Harry Thomson (footballer)
Henry Watson Thomson (25 August 1940 – 14 March 2013) was a Scottish professional footballer. He played as a goalkeeper.[2]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Henry Watson Thomson | ||
| Date of birth | 25 August 1940 | ||
| Place of birth | Edinburgh, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 14 March 2013 (aged 72) | ||
| Place of death | Barrow-in-Furness, England | ||
| Playing position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1959 | Bo'ness United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1959–1969 | Burnley | 117 | (0) |
| 1969–1971 | Blackpool | 61 | (0) |
| 1971–1972 | Barrow | 40 | (0) |
| Total | 218 | (0) | |
| National team | |||
| 1967 | Scotland XI[1] | 4 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
Thomson was born in Edinburgh, but began his professional career with English club, Burnley, having joined the Clarets from Scottish junior side Bo'ness United in 1959. In a decade at Turf Moor, he made 117 league appearances. After a 1966–67 Fairs Cup third-round tie against Napoli, an Italian newspaper called him "A god in a green jersey", after Thomson kept a clean sheet over two legs in Burnley's 3–0 aggregate victory.[3]
In 1969, he joined Burnley's Lancashire rivals Blackpool for £5,000. He made his debut in the first game of the 1969–70 season, on 9 August 1969, in a 2–1 victory over Portsmouth at Bloomfield Road. He played in all but two of Blackpool's 48 league and cup games that season, displacing Alan Taylor.
In Thomson's second and final season at Blackpool, 1970–71, he made 21 league appearances. His final game for the club occurred on 13 February 1971, in a 2–0 defeat at Coventry City.
Thomson finished his thirteen-year career at Barrow in 1972.
He died of throat cancer on 14 March 2013, and was survived by his wife, two children and four grandchildren.[4]
References
- Stephen Bell; Andre Zlotkowski (6 June 2008). "Scotland XI Tour of Asia and Oceania 1967". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- "Harry Thomson". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
- Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p.120
- "Harry Thomson: 1940–2013". Burnley Football Club. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
- Harry Thomson at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
- Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.