeat to Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
. He subsequently dropped into non-league football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
with Barking
Barking F.C.
Barking Football Club is am English football club based in Barking, Greater London. The club are currently members of the Essex Senior League and play at Mayesbrook Park in Dagenham.-History:...
, and went on to play for several other clubs in the Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
. He later moved into coaching and in 2008 was appointed as assistant manager of Redbridge
Redbridge F.C.
Redbridge F.C. is an English Association football club based in the London Borough of Redbridge. Prior to July 2004 the club was known as Ford United F.C. The new name was chosen to help associate the club more within the local area and attract a larger support.They should not be confused with...
. He had captained the club in 2001 under its former name of Ford United.