Barrie Thomas

Barrie Thomas was born on 19 May 1937 in Measham, Leicestershire.^[1] He died on 30 August 2025, at the age of 88.^[2]

Thomas began his career as a youth player with Leicester City.^[1] His senior career began with Leicester City as a seventeen-year-old in 1954, but over the next three seasons, Thomas only managed to play in seven league games, scoring three league goals in the process.^[3] Thomas moved to Mansfield Town in 1957, and spent two seasons with the club, scoring 48 league goals in 72 league games.^[4] Thomas' next club was Scunthorpe United, moving there in 1959. Thomas' form in the 1961–62 season saw him score 30 league goals in 22 league games by Christmas 1961,^[5] and a total of 31 goals in 24 games in all competitions.^[6] Thomas' goalscoring record attracted attention from First Division clubs including Manchester United, Bolton Wanderers and Fulham.^[5] Leeds United had a bid of £30,000 rejected by the Scunthorpe United board of directors.^[5] However, Thomas was eventually sold to Newcastle United in January 1962 in a part-exchange deal, which saw John McGuigan moving in the opposite direction.^[5] Newcastle also paid Scunthorpe either £35,000,^[5] or £45,000.^[7] In his three seasons at Scunthorpe, Thomas scored 67 league goals in 91 league games.^[8] Thomas' exit had a detrimental effect on Scunthorpe United's season; attendances at their home matches fell by 20% after Thomas left,^[5] and the club dropped from 1st to 4th in the League.^[6] Thomas spent two years at Newcastle United, scoring 48 goals in 73 games,^[9] before returning to Scunthorpe in 1964. Thomas spent a further two years at Scunthorpe, scoring 26 goals in 52 games in his second spell with the club.^[8] Thomas' final club was Barnsley, where he scored 19 goals in 43 games over two years,^[10] before retiring in 1968 because of injury.^[1]