Michael Thomas
Encyclopedia
Michael Lauriston Thomas (born 24 August 1967, in Lambeth
, London
) is a former football player from England
. He is best remembered for scoring a last-minute goal
in injury time during the final match
of the 1988-89 season
, which allowed Arsenal
to claim the First Division
title over Liverpool
. Later in his career, Thomas went on to play for Liverpool and scored a goal for the Reds in the 1992 FA Cup Final
. He also had spells at Benfica and Wimbledon
before retiring in 2001, after a career that saw him win medals in all of English football's top three domestic football trophies.
He was loaned out to Portsmouth F.C.
in early 1987, playing three times, before returning to Arsenal.
His Gunners career started with a baptism of fire, as Thomas made his debut in the first leg of a League Cup
semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur
at Highbury
on 8 February 1987. Arsenal lost 1-0, but would go on to win the League Cup after a comeback in the second leg.
Thomas soon became a regular in the Arsenal side, making his league debut on 14 February 1987 in a 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday
at Hillsborough
. By the end of that campaign he had played 12 league games as Arsenal finished fourth.
He played 37 times, mainly at right-back, in the 1987-88
season, and scored nine goals - excellent for a player who mainly featured in defence. With the arrival of right-back Lee Dixon
late in the season, Thomas was moved forward into midfield for the 1988-89
season, and also played the first of his two games for England
under manager Bobby Robson
. His debut came on 16 November 1988, at the age of 21, in the 1-1 friendly draw against Saudi Arabia
in Riyadh
. He appeared in that game alongside his Arsenal midfield colleague Brian Marwood
, who had joined them from Sheffield Wednesday
eight months earlier.
The highlight of Thomas's Arsenal career came in the 1988-89
title decider
, on 26 May 1989. The First Division match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield had been postponed due to the Hillsborough Disaster
, and as a result was moved to the very end of the season, after the FA Cup
final. Liverpool had won the FA Cup, and thus had a chance of completing a historic second Double
. Arsenal had been top of the First Division table for most of the season, but Liverpool had overtaken them a few games before the end. Coming into the match, Arsenal were on 73 points with 71 goals for and 36 against (a goal difference
of +35), while Liverpool were 3 points ahead on 76 points with 65 goals for and 26 against (a difference of +39). That meant that Arsenal needed to win by at least two goals to take the title (with points and goal difference equal, the team who had scored the most goals would be awarded the title). Liverpool had not lost by two goals at Anfield
for nearly four years. After a goalless first half, Alan Smith
scored soon after the restart, heading in a free kick
from Nigel Winterburn
. But as full time approached it looked as if Arsenal were not going to score the second goal they needed. However, in injury time, in Arsenal's last attack, Thomas surged forward from midfield, running onto a Smith flick-on, evaded a challenge by Steve Nicol
, and chipped the advancing goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar
to score Arsenal's second, and win the title, Arsenal's first in eighteen years. The match was later featured in detail in a film
based on the Nick Hornby
book Fever Pitch
.
By this stage, Paul Merson
had emerged as a fine right-winger for the Gunners, in a position previously occupied by David Rocastle
, who was switched to central midfield. However, Thomas remained a regular player despite the fierce competition in midfield.
Thomas enjoyed another two seasons at Arsenal, winning a second League title in 1990-91
. In all, he played 206 matches, scoring 30 goals. However, he fell out with Arsenal manager George Graham
in the autumn of 1991. As a result he was sold to the side he had helped conquer in 1989, Liverpool, with their manager Graeme Souness
paying the Gunners £1.5 million for Thomas's services on 16 December 1991, by which time he had 163 league games for them and scored 24 goals.
Thomas was named the 37th greatest player in the history of Arsenal in an online poll on the Arsenal website in June 2008.
), coming on as a substitute for Jan Mølby
in the 56th minute of a 2-1 victory.
Thomas scored his first goal for the Reds on 18 January 1992 in league victory over Oldham Athletic
at Boundary Park
. His first season at the club culminated with an FA Cup
victory at Wembley against Sunderland
. After a goalless first 45, Thomas scored the opening goal of the final after 47 minutes with a spectacular shot from a Steve McManaman
cross. A second goal from Ian Rush
made the final score 2-0, earning Thomas his first medal for his new club. However, after that, injuries began to blight Thomas's time at Anfield. He became a squad player who was largely used as cover for the likes of Jamie Redknapp
and John Barnes
.
The 1994-95
season saw Thomas claim his only other winner's medal during his time at Anfield, when the Reds won the League Cup
final against Bolton Wanderers
. Thomas was an unused substitute on the bench during that game, which saw McManaman scoring both the team's goals as Liverpool won 2-1. Thomas then helped Liverpool reach the 1996 FA Cup final, where he saw five minutes of action after coming on as an 85th minute substitute for Rob Jones. He couldn't help the Reds prevent a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United
. 1996-97
was a disappointing campaign for a Liverpool side who finished fourth in the Premier League after leading it during the winter, but Thomas re-emerged as a first team regular following the absence of Jamie Redknapp
due to injury problems. However, when Redknapp was fully fit for the 1997-98 season
, Thomas found himself on the sidelines again.
An £800,000 bid from Coventry City
was accepted in early December 1997, but the transfer never happened.
On 2 February 1998, Thomas was allowed to go out on loan to Middlesbrough
, and made his debut two days later on 4 February in a 3-0 league win over Tranmere Rovers
at the Riverside Stadium
. He played 10 times for the Boro before he returned to Anfield. By this time manager Roy Evans
was fielding Øyvind Leonhardsen
and Danny Murphy ahead of Thomas, which led to him being surplus to requirements at Anfield.
Thomas's impression on the Anfield faithful during his time at the club was confirmed when he was voted in at No. 83 in 100 Players Who Shook The Kop, a poll conducted by Liverpool FC's official website in 2006 with over 110,000 fans voting.
side Benfica, then managed by former Liverpool boss Graeme Souness, took Thomas to the Estádio da Luz on 1 August 1998, but his stay in Lisbon
was an unsuccessful one as he found himself banished to the reserves after Souness was replaced by Jupp Heynckes
. After two years with Benfica, he returned to England on 29 July 2000 to join Wimbledon
, but after a single season in which he played nine times he retired from playing on 31 May 2001.
Winner
Runner Up
Winner
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, 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...
) is a former football player from England
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...
. He is best remembered for scoring a last-minute goal
Last-minute goal
The term "last-minute goal" is used in sport, primarily association football, to describe a goal scored very late in a game. It may not necessarily refer to a goal scored in the actual final minute...
in injury time during the final match
Liverpool 0–2 Arsenal (26 May 1989)
The final match of the 1988–89 English Football League season was contested on 26 May 1989, between Liverpool and Arsenal, at Liverpool's Anfield ground. By sheer coincidence, it was the match between the top two teams in the First Division and the teams were close enough on points for the match to...
of the 1988-89 season
1988-89 in English football
The 1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.-Hillsborough disaster:On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital...
, which allowed Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
to claim 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....
title over Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. Later in his career, Thomas went on to play for Liverpool and scored a goal for the Reds in the 1992 FA Cup Final
1992 FA Cup Final
The 1992 FA Cup Final was contested by Liverpool and Sunderland at Wembley. Liverpool won 2–0, with goals from Michael Thomas and Ian Rush....
. He also had spells at Benfica and Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
before retiring in 2001, after a career that saw him win medals in all of English football's top three domestic football trophies.
Arsenal
Thomas signed for Arsenal as a schoolboy in 1982, turning professional on 31 December 1984 at the age of 17, just months after leaving school.He was loaned out to Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in early 1987, playing three times, before returning to Arsenal.
His Gunners career started with a baptism of fire, as Thomas made his debut in the first leg of a 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...
semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
at Highbury
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
on 8 February 1987. Arsenal lost 1-0, but would go on to win the League Cup after a comeback in the second leg.
Thomas soon became a regular in the Arsenal side, making his league debut on 14 February 1987 in a 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
. By the end of that campaign he had played 12 league games as Arsenal finished fourth.
He played 37 times, mainly at right-back, in the 1987-88
1987-88 in English football
The 1987–88 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all season....
season, and scored nine goals - excellent for a player who mainly featured in defence. With the arrival of right-back Lee Dixon
Lee Dixon
Lee Michael Dixon is a former English professional footballer born in Manchester.He formed part of the Arsenal defence from the late 1980s, through till 2002. He was capped 22 times for England, scoring once....
late in the season, Thomas was moved forward into midfield for the 1988-89
1988-89 in English football
The 1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.-Hillsborough disaster:On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital...
season, and also played the first of his two games for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
under manager Bobby Robson
Bobby Robson
Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....
. His debut came on 16 November 1988, at the age of 21, in the 1-1 friendly draw against Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia national football team
Saudi Arabia national football team is the national team of Saudi Arabia and is controlled by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation...
in Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
. He appeared in that game alongside his Arsenal midfield colleague Brian Marwood
Brian Marwood
Brian Marwood is an English former footballer and is currently one of the main executive staff at Manchester City F.C. under the role of Football Administration Officer.-Hull City:...
, who had joined them from Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
eight months earlier.
The highlight of Thomas's Arsenal career came in the 1988-89
1988-89 in English football
The 1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.-Hillsborough disaster:On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital...
title decider
Liverpool 0–2 Arsenal (26 May 1989)
The final match of the 1988–89 English Football League season was contested on 26 May 1989, between Liverpool and Arsenal, at Liverpool's Anfield ground. By sheer coincidence, it was the match between the top two teams in the First Division and the teams were close enough on points for the match to...
, on 26 May 1989. The First Division match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield had been postponed due to the Hillsborough Disaster
Hillsborough disaster
The Hillsborough disaster was a human crush that occurred on 15 April 1989 at Hillsborough, a football stadium, the home of Sheffield Wednesday F.C. in Sheffield, England, resulting in the deaths of 96 people, and 766 being injured, all fans of Liverpool F.C....
, and as a result was moved to the very end of the season, after the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
final. Liverpool had won the FA Cup, and thus had a chance of completing a historic second Double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
. Arsenal had been top of the First Division table for most of the season, but Liverpool had overtaken them a few games before the end. Coming into the match, Arsenal were on 73 points with 71 goals for and 36 against (a goal difference
Goal difference
In sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
of +35), while Liverpool were 3 points ahead on 76 points with 65 goals for and 26 against (a difference of +39). That meant that Arsenal needed to win by at least two goals to take the title (with points and goal difference equal, the team who had scored the most goals would be awarded the title). Liverpool had not lost by two goals at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
for nearly four years. After a goalless first half, Alan Smith
Alan M. Smith
Alan Martin Smith is an English former football striker. He played for Leicester City and Arsenal at professional level, and won thirteen caps for England.-Leicester City:...
scored soon after the restart, heading in a free kick
Direct free kick
A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...
from Nigel Winterburn
Nigel Winterburn
Nigel Winterburn is a retired English footballer who played at left-back for Arsenal. He is best known for his role alongside Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Lee Dixon, forming a celebrated defensive line in the Premier League and European football during the 1990s.-Early career:Winterburn was born...
. But as full time approached it looked as if Arsenal were not going to score the second goal they needed. However, in injury time, in Arsenal's last attack, Thomas surged forward from midfield, running onto a Smith flick-on, evaded a challenge by Steve Nicol
Steve Nicol
Stephen "Steve" Nicol is a Scottish former professional footballer. A utility player who played in the all-conquering Liverpool team of the 1980s, he was most recently coach of New England Revolution, and was the longest-tenured head coach in MLS to coach a single club.As a player, Nicol was a...
, and chipped the advancing goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce David Grobbelaar is a former football goalkeeper and manager.He played for a number of clubs in a career which spanned for more than 20 years at professional level, most notably Liverpool during their dominant period in the 1980s and early 1990s.-Early years:In his teenage years, Grobbelaar...
to score Arsenal's second, and win the title, Arsenal's first in eighteen years. The match was later featured in detail in a film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
based on the Nick Hornby
Nick Hornby
Nick Hornby is an English novelist, essayist and screenwriter. He is best known for the novels High Fidelity, About a Boy, and for the football memoir Fever Pitch. His work frequently touches upon music, sport, and the aimless and obsessive natures of his protagonists.-Life and career:Hornby was...
book Fever Pitch
Fever Pitch
Fever Pitch: A Fan's Life is the title of a 1992 autobiographical book by British author Nick Hornby. The book is the basis for two films: Fever Pitch was released in 1997, and Fever Pitch in 2005...
.
By this stage, Paul Merson
Paul Merson
Paul Charles Merson is a retired English football player, and former player-manager of Walsall. His playing career has included spells at Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and finishing his playing career at Tamworth. He also played for England 21 times...
had emerged as a fine right-winger for the Gunners, in a position previously occupied by David Rocastle
David Rocastle
David Carlyle Rocastle, nicknamed Rocky, was an English football player, who spent the majority of his career at Arsenal...
, who was switched to central midfield. However, Thomas remained a regular player despite the fierce competition in midfield.
Thomas enjoyed another two seasons at Arsenal, winning a second League title in 1990-91
1990-91 in English football
The 1990–91 season was the 111th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Arsenal won the league. Runners-up spot was achieved by Liverpool, who had led the table for much of the first half of the season but had been shell-shocked in February by the sudden resignation of manager...
. In all, he played 206 matches, scoring 30 goals. However, he fell out with Arsenal manager George Graham
George Graham (footballer)
George Graham is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success at Arsenal, as a player in the 1970s and then as manager from 1986 until 1995.-Early life:...
in the autumn of 1991. As a result he was sold to the side he had helped conquer in 1989, Liverpool, with their manager Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
paying the Gunners £1.5 million for Thomas's services on 16 December 1991, by which time he had 163 league games for them and scored 24 goals.
Thomas was named the 37th greatest player in the history of Arsenal in an online poll on the Arsenal website in June 2008.
Liverpool
Thomas made his Liverpool debut two days after signing, on 18 December 1991. In a repeat of his Arsenal debut, his first match for Liverpool was against Tottenham Hotspur (though this time at White Hart LaneWhite Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
), coming on as a substitute for Jan Mølby
Jan Mølby
Jan Mølby is a Danish former international footballer who spent much of his professional football career at English club Liverpool.- Club career :...
in the 56th minute of a 2-1 victory.
Thomas scored his first goal for the Reds on 18 January 1992 in league victory over Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
at Boundary Park
Boundary Park
Boundary Park is the main sports stadium of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies at the northwestern extremity of Oldham, with the towns of Royton and Chadderton lying immediately north and west respectively, giving rise to the name Boundary Park....
. His first season at the club culminated with an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
victory at Wembley against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
. After a goalless first 45, Thomas scored the opening goal of the final after 47 minutes with a spectacular shot from a Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
cross. A second goal from Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
made the final score 2-0, earning Thomas his first medal for his new club. However, after that, injuries began to blight Thomas's time at Anfield. He became a squad player who was largely used as cover for the likes of Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Frank Redknapp is a retired English footballer who was active from 1989 until 2005. He is now a football pundit with Sky Sports, and an editorial columnist with the Daily Mail....
and John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
.
The 1994-95
1994-95 in English football
-Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw...
season saw Thomas claim his only other winner's medal during his time at Anfield, when the Reds won the 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...
final against Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. Thomas was an unused substitute on the bench during that game, which saw McManaman scoring both the team's goals as Liverpool won 2-1. Thomas then helped Liverpool reach the 1996 FA Cup final, where he saw five minutes of action after coming on as an 85th minute substitute for Rob Jones. He couldn't help the Reds prevent a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. 1996-97
1996-97 in English football
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :...
was a disappointing campaign for a Liverpool side who finished fourth in the Premier League after leading it during the winter, but Thomas re-emerged as a first team regular following the absence of Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Frank Redknapp is a retired English footballer who was active from 1989 until 2005. He is now a football pundit with Sky Sports, and an editorial columnist with the Daily Mail....
due to injury problems. However, when Redknapp was fully fit for 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...
, Thomas found himself on the sidelines again.
An £800,000 bid from Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
was accepted in early December 1997, but the transfer never happened.
On 2 February 1998, Thomas was allowed to go out on loan to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, and made his debut two days later on 4 February in a 3-0 league win over Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
at the Riverside Stadium
Riverside Stadium
The Riverside Stadium is a football stadium in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England, which has been the home of Middlesbrough F.C. since it opened in 1995...
. He played 10 times for the Boro before he returned to Anfield. By this time manager Roy Evans
Roy Evans
Roy Evans CBE was a Liverpool football player who eventually rose through the coaching ranks to become team manager.-Career:...
was fielding Øyvind Leonhardsen
Øyvind Leonhardsen
Øyvind Leonhardsen is a Norwegian former footballer. He retired after the 2007 season, and at that moment he was captain of Strømsgodset IF in the Norwegian Premier Division, ending a career with nine years in English football with clubs like Wimbledon, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa...
and Danny Murphy ahead of Thomas, which led to him being surplus to requirements at Anfield.
Thomas's impression on the Anfield faithful during his time at the club was confirmed when he was voted in at No. 83 in 100 Players Who Shook The Kop, a poll conducted by Liverpool FC's official website in 2006 with over 110,000 fans voting.
Benfica and Wimbledon
PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
side Benfica, then managed by former Liverpool boss Graeme Souness, took Thomas to the Estádio da Luz on 1 August 1998, but his stay in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
was an unsuccessful one as he found himself banished to the reserves after Souness was replaced by Jupp Heynckes
Jupp Heynckes
Josef "Jupp" Heynckes is a German football coach and former player. As player he belonged to the core of the team of Borussia Mönchengladbach in its golden era of the 1960s and 1970s where he won many national championships and the Cup as well as the UEFA Cup...
. After two years with Benfica, he returned to England on 29 July 2000 to join Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
, but after a single season in which he played nine times he retired from playing on 31 May 2001.
Retirement
After retiring from football, Thomas set up his own security service, called Stop Taking the Michael (limited partnership), with Nigel Spackman, which he runs to this day by himself, due to a falling out over expense claims with Nigel. He can also be seen playing for the Liverpool legends side from time to time as he now resides in the city.
Arsenal
Winner
- 1986-87 League CupFootball League CupThe 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...
- 1988-89 Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe 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....
(Level 1) - 1990-91 Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe 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....
(Level 1)
Runner Up
- 1987-88 League CupFootball League CupThe 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...
Liverpool
Winner
- 1991-92 FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- 1994-95 League CupFootball League CupThe 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...
External links
- Thisisanfield.com Forgotten Heros
- Liverpool FC profile
- Profile at LFCHistory.net
- Michael Thomas index at Sporting-heroes.net
- England profile
- Anfield 89 - Arseweb on Thomas' most famous day.