Legend On The Line

Peter Thomas talked to Tom Flynn

(first published in the April 2010 Finn Harps programme)

This week, legendary Blues custodian Peter Thomas chatted with Tom Flynn about his long career in the game. Born in 1945, Peter’s soccer journey started at the age of 15 with Coventry Schoolboys, at centre forward, scoring goals for 3 seasons. He was serving his time as an apprentice electrician with GEC when an opportunity arose to play with his company in the Conference league. For the first season he continued as an outfield player, but just four games into the second season the regular goalkeeper got a serious foot injury and Peter agreed to go into goal, signalling the start of a fantastic career.

His dad Harry approached a good pal, a scout for Coventry City, to see if there was any possibly of a trial for his son, and so in 1966 Peter became a regular in Coventry’s 3rd team. The following season Bill Glazier sustained a serious injury, Bob Wesson the number 2 keeper was promoted to the first team, and Peter stepped up to the second team, making, in all, 2 appearances with the first team and 14 with the reserves (his debut coming against Ipswich Town).

Mick Lynch, a former player with the Blues, was friendly at the time with the Coventry City manager, the legendary Jimmy Hill (of BBC “Match of the Day” fame), and brokered a deal to bring the netminder to Waterford on a loan spell. It was first agreed that Peter would take part in a pre-season tour of Holland and a friendly against Bristol Rovers. So it was a boat trip from the UK and then travel by train from Dublin with Mick, until he made a more permanent move to Waterford.

In the 1966/67  season Peter made his official debut for the Blues in what could only be described as a “Baptism of Fire” as Vorwaerts of Germany won 6-1 and Peter remembers the Vorwaerts right back scored a hat trick. He recalls it was a joy to be part of the team of the late sixties, who were only ordinary people that loved the game. While Jimmy Hill would concentrate on “ball work” in training, Paddy Coad – a great player himself – favoured playing 5-a-sides and then a run to Tramore and back!

Peter has won every honour in the game from “Player of the Year” – following his club captain Al Finucane – to 5 League medals, an FAI Cup medal, All-Ireland Cup Medal, and the Top four Trophy. His career highlight was that Cup Final win over St Patrick’s Athletic, as well as European games v Manchester United and Glasgow Celtic, in particular  the away match in Glasgow, 2-nil up at half time but going down 3-2. In the summer of 1975 he also managed to play in the USA with Washington Diplomats of the NASL, the first of several seasons in America.

Peter rates his most difficult ever opponent as Mick Leech of Shamrock Rovers. Joe O’Grady, goalkeeper of Cork Hibs, was one he respected, and his best pal on the opposition side was Carl Davenport, also from Hibs. When either of them had the away match they stayed over in each others’ homes. That famous 3-2 win at Flower Lodge at Cork was a great game, Peter recalled it could have ended 7-7  and Waterford had to play the last 10 minutes with ten men! Of the grounds at the time, Sligo Rovers’ Showgrounds and Lourdes Stadium in Drogheda were ones he did not like to play on, while the better ones were Dalymount and Tolka Park.

One Wednesday evening in 1973 England played host to Poland in a World Cup game. And after an outstanding display from Jan Tomaszewski, labelled “a clown” by a certain Brian Clough before the match, and one mistimed tackle from Norman Hunter (of Leeds United fame) England were out of the competition. The following Sunday Peter was in the Republic of Ireland team that drew 0-0 with the same Poland side. His full backs were Tommy Carroll of Ipswich Town and Joe Kinnear of Spurs. His other memories of his International trips include playing in the 200,000 capacity Maracana stadium (120,000 attended the game v Brazil which we lost 2-1). Peter also made 20 appearances for the League of Ireland team. His most memorable were 2 against the English League which included Peter Bonetti of Chelsea,  Francis Lee of Man City, and Everton’s Alan Ball. Other opponents included the Scottish and Italian Leagues. The League of Ireland team had six Waterford players in all: Thomas, Bryan, Brennan, Finucane, Hale and Matthews.

When Peter retired from the Blues he managed his local side Tramore in the Waterford Junior League. Peter now concentrates on supporting his son Alan at Golf (he is a scratch handicap player) but he still retains his love for football.