Charles Bellany Thomson
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Charles Bellany Thomson | ||
| Date of birth | 12 June 1878 | ||
| Place of birth | Prestonpans, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 6 February 1936 (aged 57) | ||
| Place of death | Edinburgh, Scotland | ||
| Playing position | Centre forward, Centre half | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1898 – 1908 | Heart of Midlothian | ? | (?) |
| 1908 – 1919 | Sunderland | ? | (?) |
| National team | |||
| 1904 – 1914 | Scotland | 21 | (4) |
| 1904 – 1908 | Scottish League XI | 5 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Charles "Charlie" Bellany Thomson (12 June 1878 – 6 February 1936) was a Scottish footballer who played for Heart of Midlothian, Sunderland and the Scotland national team.
Thomson started his career with local side Prestonpans F.C., from where he moved to Hearts in 1898. Initially considered a centre-forward at Tynecastle, Thomson also occasionally played centre-half, and he took on that role permanently when Albert Buick left the Edinburgh club for Portsmouth in 1903. He played in the former role in the 1901 Scottish Cup final, when he scored the third goal in Hearts' 4-3 defeat of Celtic. Two years later he was deployed in defense but could not prevent Hearts losing the 1903 Scottish Cup final to Rangers, in a 2nd replay.
As well as the centre-half berth, Thomson inherited the club captaincy upon Buick's departure south. Within a year he was also a Scotland international, making his debut in a 1-1 draw with Ireland at Dalymount Park in Dublin. A tenacious and inspiring figure, Thomson was a "natural skipper" and during his ten-year international career 13 of his 21 caps were earned as captain. He was also renowned for his stamina, athletic physique and fitness and his penalty-taking technique. Most of his goals (including 3 of the 4 he scored for Scotland) came from the penalty spot and he missed only one penalty-kick in his career.
Thomson captained Hearts to a 1-0 victory over Third Lanark in the 1906 Scottish Cup final but injury prevented him from leading the side in the 1907 final, when they succumbed to Celtic. There was some behind the scenes unrest at Tynecastle during the close-season however which resulted in him relinquishing the captaincy and eventually moving to Sunderland in 1908. He joined the Wearsiders alongside goalkeeper Thomas Allan for £700 in a joint transfer. At the time a transfer fee limit of £350 existed in the Football League and it has been speculated that the joint fee was a means to circumvent these restrictions, with more than 50% of the fee being liable for Thomson's signature. These suggestions are supported by two facts: firstly, Thomson was at that point Scotland captain while Allan was not recognised internationally; secondly Allan returned to Hearts merely 2 seasons later, for a fee much less than £350.
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