Andy Thomson (Scottish footballer)

Andy Thomson
Personal information
Full name Andrew Thomson
Date of birth (1971-04-01) 1 April 1971
Place of birth Motherwell, Scotland
Playing position Striker
Youth career
1988–1989 Jerviston BC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1994 Queen of the South 175 (93)
1994–1998 Southend United 124 (29)
1998–1999 Oxford United 38 (7)
1999–2001 Gillingham 52 (14)
2001–2003 Queen's Park Rangers 68 (28)
2003–2004 Partick Thistle 21 (5)
2004–2006 Falkirk 29 (9)
2006–2007 Queen of the South 25 (5)
2007–2008 Stenhousemuir 17 (5)
Total 549 (195)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Andrew "Andy" Thomson (born 1 April 1971 in Motherwell) is a former Scottish professional football player. He played in 549 league matches, scoring 195 league goals in a career that saw him play for Queen of the South, Partick Thistle, Falkirk and Stenhousemuir in Scotland and Southend United, Oxford United, Gillingham and Queens Park Rangers in England.[1]

Queen of the South (1st spell)

Thomson signed on 28 July 1989 for Dumfries club Queen of the South from Motherwell-based boys' club Jerviston as an 18-year-old. As he became more experienced the goals started to flow and never stopped in his five seasons at Palmerston Park. Arguably his finest achievement with Queens was the 1990-91 Scottish League Cup run to the quarter finals. Queens knocked out higher division opponents Dundee and Dunfermline Athletic before being eliminated by a late goal away to Celtic.[2]

Thomson scored 109 goals in all competitions during his first spell at Queens. In 1993-94 he was Queens Player of the Year and also awarded the Scottish Second Division award, as he had been two seasons before, as well as being the country's top scorer.[2]

Aberdeen offered £150,000 for Thomson but this was rejected. Southend United offered £250,000 and a deal was struck that led to Thomson leaving for Essex on 4 July 1994 to join the Shrimpers [3] at Roots Hall [4] and their manager at that time, Peter Taylor. As well as being a record transfer fee paid at that particular time by the Shrimpers, this still remains the highest fee received by Queens.[2]

Andy Thomson returned to Palmerston Park to play for a Queen of the South select on 23 April 1995. The opposition in the 2-2 draw was Rangers in a game to mark Queens' 75th anniversary and the opening of the new stand. Other guests for Queens included Ted McMinn, Davie Irons and Rowan Alexander.[2][5]

Southend United and Oxford United

Thomson played for Southend United from season 1994-95 until 1997-98, scoring 29 goals in 124 league appearances, then spent season 1998-99 playing for Oxford United, scoring 7 goals in 38 league appearances. [2]

Gillingham

Thomson signed for Gillingham on 5 August 1999 for £25,000 just before the season started. Peter Taylor had now signed Thomson for the second time in his managerial career and later described the transfer deal as the best £25,000 he had ever spent.[2][6]

On 28 May 2000 Thomson scored the winning goal for Gillingham in the Football League Second Division play-off final at Wembley Stadium. Thomson had come on as an extra time substitute in the 97th minute of the game. Thomson scored with two minutes of play left on the clock. Following Ty Gooden's centre from the right, the diving Thomson stole in front of Stuart Balmer to glance the ball into the far corner of the net. The goal was reminiscent of Keith Houchen's cup final goal for Coventry City against Tottenham Hotspur.[7] The 3-2 win against Wigan Athletic ensured the Kent club's first ever promotion to the second tier of English football.[8] The club's website described the goals as, "The most iconic moment in the long history of Gillingham F.C. encapsulated in a few moments of extra time football".[2][6] Andy Thomson became the second former Queen of the South player to win a Wembley play-off final after Ted McMinn.[2]

Thomson also scored 4 goals in Gillingham's 1999–00 FA Cup run, against Cheltenham Town, Walsall, Bradford City and Sheffield Wednesday. The Gills were knocked out of the FA Cup in the quarter finals, the first time they had ever reached so far, at Stamford Bridge, when they lost 5-0 to Chelsea.[2]

Queens Park Rangers

Thomson then signed for Queens Park Rangers on 22 March 2001 and stayed at Loftus Road until the end of season 2002-03. Thomson then returned to Scotland on 10 July 2003.[2][9]

Partick Thistle, Falkirk and Queen of the South (2nd spell)

Back in Scotland, Thomson played for Partick Thistle in the 2003-04 season and Falkirk from 2004-06 before going back to Dumfries to rejoin Queens for the 2006-07 season. Thomson said on his return to Queens, "Things have changed quite a bit while I've been away - a new stand, a completely new set-up and a more modern type of training system". Thomson added, "Norman Blount was an excellent chairman."[2]

Thomson scored 114 goals in his two spells at Palmerston. This cements his place as the third highest goalscorer in Queens history behind Jim Patterson and Bobby Black. [10]

Stenhousemuir and retirement

Thomson then joined Stenhousemuir for season 2007-08. Troubled by injuries his retirement was announced in the press on 18 March 2008.[11]

Queen of the South Hall of Fame

Thomson was inducted into Queen of the South's Hall of Fame on 19 January 2013. [12]

Management

Following his retirement from professional football, Thomson decided to earn his coaching badges and was the manager of the Strathclyde University Men's XI for the 2013-14 season. [13]

References

External links

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