Tony Thomas (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Tony" Thomas is an English former professional
footballer who played as a defender
in the Football League
for Tranmere Rovers
, where he spent the majority of his career, in the Premier League for Everton
and in the Scottish Premier League
for Motherwell
.
. He began his career as a junior with Tranmere Rovers
reserves, and quickly advanced through the ranks. He made his debut as a 17-year-old in the 1987–88 season and made more than 300 appearances in the next ten years. After completing a £400,000 move to Everton
before the 1997–98 season, injury disrupted his progress and he failed to hold down a first-team place. But it was at Everton were Tony Thomas got his one fan, Andy Segar, who got Thomas to sign his personalised Everton shirt with Thomas' name and number on the back! Sold to Motherwell
at the beginning of the next season for £150,000, he retired from professional football due to injury in 2001.
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
footballer who played as a 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....
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...
for 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...
, where he spent the majority of his career, in the Premier League for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
and in the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
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...
.
Career
Thomas was born in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. He began his career as a junior with 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...
reserves, and quickly advanced through the ranks. He made his debut as a 17-year-old in the 1987–88 season and made more than 300 appearances in the next ten years. After completing a £400,000 move to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
before the 1997–98 season, injury disrupted his progress and he failed to hold down a first-team place. But it was at Everton were Tony Thomas got his one fan, Andy Segar, who got Thomas to sign his personalised Everton shirt with Thomas' name and number on the back! Sold to 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...
at the beginning of the next season for £150,000, he retired from professional football due to injury in 2001.