There are Legends, then there are these boys of 76

[QPRDave]

Hornet Books @HornetBooks Jan 30



In the thick of helping football legend Dave Thomas write his autobiography. So many great stories. Just yesterday I had a fit of the giggles finishing the one about Dave, Terry Venables and Percy Thrower! Priceless.

[QPRDave]

[QPRDave]

[QPRDave]

[QPRDave]

[QPRDave]

[Stanley]

You do wonder if Dave had anything left of his shins by the end of his career (especially in them days), with his socks permanently round his ankles... or maybe he was just lucky

[cross it Dave]

You do wonder if Dave had anything left of his shins by the end of his career (especially in them days), with his socks permanently round his ankles... or maybe he was just lucky

Stan, no luck about it, he was just simply brilliant.

[QPRDave]

I look forward to his autobiography

[Stanley]

Stan, no luck about it, he was just simply brilliant.

Of course Dave. I mean lucky never to get badly injured with no shin pads, especially back then.

[dave58]

Looking forward to it. players were made of sterner stuff, don't ever remember Dave Thomas diving around all over the place, they used to kick him and he'd just keep coming back

[LoftusRoadLad]

For you young Rs

Dave Thomas (born 5 October 1950) is a former professional footballer and England international who played as a midfielder. An extremely skilful and fast player, for much of his career his trademark was playing without shin pads; something that would be contrary to the rules of the game today.

He made his senior debut in Burnley's 8-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion in the 1966/67 season.

He had a long and successful playing career, playing for almost 20 years and totalling over 450 league appearances whilst playing for Burnley, QPR, Everton, Vancouver Whitecaps, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He won 8 England caps overall whilst at Queens Park Rangers. His first England cap was given to him by manager Don Revie on 30 October 1974 in a 3–0 win against Czechoslovakia. He set up the first goal in the game. In 1981, he played a single summer season with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the North American Soccer League.[1]

Thomas's most successful season was undoubtedly 1975–76 while playing for QPR. QPR led the First Division for much of the season, narrowly missing out by one point to Liverpool after the final game of the season. Thomas was a pivotal figure in the team, providing Stan Bowles, Gerry Francis and others with outstanding service from the wing. Following his transfer to Everton, Thomas continued to enjoy success in the 1977–78 season while playing for Everton. Everton's top marksman Bob Latchford scored 30 goals in the league that season, Thomas providing more of his goals than anybody else with some more accurate crosses. His transfer in October 1972 from Burnley to QPR was then a record fee for a Second Division Club: £165,000.

£165,000 is about 2.1m and we sold him to Everton for £200,000 thats 2.6m in todays money.

[Gtleighsr3]

All good and then there's the legend of the doddinghurst cuckoo

[Alanwycombe]

I often wonder what those guys would have been like on the pitches we take for granted these days? Make no mistake, that was a special team.