Billy Thomson
Encyclopedia
William 'Billy' Marshall Thomson (born 10 February 1958) is a Scottish
former footballer
who played as a goalkeeper and is a goalkeeping coach with Kilmarnock
.
international, signed for Dundee United
in 1984 and spent the first season as cover for Hamish McAlpine
. After a serious injury to McAlpine, Thomson took over in goal in October 1985 and wasn't to give up his place as No. 1 until the early 90s. A big keeper who caught crosses with one hand, he was in fantastic form through-out the UEFA Cup
campaign of 1986–87, but just about lost an ear in a horrific clash in the 1st leg of the Final in Gothenburg
. Thomson also played in two consecutive Scottish Cup
Finals for United in 1987 and 1988. Thomson eventually lost his place to Alan Main
and left for Motherwell
in 1992, spending two years with the Steelmen. A surprise move to Rangers
followed, where he spent two years as backup. Thomson remains however the club's oldest debutant at 37 years 50 days on 1 April 1995 against Dundee United. His final club was Dundee
.
After retiring, Thomson joined Dundee's coaching staff before returning to Rangers as goalkeeping coach in May 2001, remaining until August 2007, when he left with no reason for his departure. Two months later, Thomson took up a similar, part-time role with Kilmarnock.
Thomson won seven Scotland caps during his time with St Mirren and was perhaps unfortunate not to add to that total during his time with Dundee United.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
former footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played as a goalkeeper and is a goalkeeping coach with Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
.
Career
After a fall out at his previous club St Mirren, Thomson, a former ScotlandScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
international, signed for Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
in 1984 and spent the first season as cover for Hamish McAlpine
Hamish McAlpine
Hamish Robert McAlpine is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He spent the majority of his career playing for Dundee United, who he served for twenty years...
. After a serious injury to McAlpine, Thomson took over in goal in October 1985 and wasn't to give up his place as No. 1 until the early 90s. A big keeper who caught crosses with one hand, he was in fantastic form through-out the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
campaign of 1986–87, but just about lost an ear in a horrific clash in the 1st leg of the Final in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. Thomson also played in two consecutive Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
Finals for United in 1987 and 1988. Thomson eventually lost his place to Alan Main
Alan Main
Alan David Main is a Scottish football goalkeeper.Main made his debut in the Highland Football League aged just fifteen and went on to a professional career exceeding twenty years. He has played for Dundee United, Cowdenbeath, East Stirlingshire, St. Johnstone, Livingston, Gretna and Ayr United...
and left for Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
in 1992, spending two years with the Steelmen. A surprise move to Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
followed, where he spent two years as backup. Thomson remains however the club's oldest debutant at 37 years 50 days on 1 April 1995 against Dundee United. His final club was Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
.
After retiring, Thomson joined Dundee's coaching staff before returning to Rangers as goalkeeping coach in May 2001, remaining until August 2007, when he left with no reason for his departure. Two months later, Thomson took up a similar, part-time role with Kilmarnock.
Thomson won seven Scotland caps during his time with St Mirren and was perhaps unfortunate not to add to that total during his time with Dundee United.
Career statistics
| Club | |League | |Lg Cup | |Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||||
| St Mirren | 1978-79 1978-79 in Scottish football The 1978-1979 season was the 82nd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: Celtic Relegated: Hearts, Motherwell-Scottish League Division One:Promoted: Dundee, Kilmarnock... |
34 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 34 | 0 | |||||||
| 1979-80 1979-80 in Scottish football The 1979–80 season was the 83rd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: AberdeenRelegated: Dundee, Hibernian-Scottish League Division One:Promoted: Hearts, Airdrieonians... |
36 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 36 | 0 | ||||||||
| 1980-81 1980-81 in Scottish football The 1980-81 season was the 84th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: CelticRelegated: Kilmarnock, Hearts-Scottish League Division One:Promoted: Hibernian, Dundee... |
36 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 36 | 0 | ||||||||
| 1981-82 1981-82 in Scottish football The 1981–82 season was the 85th season of Scottish league football.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: CelticRelegated: Partick Thistle, Airdrieonians-Scottish League Division One:Promoted: Motherwell, Kilmarnock... |
35 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 35 | 0 | ||||||||
| 1982-83 1982-83 in Scottish football The 1982–83 season was the 86th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:In a tightly fought contest Dundee United win their first and only title this season. The league remains undecided until the last day of the season with Aberdeen, Celtic and Dundee United in contention... |
35 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 35 | 0 | ||||||||
| 1983-84 1983-84 in Scottish football The 1983–84 season was the 87th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: AberdeenRelegated: St... |
30 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 30 | 0 | ||||||||
| Total | 206 | 0 | |N/A | Dundee United Dundee United F.C. Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923... | 1984-85 1984-85 in Scottish football The 1984–85 season was the 88th season of competitive football in Scotland. This is the last time a non Old Firm club has won the Scottish Premier title.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: AberdeenRelegated: Dumbarton, Morton.... |
11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 1985-86 1985-86 in Scottish football The 1985–86 season was the 89th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Key events:With Rangers once again failing to mount a title challenge, manager Jock Wallace's second spell as manager ended in April when he was sacked and the club appointed Graeme Souness as player-manager,... |
28 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 38 | 0 | |||||
| 1986-87 1986-87 in Scottish football The 1986–87 season was the 90th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Notable events:In the first full season under the management of player-manager Graeme Souness, Rangers won their first league title since 1978, and also won the League Cup.... |
39 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 61 | 0 | |||||
| 1987-88 1987-88 in Scottish football The 1987–88 season was the 91st season of competitive football in Scotland.-Notable events:Billy McNeill's second spell back in charge of Celtic began in style as they finished the season by winning the double of the league title and Scottish Cup... |
36 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 0 | |||||
| 1988-89 1988-89 in Scottish football The 1988–89 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Notable events:Rangers regained their league title and retained the League Cup, but defeat by Celtic in the Scottish Cup final ended their hopes of a domestic treble.... |
35 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 49 | 0 | |||||
| 1989-90 1989-90 in Scottish football The 1989–90 season was the 93rd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Notable events:Rangers won their third league title in four seasons under the management of Graeme Souness.... |
7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |||||
| 1990-91 1990-91 in Scottish football The 1990–91 season was the 94th season of competitive football in Scotland. It was notable for the fact that there was a last day title decider at Ibrox between Rangers and Aberdeen. Both teams went into the match level on points and goal difference, but Rangers needed to win the match... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 161 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 234 | 0 | |||||
| Motherwell Motherwell F.C. Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998... |
1991-92 1991-92 in Scottish football The 1991–92 season was the 95th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier Division:Champions: RangersRelegated: St... |
43 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 43 | 0 | |||||||
| 1992-93 1992-93 in Scottish football The 1992–93 season was the 96th season of competitive football in Scotland.- Notable events:* Rangers completing a domestic treble of the Premier Division title, FA Cup and League Cup.... |
9 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 9 | 0 | ||||||||
| 1993-94 1993-94 in Scottish football The 1993–94 season was the 97th season of competitive football in Scotland. This season saw several teams relegated from the 1st and 2nd divisions in preparation for the introduction of a 3rd division the following season.-Notable events:... |
0 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| Total | 52 | 0 | |N/A | Rangers Rangers F.C. Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses... | 1994-95 1994-95 in Scottish football The 1994–95 season was the 98th season of competitive football in Scotland. This season seen the re-introduction of the Scottish 3rd division, after an absence of 26 years, and also the introduction of three points for a win being awarded instead of just two.-Notable events:*Raith Rovers... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 1995-96 1995-96 in Scottish football The 1995–96 season was the 99th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Summary:Rangers won the Premier Division with a record 87 points, finishing four ahead of rivals Celtic. Aberdeen were third with 55 points .... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |||||
| Dundee Dundee F.C. Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from... |
1995-96 1995-96 in Scottish football The 1995–96 season was the 99th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Summary:Rangers won the Premier Division with a record 87 points, finishing four ahead of rivals Celtic. Aberdeen were third with 55 points .... |
25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | |||||
| Career total | 454 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 532 | 0 | |||||
Dundee United
- UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
Runner-up: 1
-
- 1986-87
- Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
Runner-up: 2
- Scottish Cup
- 1986-871986-87 in Scottish footballThe 1986–87 season was the 90th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Notable events:In the first full season under the management of player-manager Graeme Souness, Rangers won their first league title since 1978, and also won the League Cup....
, 1987-881987-88 in Scottish footballThe 1987–88 season was the 91st season of competitive football in Scotland.-Notable events:Billy McNeill's second spell back in charge of Celtic began in style as they finished the season by winning the double of the league title and Scottish Cup...
- 1986-87