Ken Thomson (footballer)

Kenneth Gordon Thomson (25 February 1930 – 15 June 1969) was a Scottish footballer, who played in the Football League for Hartlepools United, Middlesbrough and Stoke City. He made 278 appearances for Stoke.[1]

Ken Thomson
Personal information
Full name Kenneth Gordon Thomson[1]
Date of birth 25 February 1930[1]
Place of birth Aberdeen, Scotland[1]
Date of death 15 June 1969(1969-06-15) (aged 39)[2]
Place of death Middlesbrough, England[1]
Position(s) Centre half
Youth career
Banks O' Dee
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1948–1952 Aberdeen 29 (0)
1952–1960 Stoke City 278 (6)
1960–1962 Middlesbrough 84 (1)
1962–1963 Hartlepools United 28 (2)
Total 419 (9)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Born in Aberdeen, Thomson was poised to sign for Stoke in 1946 from Scottish club Banks O' Dee but he was called up for national service in the Royal Air Force.[1] After his demob Thomson joined his home town club Aberdeen.[1] Stoke manager Frank Taylor finally got his signature for a fee of £22,000 in September 1952.[1] A strong and commanding defender Thomson was soon made captain by Taylor. His first season with the club, in 1952–53, saw relegation to the Second Division. In the final match against Derby County he chose to take a penalty awarded and missed, had he scored Stoke could have stayed up.[1]

Despite this Thomson went on to make over 300 appearances for Stoke in all competitions before new manager Tony Waddington sold him to Middlesbrough in December 1959 for £8,500.[1] He spent two seasons with Boro and ended his career with Hartlepools United.[1]

Personal life

His career was tinged with controversy surrounding his involvement in the 1964 British football match-fixing scandal which saw him jailed for six months.[1][3] Thomson died of a heart attack in 1969 at the age of 39.[1]

Career statistics

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Aberdeen 1948–49 Scottish First Division 30006090
1949–50 Scottish First Division 20000020
1950–51 Scottish First Division 40000040
1951–52 Scottish First Division 2003060290
1952–53 Scottish First Division 00006060
Total 29030180500
Stoke City[1] 1952–53 First Division 38220402
1953–54 Second Division 40230432
1954–55 Second Division 41061471
1955–56 Second Division 37050420
1956–57 Second Division 40010410
1957–58 Second Division 37050420
1958–59 Second Division 38220402
1959–60 Second Division 700070
Total 27862413027
Middlesbrough 1959–60 Second Division 18010190
1960–61 Second Division 3801010400
1961–62 Second Division 2512010281
1962–63 Second Division 30000030
Total 8414020901
Hartlepools United 1962–63 Fourth Division 2821000292
Career Total 419932120047110

References

  1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. "Ken Thomson". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  3. Hodgson, Derek (17 March 1995). "Sixties scandal that shocked the game". The Independent. London. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  • Ken Thomson at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
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