Jerome Thomas

This article is about the English footballer. For the French boxer, see Jérôme Thomas.

Jerome Thomas

Personal information
Full name	Jerome William Thomas
Date of birth	23 March 1983 (1983-03-23) (age 28)[1]
Place of birth	Wembley, England
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) [2]
Playing position	Left Winger
Club information
Current club	West Bromwich Albion
Number	14
Youth career
	Luton Town
000?–2001	Arsenal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2004	Arsenal	0	(0)
2002	→ Queens Park Rangers (loan)	4	(1)
2002	→ Queens Park Rangers (loan)	6	(2)
2004–2008	Charlton Athletic	103	(7)
2008	→ Portsmouth (loan)	1	(0)
2008–2009	Portsmouth	2	(0)
2009–	West Bromwich Albion	70	(11)
National team‡
2002–2003	England U21	2	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:15, 19 November 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 4 November 2009

Jerome William Thomas^[1] (born 23 March 1983) is an English footballer who plays for West Bromwich Albion predominantly as a left winger, but can also operate centrally. He has made more than 100 appearances in the Premier League and Football League, playing for Queens Park Rangers, Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth.

Club career

Arsenal

Born in Brent, London, Thomas played for Luton Town as a schoolboy, before joining Arsenal.^[3] Despite winning the FA Youth Cup twice, in 2000 and 2001, he found it difficult to break into the first team due to the consistency of Robert Pirès and Fredrik Ljungberg.^[3] He was soon loaned out to Queens Park Rangers in the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons.^[4] He performed well at QPR – scoring a couple of long distance goals – and made his last appearance on 29 October 2002 in an away draw with Wigan Athletic.^[5][6][7] However, upon his return to Highbury his fortunes were little better, making just three appearances in the 2003–04 season – all in the League Cup.^[4] After the Gunners signed José Antonio Reyes on 28 January 2004, following an alleged row with club legend Thierry Henry, Thomas turned down a new one-year contract with Arsenal and decided it was best to pursue a career elsewhere.^[8][9]

Charlton Athletic

Thomas signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Charlton Athletic on 2 February 2004, for a transfer fee of £100,000.^[9] He made his Premier League and Charlton debut on 1 May in a home draw with Leicester City, a result that relegated the East Midlands club.^[10] He quickly fitted into the team, making a total of fifty-nine appearances and scoring four goals over the following two seasons; his first goal came in a 3–2 away win against Tottenham on 6 November.^[4][11] As a result of this success, he signed a new three-year contract on 18 August 2006, although he found himself absent for the beginning of the 2006–07 due to a break of his right fifth metatarsal.^[12][13] Upon his return to fitness, he resumed his major role in Charlton's season, making a further 57 appearances and scoring three goals in the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons.^[4] Following Charlton's relegation from the top flight, his good form attracted the attention of Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp in January 2008, although the Pompey boss was doubtful he would be available on loan, seeing as Charlton manager Alan Pardew preferred a permanent deal.^[14]

Portsmouth

Thomas appeared in both of Charlton's first two games of the 2008–09 season,^[4][15] but on 15 August 2008 he joined Premier League club (and FA Cup holders) Portsmouth on a season-long loan.^[16] He made his league debut for Portsmouth just two days later in a 4–0 away defeat to Chelsea,^[17] and on 21 August he signed a one-year contract with Portsmouth to make his loan deal permanent after only six days.^[18] Charlton were to be paid a "small fee" should he play a certain number of matches during the 2008–09 season.^[18] However, in late August he suffered a stress fracture of the spine and was sidelined for about a month, eventually making his comeback in a reserve team win over Tottenham Hotspur on 6 October.^[19][20] He completed his return to full fitness in a win over Aston Villa reserves on 20 October, when he won a penalty and scored a solo goal.^[21]

Thomas did not return to Portsmouth's first team however until the final game of the season (a 1–0 defeat at Wigan). On 1 July 2009 he was released by Portsmouth, having made only three first team appearances (including one during his initial loan spell).

During the summer of 2009 he had trials with two Premier League teams, Hull City and Wolverhampton Wanderers.^[22][23] He scored for Hull in a 6–0 victory over North Ferriby United,^[24] but was not offered a contract by either Hull or Wolves.

West Bromwich Albion

On 13 August 2009, Thomas signed for Championship team West Bromwich Albion as a free agent.^[25] He made his league debut for West Brom five days later, as a substitute in a 3–2 win at Peterborough United, and scored his first goal for them (in his seventh appearance) in their 5–0 win away at Middlesbrough on 19 September 2009.^[26] Three days later, Thomas was sent off in a League Cup tie against his former club Arsenal. He was penalized for using his elbow in a challenge on Jack Wilshere, after which he offered Wilshere his hand to apologize and to help the Arsenal player back onto his feet, but Wilshere refused the offer and allegedly made a comment. Thomas reacted by pushing Wilshire away (his hand being high on Wilshere's chest) and was shown a red card.^[27] On 25 September 2010 he returned to the Emirates Stadium and scored West Bromwich Albion's third goal in a surprise 3–2 win over the Gunners.

In his first game back from the resulting three-match suspension, on 17 October 2009, Thomas was named as man of the match after scoring two goals in West Brom's 3–1 win over Reading. Thomas went on to have an effective first term with the Baggies, scoring seven goals in twenty nine appearances; however, his season was cut short due to a recurrence of a back injury which he suffered in the previous season.^[28] In a bid to regain fitness for the following Thomas has returned to pre-season training ahead of the rest of the first team squad.

Thomas since has helped West Brom secure another season in the Barclays Premier League and has scored 3 goals one being against his former club Arsenal.

Personal life

Despite being mentioned in rapper Kano's song London Town, from the 2007 album of the same name,^[29] Thomas is not Kano's cousin. Thomas denied the relationship in a Coca-Cola Football League podcast posted 21 October 2009. [1] Said Thomas, "I get asked this all the time. Apparently it's on Wikipedia." Thomas went on to state that former teammate and friend Jon Fortune is Kano's cousin.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Hugman, Barry J. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 607. ISBN 1852916656. 
2. ^ "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. http://www.premierleague.com/page/PlayerProfile/0,,12306~22269,00.html. Retrieved 27 April 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Charlton Athletic profile". Charlton Athletic F.C.. http://www.cafc.co.uk/playerdisplay.ink?skip=21&season=2007/2008. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Jerome Thomas Career Statistics". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=28922. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
5. ^ "Wigan 1–1 QPR Match Report". BBC Sport. 2002-10-29. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/2356865.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
6. ^ "Cheltenham 1–1 QPR Match Report". BBC Sport. 2002-10-19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/2314119.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
7. ^ "QPR 1–2 Oldham Match Report". BBC Sport. 2002-10-26. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/2342281.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
8. ^ "Reyes passes Arsenal medical". BBC Sport. 2004-01-28. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3434355.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
9. ^ ^{a b} "Charlton sign Thomas". BBC Sport. 2004-02-02. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/charlton_athletic/3452433.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
10. ^ "Charlton 2–2 Leicester Match Report". BBC Sport. 2004-05-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3655253.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
11. ^ "Tottenham 2–3 Charlton Match Report". BBC Sport. 2004-11-06. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3967897.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
12. ^ "Charlton's Thomas signs new deal". BBC Sport. 2006-08-18. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/charlton_athletic/5263876.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
13. ^ "Thomas injury blow for Charlton". BBC Sport. 2006-07-26. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/charlton_athletic/5217918.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
14. ^ "Redknapp unsure over Thomas bid". BBC Sport. 2008-01-31. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/7219594.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
15. ^ "Pompey snap up Charlton's Thomas". BBC Sport. 2008-08-15. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/7563006.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-17. 
16. ^ "Thomas Joins Pompey". Portsmouth F.C.. 2008-08-15. http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/index.php?cms_ref=news&qs_slideshow_b3b4_index=&fm_type=all&fm_string=jerome%20thomas&fm_article_page_num=&qs_media=html&qs_articleid=1439. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
17. ^ McNulty, Phil (2008-07-17). "Chelsea 4–0 Portsmouth Match Report". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7551171.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
18. ^ ^{a b} "Thomas Deal Made Permanent". Portsmouth F.C.. 2008-08-21. http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/index.php?cms_id=78&qs_articleid=1455&qs_media=html. Retrieved 2008-08-21. 
19. ^ "Thomas Out for at Least Three Weeks". Portsmouth F.C.. 2008-09-03. http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/index.php?cms_ref=news&qs_slideshow_b3b4_index=&fm_type=all&fm_string=jerome%20thomas&fm_article_page_num=2&qs_media=html&qs_articleid=1498. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
20. ^ "Tottenham Reserves 2 Pompey Reserves 3 Match Report". Portsmouth F.C.. 2008-10-06. http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/index.php?cms_ref=news&qs_slideshow_b3b4_index=&fm_type=all&fm_string=jerome%20thomas&qs_articleid=1621&qs_media=html. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
21. ^ "Pompey Reserves 2 Aston Villa Reserves 0 Match Report". Portsmouth F.C.. 2008-10-20. http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/index.php?cms_ref=news&qs_slideshow_b3b4_index=&fm_type=all&fm_string=jerome%20thomas&fm_article_page_num=1&qs_media=html&qs_articleid=1672. Retrieved 2008-11-11. 
22. ^ "Thomas lands Tigers chance". Sky Sports. 2009-07-16. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12874_5436429,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-26. 
23. ^ "Defensive error costly for Wolves". BBC Sport. 2009-07-29. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wolverhampton_wanderers/8174094.stm. Retrieved 2009-08-10. 
24. ^ "Tigers opt against Thomas". Sky Sports. 2009-07-26. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5454357,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-26. 
25. ^ "Free agent Thomas joins West Brom". BBC Sport. 2009-08-14. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/8201628.stm. Retrieved 2009-11-04. 
26. ^ "Middlesbrough 0–5 West Brom". BBC Sport. 19 September 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/8251605.stm. Retrieved 20 September 2009. 
27. ^ Cass, Simon (2009-09-22). "Arsenal 2 West Brom 0: Mega-Watt is electric as Sanchez flicks the switch". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1215367/Arsenal-2-West-Brom-0-Mega-Watt-electric-Sanchez-flicks-switch.html. Retrieved 2009-09-23. 
28. ^ "Thomas to miss start of new season", Birmingham Mail, 22 April 2010. Retrieved on 12-6-2010.
29. ^ Robinson, Kane (2007). Album notes for London Town by Kano [CD booklet]. London, UK: 679 Recordings (2564697895).

External links

• Jerome Thomas career stats at Soccerbase
• Jerome Thomas player profile at Premier League
• Jerome Thomas player profile at BBC Sport

Persondata
Name	Thomas, Jerome
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	23 March 1983
Place of birth	Wembley, England
Date of death
Place of death