Jim Thomson (footballer)

Infobox Football biography


playername = Jim Thomson
fullname = James Thomson
height = height|ft=6|in=1
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1971|5|15
cityofbirth = Stirling
countryofbirth = Scotland
currentclub = Queen of the South
position = Defender
years = 1991-1996
1996-1997
1997-1999
1999-2001
2001-
clubs = Clyde
Stenhousemuir
Queen of the South
Arbroath
Queen of the South
caps(goals) = 151 (11)
013 0(0)
050 0(2)
046 0(2)
222 0(6)
pcupdate = 25 August 2008

James "Jim" Thomson (born 15 May 1971 in Stirling) is a Scottish footballer currently playing for Queen of the South. He has previously played for Clyde, Stenhousemuir and Arbroath. Nicknamed 'JT', Thomson is a central defender.

Clyde

Jim Thomson began his senior football career at Clyde in 1991. Thomson made 151 league appearances notching 11 goals. Clyde were Scottish League Division two champions in 1992/1993 with Thomson at the club.

tenhousemuir

Jim Thomson then had a short spell with Stenhousemuir in 1996 making 13 league appearances.

Queen of the South (1st spell)

Jim Thomson first joined Queen of the South as the club were rebuilding in 1997 in the post Harkness era. New chairman Norman Blount was getting the wheels moving on the club's revival. In 1997 the club reached the Scottish Challenge Cup final for the first time. Second Division Queens lost 1-0 to 1st Division Falkirk despite a rousing Queens display at Motherwell's Fir Park; a performance that included the man of the match award going to Queens veteran central midfield playmaker Tommy Bryce and an early career apearance for Jamie McAllister. A late chance for a Derek Townsley equaliser went agonisingly over for Queens.

Arbroath

Thomson next went to Arbroath making 46 league appearances and scoring for the club twice. He then followed in the footsteps of another distinguished player, Jimmy Binning, by leaving Arbroath to sign for Queen of the South.

Queen of the South (2nd spell)

Jim Thomson has been player of the season three times over a ten year period for the Dumfries side. [ [http://www.qosfc.com/qosfcfc.htm 2005-06 Player of the Year Awards] , "Queens" official website, 3 May 2006.] In late August and early September 2006 Thomson had a 'clean up' operation on his knee but has come back successfully, including scoring a spectacular overhead kick.

Jim Thomson made his 300th "Queens" appearance on the 20 October 2007 in a First Division match against St Johnstone. He is currently the club captain. Thomson's appearances for Queens place him comfortably within the Queens all time top twenty appearances list.

Jim Thomson captained Queens during the 2007/08 Scottish Cup 4 - 3 semi-final victory against Aberdeen. Thomson is the first man to captain Queens in a Scottish Cup semi-final victory. As well as captaining Queen in the final Thomson also scored Queens' equaliser to bring the game against Rangers to 2 - 2. Despite Queens' battling second half display Rangers eventually ran out 3 - 2 winners.

Thus at Queen of the South:-

* Despite Queen of the South Scottish Cup Quarter Final appearances running into double figures Jim Thomson is one of only two men to captain a Queen of the South victory at that level in the Scottish Cup

* Jim Thomson is the only man to captain Queen of the South to a Scottish Cup semi final success

* Jim Thomson is the only man to captain Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup final

* Jim Thomson along with Steve Tosh are the only two men to score for Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup final

* Jim Thomson is one of only two men to captain Queen of the South to the Scottish Second Division (or Scottish B Division as it was called when Queens won it in 1951) championship

* Jim Thomson is the only man to date to captain Queen of the South to victory in the Scottish Challenge Cup final. The Queens side that day also included Robbie Neilson and Andy Goram.

* Along with Andy Aitken they are the only Queens players to earn four senior Scottish football medals while playing for the club - (winners of the 2001/02 Second Division and 2002/03 Scottish Challenge Cup; runners up in the 1997/98 Scottish Challenge Cup and 2007/08 Scottish Cup).

* Jim Thomson is among only 18 players to have made more than 300 appearances for Queen of the South

* Jim Thomson is the first and only man to captain Queens in a UEFA competition when Queens played in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup second qualfication round games against FC Nordsjaelland. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7560658.stm]

* Jim Thomson is the first (v Aberdeen in the 2008 Scottish Cup semi final) and only man to captain Queens in a game live on national television. He also captained Queens in the live televised games against Rangers (Scottish Cup final) and FC Nordsjaelland (UEFA Cup qualifier).

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=11739|name=Jim Thomson