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{{Short description|Football player and manager (1944–2023)}}
'''Peter Thomas''' (born Coventry) was a goalkeeper who played for [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] in 1966. He made only thirteen appearances for Waterford before returning in 1967. Peter is associated with bringing a new style of goal-keeping to the [[Football League of Ireland|League of Ireland]]. He rarely kicked the ball on the offensive, throwing when possible with great accuracy.
{{EngvarB|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Peter Thomas
| image =
| fullname =
| height =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1944|11|20}}
| birth_place = [[Coventry]], England
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2023|01|19|1944|11|20}}
| death_place = Waterford, Ireland
| position = [[Goalkeeper (association football)|Goalkeeper]]
| youthyears1 = 1962–1966
| youthclubs1 = [[Coventry G.E.C.|Coventry GEC]]
| years1 = 1966–1967
| years2 = 1967
| years3 = 1967–1975
| years4 = 1975
| years5 = 1975–1976
| years6 = 1976
| years7 = 1976–1977
| years8 = 1977
| years9 = 1977–1978
| years10 = 1978
| years11 = 1978–1982
| years12 = 1982–1984
| years13 = 1984–1985
| clubs1 = [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]
| clubs2 = → [[Waterford F.C.|Waterford]] (loan)
| clubs3 = [[Waterford F.C.|Waterford]]
| clubs4 = [[Washington Diplomats]]
| clubs5 = [[Waterford F.C.|Waterford]]
| clubs6 = [[Utah Golden Spikers]]
| clubs7 = [[Waterford F.C.|Waterford]]
| clubs8 = [[Las Vegas Quicksilvers]]
| clubs9 = [[Waterford F.C.|Waterford]]
| clubs10 = [[Sacramento Gold (1976–1980)|Sacramento Gold]]
| clubs11 = [[Waterford F.C.|Waterford]]
| clubs12 = [[Galway United F.C. (1937–2011)|Galway United]]
| clubs13 = [[Drogheda United F.C.|Drogheda United]]
| caps1 = 1
| caps2 = 10
| caps3 = 193
| caps4 = 6
| caps5 = 26
| caps6 = 20
| caps7 = 24
| caps8 = 4
| caps9 = 28
| caps10 = 17
| caps11 = 114
| caps12 = 52
| caps13 = 18
| goals1 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| goals3 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| goals5 = 0
| goals6 = 0
| goals7 = 0
| goals8 = 0
| goals9 = 0
| goals10 = 0
| goals11 = 0
| goals12 = 0
| goals13 = 0
| manageryears1 = 1988
| managerclubs1 = [[Waterford United]]
| nationalyears1 = 1973–1974
| nationalteam1 = [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]]
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
}}


'''Peter Thomas''' (20 November 1944 – 19 January 2023)<ref>[https://www.irishecho.com/2023/1/peter-thomas-league-of-ireland-s-best-ever-goalie-dies Peter Thomas, League of Ireland's 'best ever goalkeeper,' dies]</ref> was an English [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] in England, Ireland and United States. Born in England, he made two international appearances for the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]].
He took out Irish citizenship to play for the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] and made his debut in 1973 against [[Poland national football team|Poland]], keeping a clean sheet but having to come off at half time due to a pulled muscle in his stomach. He earned 2 caps in total the other in Brazil in 1974. Peter Thomas nearly joined [[Manchester City F.C.]] in the early seventies but they instead opted for [[Joe Corrigan]]. He has won five league medals and a cup medal and played in 12 European Cup matches for Waterford.


==Club career==
He took over as manager of [[Waterford United F.C.]] in August 1988 but resigned in December due to work pressures [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/archive/1988/1220/Pg003.html#Ar00307:6437C46747D96F98107298256417726B97A46897C46CB7D965182C68284164D8E46838F9.
In 1962, Thomas joined Coventry G.E.C., playing with them until 1966. That year, he played one game for [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]. He went on loan to [[Waterford F.C.]] in 1967 where he made thirteen appearances. Coventry City transferred him to Waterford in the summer of 1967 and he stayed with the Blues until 1975. Thomas is associated with bringing a new style of goalkeeping to the League of Ireland. He rarely kicked the ball on the offensive, throwing when possible with great accuracy. He also represented the [[League of Ireland XI]] and won five league medals and a [[FAI Cup]] medal and played in twelve European Cup matches for Waterford.

In 1975, he moved to the United States where he played for the [[Washington Diplomats]] of the [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|North American Soccer League]]. In 1976, he moved to the [[Utah Golden Spikers]] of the [[American Soccer League (1933-1983)|American Soccer League]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1976.html#ASL |title=The Year in American Soccer – 1976 |access-date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107061400/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1976.html#ASL |archive-date=7 January 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He returned to the NASL in 1977 with the [[Las Vegas Quicksilvers]]. The Diplomats had traded the rights to Thomas and [[Gerry Ingram]] to the Quicksilver in exchange for [[Peter Silvester (footballer)|Peter Silvester]] in November 1976.<ref>''Peter Silvester Joins Diplomats'' Washington Post, The (DC) – Saturday, 5 February 1977</ref> He finished his North American career with the [[Sacramento Gold (1976–1980)|Sacramento Gold]] of the ASL in 1978. In the fall of 1978, he returned to Ireland where he rejoined [[Waterford F.C.]]

==International career==
Born in England, Thomas earned two [[cap (sports)|caps]] with the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] after becoming an Irish citizen. He made his debut in 1973 against [[Poland national football team|Poland]], keeping a clean sheet but having to come off at half time due to a pulled muscle in his stomach.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.soccerscene.ie/sssenior/matchdetails.php?id=144|title=Statistics: Republic of Ireland &#91;Powered by tplSoccerStats&#93;}}</ref> His second cap came against [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] in 1974. He was back down in the ASL in 1975, this time with the [[Sacramento Gold (1976–1980)|Sacramento Gold]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1978.html#ASL |title=The Year in American Soccer – 1978 |access-date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217025808/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1978.html#ASL |archive-date=17 February 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Managerial career==
Thomas took over as manager of [[Waterford United F.C.|Waterford United]] in August 1988 but resigned in December due to work pressures.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1988/1220/Pg003.html#Ar00307:6437C46747D96F98107298256417726B97A46897C46CB7D965182C68284164D8E46838F9 www.irishtimes.com]</ref>


==Honours==
==Honours==
'''Waterford United'''
*'''[[Football League of Ireland|League of Ireland]] titles: 5'''
* [[League of Ireland]]: 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73
**[[Waterford F.C.]] 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1971-72, 1972-73
* [[FAI Cup]]: 1980

'''Individual'''
* SWAI Personality of the Year: 1969–70

==See also==
* [[List of Republic of Ireland international footballers born outside the Republic of Ireland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/T/Thomas.Peter.htm NASL stats]


{{Waterford United F.C. managers}}
'''[[FAI Cup]]: 1'''
{{Authority control}}
**[[Waterford F.C.]] 1980


{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Peter}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Peter}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Coventry]]
[[Category:Men's association football goalkeepers]]
[[Category:American Soccer League (1933–1983) players]]
[[Category:Coventry City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Coventry City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Waterford United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Waterford F.C. players]]
[[Category:Football League of Ireland players]]
[[Category:Galway United F.C. (1937–2011) players]]
[[Category:Republic of Ireland footballers]]
[[Category:Drogheda United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Republic of Ireland international footballers]]
[[Category:Waterford F.C. managers]]
[[Category:English-born footballers who played for the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:League of Ireland managers]]
[[Category:Waterford United F.C. managers]]
[[Category:League of Ireland players]]
[[Category:Football League of Ireland managers]]
[[Category:League of Ireland XI players]]
[[Category:Las Vegas Quicksilvers players]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players]]
[[Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers]]
[[Category:Republic of Ireland expatriate men's association footballers]]
[[Category:Republic of Ireland men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Sacramento Gold (1976–1980) players]]
[[Category:Utah Golden Spikers players]]
[[Category:Washington Diplomats (NASL) players]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:English expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:English expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:English football managers]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish sportsmen]]

Latest revision as of 02:46, 5 December 2024

Peter Thomas
Personal information
Date of birth (1944-11-20)20 November 1944
Place of birth Coventry, England
Date of death 19 January 2023(2023-01-19) (aged 78)
Place of death Waterford, Ireland
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1962–1966 Coventry GEC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1966–1967 Coventry City 1 (0)
1967 → Waterford (loan) 10 (0)
1967–1975 Waterford 193 (0)
1975 Washington Diplomats 6 (0)
1975–1976 Waterford 26 (0)
1976 Utah Golden Spikers 20 (0)
1976–1977 Waterford 24 (0)
1977 Las Vegas Quicksilvers 4 (0)
1977–1978 Waterford 28 (0)
1978 Sacramento Gold 17 (0)
1978–1982 Waterford 114 (0)
1982–1984 Galway United 52 (0)
1984–1985 Drogheda United 18 (0)
International career
1973–1974 Republic of Ireland 2 (0)
Managerial career
1988 Waterford United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Peter Thomas (20 November 1944 – 19 January 2023)[1] was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper in England, Ireland and United States. Born in England, he made two international appearances for the Republic of Ireland.

Club career

[edit]

In 1962, Thomas joined Coventry G.E.C., playing with them until 1966. That year, he played one game for Coventry City. He went on loan to Waterford F.C. in 1967 where he made thirteen appearances. Coventry City transferred him to Waterford in the summer of 1967 and he stayed with the Blues until 1975. Thomas is associated with bringing a new style of goalkeeping to the League of Ireland. He rarely kicked the ball on the offensive, throwing when possible with great accuracy. He also represented the League of Ireland XI and won five league medals and a FAI Cup medal and played in twelve European Cup matches for Waterford.

In 1975, he moved to the United States where he played for the Washington Diplomats of the North American Soccer League. In 1976, he moved to the Utah Golden Spikers of the American Soccer League.[2] He returned to the NASL in 1977 with the Las Vegas Quicksilvers. The Diplomats had traded the rights to Thomas and Gerry Ingram to the Quicksilver in exchange for Peter Silvester in November 1976.[3] He finished his North American career with the Sacramento Gold of the ASL in 1978. In the fall of 1978, he returned to Ireland where he rejoined Waterford F.C.

International career

[edit]

Born in England, Thomas earned two caps with the Republic of Ireland after becoming an Irish citizen. He made his debut in 1973 against Poland, keeping a clean sheet but having to come off at half time due to a pulled muscle in his stomach.[4] His second cap came against Brazil in 1974. He was back down in the ASL in 1975, this time with the Sacramento Gold.[5]

Managerial career

[edit]

Thomas took over as manager of Waterford United in August 1988 but resigned in December due to work pressures.[6]

Honours

[edit]

Waterford United

Individual

  • SWAI Personality of the Year: 1969–70

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Peter Thomas, League of Ireland's 'best ever goalkeeper,' dies
  2. ^ "The Year in American Soccer – 1976". Archived from the original on 7 January 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  3. ^ Peter Silvester Joins Diplomats Washington Post, The (DC) – Saturday, 5 February 1977
  4. ^ "Statistics: Republic of Ireland [Powered by tplSoccerStats]".
  5. ^ "The Year in American Soccer – 1978". Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  6. ^ www.irishtimes.com
[edit]
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