Rod Thomas
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Roderick John Thomas | ||
| Date of birth | 11 January 1947 | ||
| Place of birth | Glynncorwg, Neath, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 15 November 2025 (aged 78) | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Gloucester City | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1963–1964 | Gloucester City | 10 | (3) |
| 1964–1973 | Swindon Town | 296 | (5) |
| 1973–1977 | Derby County | 89 | (2) |
| 1977–1981 | Cardiff City | 96 | (0) |
| 1981–1982 | Gloucester City | ||
| 1982 | Newport County | 3 | (0) |
| 1982 | Bath City | 2 | (0) |
| 1982–1983 | Barry Town | ||
| International career | |||
| 1967–1977 | Wales | 50 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Roderick John Thomas (11 January 1947 – 15 November 2025) was a Welsh professional footballer who played as a defender for Gloucester City, Swindon Town, Derby County, Cardiff City, Gloucester for a second spell and Newport County. He represented the Wales national team at international level, making 50 appearances.
Career
[edit]Swindon Town manager Bert Head brought Thomas to the County Ground from non-league Gloucester City in July 1964 – paying £500 for his services. Still a youth player, it was almost two years before he made his debut, in a drab 0–0 draw with Scunthorpe, at the end of the 1965–66 season.
The following season saw Thomas establish himself as the club's first choice right back, and he also achieved his first international honours, being selected for the Welsh under-23 squad. Widely recognised as one of the best defenders outside of the First Division, Thomas made his full international debut in a 0–0 draw with Northern Ireland in 1967 – he remains the club's most capped international footballer.
Despite interest from bigger clubs, Thomas went on to make nearly 300 appearances for Swindon, including the 1969 League Cup final. By the time he left in 1973, he had made the most international appearances ever by a Swindon player, having played in thirty matches for Wales. He moved on to Derby County, when former Town manager Dave Mackay offered £100,000 for Thomas' signature. At Derby he was part of the team that won the 1974–75 First Division.[2]
Thomas left Derby in 1977, joining Cardiff City for £10,000, making his debut in a 2–0 win over Stoke City. His four years at Cardiff were hampered by injuries and, in 1981, he returned to Gloucester City.
He made another twenty appearances for his country, and had brief spells at Newport County, Bath City and Barry Town, before his retirement in 1982.[3][4]
Death
[edit]Thomas died on 15 November 2025, at the age of 78.[5]
Career statistics
[edit]| Club | Season | League | Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Swindon Town | 1965–66 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1966–67 | 35 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 45 | 0 | |
| 1967–68 | 41 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
| 1968–69 | 44 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 59 | 0 | |
| 1969–70 | 41 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 54 | 1 | |
| 1970–71 | 42 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 51 | 1 | |
| 1971–72 | 36 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 1 | |
| 1972–73 | 41 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 2 | |
| 1973–74 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Total | 296 | 5 | 59 | 0 | 355 | 5 | |
Honours
[edit]Swindon Town
Derby County
References
[edit]- ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 114. ISBN 0362020175.
- ^ "We are the Champions: 1974-75 – Derby County". gameofthepeople.com. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
- ^ "Past Players". Bath City F.C. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
- ^ Rod Thomas at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
- ^ Derby County title-winning defender Rod Thomas dies aged 78
Sources
[edit]- Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.
| Authority control databases: People |
|---|
- 1947 births
- 2025 deaths
- Footballers from Neath
- People educated at Chosen Hill School
- Welsh men's footballers
- Wales men's international footballers
- Wales men's under-23 international footballers
- Gloucester City A.F.C. players
- Swindon Town F.C. players
- Derby County F.C. players
- Cardiff City F.C. players
- Newport County A.F.C. players
- Bath City F.C. players
- Barry Town United F.C. players
- English Football League players
- Men's association football full-backs
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Roderick John Thomas | ||
| Date of birth | 11 January 1947 | ||
| Place of birth | Glynncorwg, Neath, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 15 November 2025 (aged 78) | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Gloucester City | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1963–1964 | Gloucester City | 10 | (3) |
| 1964–1973 | Swindon Town | 296 | (5) |
| 1973–1977 | Derby County | 89 | (2) |
| 1977–1981 | Cardiff City | 96 | (0) |
| 1981–1982 | Gloucester City | ||
| 1982 | Newport County | 3 | (0) |
| 1982 | Bath City | 2 | (0) |
| 1982–1983 | Barry Town | ||
| International career | |||
| 1967–1977 | Wales | 50 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Roderick John Thomas (11 January 1947 – 15 November 2025) was a Welsh professional footballer who played as a defender for Gloucester City, Swindon Town, Derby County, Cardiff City, Gloucester for a second spell and Newport County. He represented the Wales national team at international level, making 50 appearances.
Career
Swindon Town manager Bert Head brought Thomas to the County Ground from non-league Gloucester City in July 1964 – paying £500 for his services. Still a youth player, it was almost two years before he made his debut, in a drab 0–0 draw with Scunthorpe, at the end of the 1965–66 season.
The following season saw Thomas establish himself as the club's first choice right back, and he also achieved his first international honours, being selected for the Welsh under-23 squad. Widely recognised as one of the best defenders outside of the First Division, Thomas made his full international debut in a 0–0 draw with Northern Ireland in 1967 – he remains the club's most capped international footballer.
Despite interest from bigger clubs, Thomas went on to make nearly 300 appearances for Swindon, including the 1969 League Cup final. By the time he left in 1973, he had made the most international appearances ever by a Swindon player, having played in thirty matches for Wales. He moved on to Derby County, when former Town manager Dave Mackay offered £100,000 for Thomas' signature. At Derby he was part of the team that won the 1974–75 First Division.[2]
Thomas left Derby in 1977, joining Cardiff City for £10,000, making his debut in a 2–0 win over Stoke City. His four years at Cardiff were hampered by injuries and, in 1981, he returned to Gloucester City.
He made another twenty appearances for his country, and had brief spells at Newport County, Bath City and Barry Town, before his retirement in 1982.[3][4]
Death
Thomas died on 15 November 2025, at the age of 78.[5]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Swindon Town | 1965–66 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1966–67 | 35 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 45 | 0 | |
| 1967–68 | 41 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
| 1968–69 | 44 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 59 | 0 | |
| 1969–70 | 41 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 54 | 1 | |
| 1970–71 | 42 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 51 | 1 | |
| 1971–72 | 36 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 1 | |
| 1972–73 | 41 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 2 | |
| 1973–74 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Total | 296 | 5 | 59 | 0 | 355 | 5 | |
Honours
Swindon Town
Derby County
References
- ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 114. ISBN 0362020175.
- ^ "We are the Champions: 1974-75 – Derby County". gameofthepeople.com. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
- ^ "Past Players". Bath City F.C. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
- ^ Rod Thomas at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
- ^ Derby County title-winning defender Rod Thomas dies aged 78
Sources
- Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.