Bobby Thomson (footballer, born 1943)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Anthony Thomson | ||
| Date of birth | 5 December 1943 | ||
| Place of birth | Smethwick, England | ||
| Date of death | 19 August 2009 (aged 65) | ||
| Place of death | Dudley, England | ||
| Playing position | Left-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1959–1961 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1961–1969 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 278 | (2) |
| 1967 | → Los Angeles Wolves (guest) | 12 | (3) |
| 1969–1972 | Birmingham City | 63 | (0) |
| 1971 | → Walsall (loan) | 9 | (1) |
| 1972–1976 | Luton Town | 110 | (1) |
| 1976 | Hartford Bicentennials | 24 | (0) |
| 1976–1977 | Port Vale | 18 | (0) |
| 1977 | Connecticut Bicentennials | 25 | (0) |
| 1977–1978 | Worcester City | 14 | (1) |
| 1978–1979 | Memphis Rogues | 51 | (1) |
| 1979–1980 | Stafford Rangers | 16 | (0) |
| 1980 | Memphis Rogues | 27 | (0) |
| 1981 | Willenhall Town | 3 | (0) |
| Brewood | |||
| Solihull Borough | |||
| Tipton Town | |||
| National team | |||
| 1963–1967 | England U23 | 15 | (0) |
| 1963–1964 | England | 8 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1977 | Connecticut Bicentennials | ||
| 1979–1980 | Stafford Rangers (player-manager) | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Robert Anthony Thomson (5 December 1943 – 19 August 2009) was an English professional footballer. He made 478 appearances in the Football League and won eight caps for England.
Something of a legend at his first club – Wolverhampton Wanderers, he is considered to be one of the finest full-backs ever to have played for the team. Departing Wolves in 1969, he then moved on to Birmingham City and then Luton Town. He was promoted out of the Second Division with all three clubs. His later career involved moving between numerous clubs, both at home and abroad. He spent time as player-coach at Connecticut Bicentennials and player-manager of Stafford Rangers.
Thomson was an exceptionally fast full-back and was also extremely adept at back-pedalling.
Thomson was born in Smethwick, which was then in Staffordshire. He joined local side Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1959 upon leaving Lyndon High School in Solihull. He signed professional forms in July 1961, before making his senior debut on 27 January 1962 in an FA Cup tie against Black Country rivals West Bromwich Albion. Between his debut in 1962 to 1967 he missed just 11 first team games.
Unfortunately for Thomson, he was too late for the glory years, and instead came through under the tail-end of manager Stan Cullis' sixteen-year reign. Their best finish during Thomson's time was fifth in the First Division in 1962–63. The club fell to the Second Division in 1964–65. They won promotion at the second time of asking – in 1966–67, as runners-up. In Summer 1967 he was part of the Wolves side that played in the United States, guesting as the Los Angeles Wolves, under which guise they won the United Soccer Association league championship.
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