Kevin Thomson

Football player infobox
playername = Kevin Thomson


fullname = Kevin Thomson
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1984|10|14
cityofbirth = Edinburgh
countryofbirth = Scotland
height = height|meter=1.80
currentclub = Rangers
clubnumber = 8
position = Central midfielder
years = 2003–2007
2007–
clubs = Hibernian
Rangers
caps(goals) = 79 (2)
40 (1)
nationalyears = 2008–
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 01 (0)
pcupdate = 14 September, 2008
ntupdate = 14 September, 2008

Kevin Thomson (born October 14, 1984 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League side fc|Rangers. Thomson grew up in Peebles, in the Scottish Borders. He is related to former fc|Rangers striker Steve MacLean.clarifyme|date=April 2008

Club career

Hibernian

Thomson's first club was Peebles Thistle, who play in the Eastern Region Youth League. He then moved on to play for Edinburgh side Hutchison Vale before being signed by fc|Hibernian. Whilst with Hibs he was part of a very promising group of young players who came through their youth team during the early 2000s. Players included current Rangers teammate Steven Whittaker, also Derek Riordan, Scott Brown and Garry O'Connor. Thomson established himself as a regular in the Hibs first team during the 2003–04 season and played in that season's Scottish League Cup final defeat by fc|Livingston. He suffered a serious cruciate ligament injury during a game against fc|Partick Thistle at the end of the 2003–04 season. This injury meant that he was out of football for almost a year, and he consequently made only four league appearances in the 2004–05 season.

In the 2005–06 season Thomson made an impressive comeback from his injury, establishing himself as one of Hibernian's most important players. He signed a long term contract (until 2010) in March 2006. Thomson was then appointed as club captain by Tony Mowbray after the previous captain Gary Caldwell left the club to join fc|Celtic. Despite signing a long term contract with Hibs, it was still speculated that Thomson would soon leave Hibs. On August 31 2006 (transfer deadline day), Premiership club fc|Bolton Wanderers made an offer that was rejected by Hibernian.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/6653201.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Celtic win race for Hibs' Brown|date=15 May 2007]

Speculation about Thomson's future increased after he (and Scott Brown) appointed Willie McKay as his agent. McKay demanded that Hibs offer Brown and Thomson wages commensurate with the transfer fees Hibs were demanding for the players. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/6195434.stm Hibs pair demand talks on future] , BBC Sport, December 1 2006.] Hibs would have needed to significantly break their pay scale in order to offer such wages. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/6204118.stm Hibs pair were misled, says agent] , BBC Sport, December 3 2006.] Hibs refused to meet with McKay to discuss improved contracts, which resulted in Brown submitting a written transfer request.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/6195434.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Hibs pair demand talks on future |date=1 December 2006]

On 20 December 2006, fc|Charlton Athletic made a joint offer for Brown and Thomson, which was rejected by Hibernian.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/6196309.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Charlton fail to land Hibs stars|date=20 December 2006] This sparked a further round of speculation, as Brown and Thomson demanded to know why they had not been informed of the offer before it was rejected. Thomson was stripped of the captaincy on 2 January 2007 and was replaced by Rob Jones.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/6230429.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Thomson stunned to lose armband|date=4 January 2007] Thomson was told by manager John Collins to concentrate on his game because he believed that Thomson's performance levels had dropped since the transfer speculation began.

Rangers

On 30 January 2007, Thomson signed for Walter Smith's fc|Rangers for a fee of £2 million. [ [http://www.hibs.co.uk/news/more.php?id=1985_0_1_0_C Offer for Kevin Thomson] , fc|Hibernian, 30 January 2007.] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/6315061.stm Rangers pay Hibs £2m for Thomson] , BBC Sport, 30 January 2007.] Less than two months earlier, Smith had been critical of Thomson's behaviour, calling on him to show more "responsibility", [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/6204818.stm Smith backs Hibs in contract row] BBC Sport website, (3 December 2006).] although this was a month before he was re-appointed as Rangers manager. Thomson made his Rangers debut on 11 February in a 3–1 victory over fc|Kilmarnock, although he was substituted at half-time after suffering a hamstring injury. [cite news|url=http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/6344721.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Kilmarnock 1–3 Rangers|date=11 February 2007]

Thomson has established himself as a regular in the Rangers first team. He scored his first goal for Rangers against fc|Celtic in an Old Firm match on March 29 2008 [ [http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7317659.stm Rangers 1-0 Celtic] BBC Sport website, (29 March 2008).] and he played in an important part in their run to the 2008 UEFA Cup Final. He scored his second goal for Rangers in their 2–1 defeat to FBK Kaunas in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round second leg on August 5 2008. [cite news|url=http://www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3031788,00.html|publisher=Sky Sports website|title=Rangers suffer Euro agony|date=5 August 2008]

International career

Thomson made his debut appearance for Scotland in a goalless draw against Northern Ireland on August 20 2008. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7567763.stm "Scotland 0-0 Northern Ireland"] BBC Sport website (20 August 2008)]

Honours

With Rangers

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=36558|name=Kevin Thomson
*SFA Profile|id=24461|name=Kevin Thomson

Persondata
NAME=Thomson, Kevin
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Footballer
DATE OF BIRTH=October 14 1984
PLACE OF BIRTH=Peebles, Scotland
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=