Michael Thomas

Michael Lauriston Thomas (born 24 August 1967) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder from 1986 to 2001.

After growing up as a Tottenham Hotspur fan, he signed for rivals Arsenal as a schoolboy in 1982, turning professional on 31 December 1984 at the age of 17, just months after leaving school.

He was loaned out to Portsmouth in early 1987, playing three times, before returning to Arsenal.

His Gunners career started with a baptism of fire, as Thomas made his debut in the first leg of a League Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur at Highbury on 8 February 1987.

Thomas soon became a regular in the Arsenal side, making his league debut in place of the suspended Viv Anderson on 14 February 1987 in a 1–1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

But, for his next appearance, he was drafted into midfield role at Oxford United.

The switch was a quick success, and Thomas extra versatility boosted his chances of a first team place.

Just to prove his adaptability he stood in for injured Kenny Sansom and by the end of that campaign he had played 12 league games as Arsenal finished fourth and had a League Cup winners medal, coming on as a late substitute as Arsenal defeated Liverpool at Wembley.

In 1987–88 season, Thomas missed only five league games.

He started off as right back following Andersons departure, then switched to midfield for the League Cup semi-final first leg win at Everton in February, and kept that role the rest of the season and finished with 9 goals in the league (2 of them were penalties).

Steve Williams February suspension was the perfect opportunity for Thomas to be shifted into central midfield in order to add more energy and dynamism to this area.

During his time at Arsenal, he scored a last-minute goal in injury time during the final match of the 1988–89 season, which allowed the club to claim the First Division title over Liverpool.

Arsenal reached the League Cup final again in April 1988, only to lose 3–2 to Luton Town, Thomas also won Arsenal Player of the Season.

The highlight of Thomas's Arsenal career came in the 1988–89 title decider, on 26 May 1989.

The First Division match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield had been postponed due to the Hillsborough Disaster, and as a result was moved to the very end of the season, after the FA Cup final.

Liverpool had won the FA Cup, and thus had a chance of completing an historic double.

Arsenal had been top of the First Division table for most of the season, but Liverpool had overtaken them a few matches before the end of the campaign.

Coming into the match, Arsenal were on 73 points with 71 goals for and 36 against (a goal difference of +35), while Liverpool were 2 points ahead on 75 points with 65 goals for and 26 against (a difference of +39).

That meant that Arsenal needed to win by at least two goals to take the title (with points and goal difference equal, the team who had scored the most goals would be awarded the title).

Liverpool had not lost by two goals at Anfield for nearly four years.

After a goalless first half, Alan Smith scored soon after the restart, heading in a free kick from Nigel Winterburn.

But as full-time approached it looked as if Arsenal were not going to score the second goal they needed.

However, in injury time, in Arsenal's last attack, Thomas surged forward from midfield, running onto a Smith flick-on, evaded a challenge by Steve Nicol, and chipped the advancing goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar to score Arsenal's second and win the title, Arsenal's first in eighteen years.

In 1989-90, Thomas only missed six league games, but because of an ankle injury against Tottenham Hotspur 20 January 1990, his form suffered.

He was in the England squad, and among the substitutes, when Brazil came to Wembley 28 March 1990, but the injury wrecked his chances of going to the World Cup Finals.

In 1990-91, Thomas played in 31 league games and was an important part of the League Championship winning side.

Thomas dynamism in the centre of the park was the perfect combination to Paul Davis, strengthening Arsenal in the process.

Thomas and Davis was one of the best central midfield partnerships Arsenal have ever had and each game they had played together, the bond became stronger.

Such was their all-encompassing grasp on midfield.

It was Thomas movement, stamina and ability to make runs on and off the ball that caused the damage.

Seeing as he was constantly in motion, it meant that he was always pivotal in matches.

Two years later, Thomas joined Liverpool and scored the club's opening goal in a 2–0 win in the 1992 FA Cup Final.

The match was later featured in detail in a 1997 film based on the Nick Hornby book Fever Pitch.

Thomas started in 33 league games in the title winning season, and scored 7 goals.

He formed a brilliant midfield partnership with Kevin Richardson.

The goal is often considered one of the greatest moments in Arsenal's entire history.

He also had spells at Benfica and Wimbledon before retiring in 2001, after a career that saw him win medals in all of English football's top three domestic football trophies.

He was capped twice by England.

Michael now works as a pundit and media personality, writing a column for Just Arsenal, amongst other things.

Thomas was born in Lambeth, London.