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Ben Thatcher

{{Short description|Wales international footballer (born 1975)}}

{{For|the drummer and musician|Royal Blood (band)}}

{{Use British English|date=November 2012}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{Infobox football biography

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Benjamin David Thatcher{{Cite book | editor-first = Barry J. | editor-last = Hugman | title = The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2003/2004 | year = 2003 | publisher = Queen Anne Press | isbn = 1-85291-651-6 | page = 414}}

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1975|11|30}}

| birth_place = Swindon, England

| currentclub =

| position = Left back

| youthyears1 = {{0|000}}?–1992

| youthclubs1 = Millwall

| years1 = 1992–1996

| clubs1 = Millwall

| caps1 = 90

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 1996–2000

| clubs2 = Wimbledon

| caps2 = 86

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2000–2003

| clubs3 = Tottenham Hotspur

| caps3 = 36

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2003–2004

| clubs4 = Leicester City

| caps4 = 29

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2004–2007

| clubs5 = Manchester City

| caps5 = 47

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2007–2008

| clubs6 = Charlton Athletic

| caps6 = 22

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2008–2010

| clubs7 = Ipswich Town

| caps7 = 20

| goals7 = 0

| totalcaps = 330

| totalgoals = 2

| nationalyears1 = 1995–1997

| nationalteam1 = England U21

| nationalcaps1 = 4

| nationalgoals1 = 0| nationalyears2 = 2004–2005

| nationalteam2 = Wales

| nationalcaps2 = 7

| nationalgoals2 = 0

}}

Benjamin David Thatcher (born 30 November 1975) is a former professional footballer who played as a left-back.

He played for a number of English clubs, and has featured in more than 300 English league games, all of which were in the top two leagues in the country, notably spending time in the Premier League with Wimbledon, Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City and Manchester City. He also played for Millwall, Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town. He represented England's under-21 national team on four occasions, but chose to represent the senior Wales national team, for whom he earned seven caps.

Club career

Thatcher was born in Swindon, Wiltshire. As a youth, he played Sunday League football for various amateur teams in London, before attending the Football Association (FA)'s School of Excellence at Lilleshall.{{cite news | title=Profile:Ben Thatcher | work=Match programme, Manchester City v Birmingham City | publisher=Manchester City FC | page=29 |date=17 December 2005}}

=Millwall=

Upon graduation, he signed his first professional contract with Millwall, making his debut in the 1993–94 season at the age of 18. The following season, he established himself in the Millwall first team, and scored his first goal as a professional. He made more than 100 appearances for Millwall, and won their Player of the Year award for the 1995–96 season.{{cite web | title=Ben Thatcher | url=http://www.millwall-history.co.uk/BenThatcher.htm | work=The Millwall History Files | access-date=3 October 2006}}

=Wimbledon=

In the 1996 close season, he was transferred to Wimbledon F.C. for a fee of more than £1.8million - making him Wimbledon's first million-pound signing and doubling the club's previous record fee which had been paid for Efan Ekoku three years earlier.[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-pounds-26m-bowyer-signs-for-leeds-1327284.html Football: £2.6m Bowyer signs for Leeds]

In his first season at Wimbledon, Thatcher made only nine appearances, but played more regularly in subsequent seasons. He was banned for two matches in January 2000 for elbowing Nicky Summerbee of Sunderland to the head in the build-up to a goal;{{cite web|title=Ben Thatcher of Wimbledon Nicky Summerbee of Sunderland

|url=https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/ben-thatcher-of-wimbledon-elbows-nicky-summerbee-of-news-photo/1207440#jan-2000-ben-thatcher-of-wimbledon-elbows-nicky-summerbee-of-during-picture-id1207440|publisher=Allsport / Getty Images |date=3 January 2000|access-date=11 September 2018}} the incident was missed by the referee but action was taken by the governing body following a video review.{{cite web|title=Thatcher banned for two matches|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2000/jan/12/newsstory.sport5|work=The Guardian |date=12 January 2000|access-date=11 September 2018}} After Wimbledon's relegation from the Premiership at the end of the 1999–2000 season, Thatcher moved to Tottenham Hotspur.

=Tottenham Hotspur=

Thatcher cost Tottenham Hotspur a fee of around £5 million in the Summer of 2000. A few months after the transfer, Spurs manager George Graham was sacked, and Thatcher featured less frequently under successor Glenn Hoddle, though he was a member of the Spurs team for the 2002 League Cup final.

=Leicester City=

Thatcher subsequently moved to Leicester City in a £300,000 transfer deal in the summer 2003,{{cite web | title=Player Profile : Ben Thatcher | url=http://www.4thegame.com/club/manchester-city-fc/player-profile/1028/benthatcher.html | work=4thegame | publisher=Fast Web Media Ltd | access-date=1 September 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050404010926/http://www.4thegame.com/club/manchester-city-fc/player-profile/1028/benthatcher.html |archive-date=4 April 2005}} immediately proceeding to attack Glenn Hoddle's style of management.{{cite web | title=Thatcher snipes at Hoddle | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leicester_city/3085895.stm | work=BBC Sport | publisher=BBC |date=22 July 2003 | access-date=1 October 2006}}

After a single season at Leicester, Thatcher once again found himself in the arms of a relegated club, and moved to Manchester City. He scored once in the league for Leicester, in a 4–4 draw with his former club Spurs.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3496755.stm |title=Tottenham 4-4 Leicester |publisher=BBC |date=22 February 2004 |access-date=4 September 2009}}

=Manchester City=

His move to Manchester City cost around £100,000. His Manchester City debut came on the opening day of the 2004–05 season against Fulham. He was initially the first choice left-back at Manchester City, but a combination of injuries and the emergence of Stephen Jordan limited him to 21 appearances in his first season for the club. In January 2005 Thatcher nearly joined Fulham for a fee of £500,000 after a series of burglaries unsettled his family, but the move fell through.{{cite news|title=Thatcher not joining|url=http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2005/january/25/thatcher-not-joining|publisher=Fulham Official Website|date=25 January 2005|access-date=11 April 2014}} His second Manchester City season followed a similar pattern to the first, with most of his 19 starts coming in the first half of the season.

Thatcher gained notoriety on 23 August 2006, in a game between Manchester City and Portsmouth. Whilst challenging with Pedro Mendes for a loose ball Thatcher viciously and led with his elbow, knocking Mendes into the advertising hoardings rendering him unconscious. Mendes required oxygen at pitchside and suffered a seizure while being transferred to hospital, where he spent the night. Mendes was discharged from hospital the next day, but remained under medical supervision.{{cite web | author=James Ducker | title=Thatcher could face police investigation | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,6751-2326867,00.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20110604105521/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,6751-2326867,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=4 June 2011 | work=Times Online | publisher=Times Newspapers Ltd |date=24 August 2006 | access-date=24 August 2006 | location=London}} Thatcher was not sent off by referee Dermot Gallagher but given just a yellow card, but he was investigated by the FA as a result of the challenge. He was disciplined and his barrister, Rupert Bowers KC, read a written apology following the hearing.{{cite web|title=Thatcher receives eight-match ban |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SPORT/football/09/12/england.thatcher/index.html |publisher=CNN|date=12 September 2006|access-date=11 September 2018}} Greater Manchester Police noted receipt of many "statements of complaint" and also chose to investigate the matter.{{cite web|title=Police, FA investigate Thatcher 'tackle' |url=http://www.setanta.com/portal/article/football::england?open&articleid=3851efc889b34dc9802571d40040b7e9 |work=Setanta Sports |publisher=Setanta |date=24 August 2006 |access-date=24 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060908042921/http://www.setanta.com/portal/article/football%3A%3Aengland?open&articleid=3851efc889b34dc9802571d40040b7e9 |archive-date= 8 September 2006 |url-status=dead }} On 30 August, Manchester City announced that Thatcher would be banned for six matches, two of which would be suspended, and fined six weeks' wages for the challenge.{{cite web | title=Man City hand Thatcher ban & fine | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/5300184.stm | work=BBC Sport | publisher=BBC |date=30 August 2006 | access-date=30 August 2006| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060902183826/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/5300184.stm| archive-date= 2 September 2006 | url-status= live}} This punishment is separate from the sanctions made by the FA, who suspended Thatcher for eight matches, with a further fifteen game suspended ban for two years.{{cite web | title=Thatcher banned for eight matches | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/5339964.stm | work=BBC Sport | publisher=BBC |date=12 September 2006 | access-date=12 August 2006}} Mendes shook hands with Thatcher pre-match when they next faced one another in January 2007,{{cite web|title=Charlton shock Portsmouth with late winner|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-30294314.html|work=Irish Examiner |date=20 January 2007|access-date=11 September 2018}}{{cite web|title=Soccer - FA Barclays Premiership - Portsmouth v Charlton Athletic - Fratton Park

|url=https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/portsmouths-miguel-pedro-mendes-and-charltons-ben-thatcher-news-photo/662198154#portsmouths-miguel-pedro-mendes-and-charltons-ben-thatcher-shake-picture-id662198154|publisher=EMPICS / Getty Images |date=20 January 2007|access-date=11 September 2018}} despite claiming beforehand that he would not do so.{{cite web|title=Thatcher? He doesn't exist, says Mendes|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/thatcher-he-doesnt-exist-says-mendes-7255795.html|work=Evening Standard |date=18 January 2007|access-date=11 September 2018}}

Thatcher also faced possible action from Lancashire Police over a clash with ex-Blackburn Rovers player Ralph Welch during a reserve game at Ewood Park in February 2006.{{cite web | title=Thatcher faces second elbow probe | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/5323024.stm | work=BBC Sport | publisher=BBC |date=7 September 2006 | access-date=2 October 2006}}

=Charlton Athletic=

He signed for Charlton Athletic on 11 January 2007 for a reported fee of £500,000, which could rise to £750,000 depending on appearances.{{cite web | title=Thatcher completes Charlton move | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/charlton_athletic/6251225.stm | work=BBC Sport | publisher=BBC |date=11 January 2007 | access-date=11 January 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070113104345/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/charlton_athletic/6251225.stm| archive-date= 13 January 2007 | url-status= live}} He played his first match for Charlton Athletic on 23 January 2007 against Middlesbrough;

{{cite web|title=Tactical Formation|work=Football-Lineups.com

|url=http://www.football-lineups.com/wiki/_match3154.php | access-date=20 January 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070218022013/http://www.football-lineups.com/wiki/_match3154.php| archive-date= 18 February 2007 | url-status= live}} the team were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season.

=Ipswich Town=

Thatcher joined Ipswich Town on 14 August 2008 on a one-year contract with an option to extend it for a further year.{{Cite web|url=http://www.greenun24.co.uk/content/greenun/sport/football/championship/ipswich-town/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=IpswichTownFC&tBrand=GreenUnOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=IPED14%20Aug%202008%2011%3A44%3A23%3A390 |title=Thatcher deal finally done |access-date=14 August 2008 |date=14 August 2008 |publisher=Green 'Un |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316153652/http://www.greenun24.co.uk/content/greenun/sport/football/championship/ipswich-town/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=IpswichTownFC&tBrand=GreenUnOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=IPED14%20Aug%202008%2011%3A44%3A23%3A390 |archive-date=16 March 2009}} His contract was terminated by Roy Keane on 26 February 2010,{{Cite web|url=http://www.itfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10272~1978647,00.html |title=Thatcher leaves Town |publisher=Ipswich Town F.C. |date=26 February 2010 |access-date=28 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301075940/http://www.itfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10272~1978647%2C00.html |archive-date= 1 March 2010}} due to his refusal to move closer to the club.

International career

During his time at Wimbledon, Thatcher played for the England under-21 team four times.{{cite web|title=Ben Thatcher |work=ESPN Soccernet |publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/profile?id=8150& |access-date=24 August 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318072200/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/profile?id=8150& |archive-date=18 March 2009}} However, in 2004 he opted to play for Wales, for whom he qualifies due to his Welsh grandmother.{{cite web | title=Margetson earns Wales call | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/wales/3519734.stm | work=BBC Sport | publisher=BBC |date=17 March 2004 | access-date=24 August 2006}} His debut international performance came against Hungary, in a 2–1 victory in March 2004, and by October 2004 he had earned seven caps for Wales.

In October 2004, John Toshack was appointed new Welsh national team coach, but Thatcher did not play any games under Toshack, due to suspensions and injuries. Thatcher did not play Wales' 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against England and Poland in early September 2005 on grounds of injury, while playing full-time three days later when Manchester City met cross-city rivals Manchester United. This angered Toshack, and Thatcher was categorically left out of the Welsh national team in September 2005.{{cite web | title=Toshack slates Thatcher's desire | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4295500.stm | work=BBC Sport | publisher=BBC |date=29 September 2005 | access-date=23 September 2006}}

Career statistics

=Club=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|FA Cup

!colspan="2"|League Cup

!colspan="2"|Other

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoals
rowspan="4"|Millwall

|1993–94

|First Division

|8

010001Appearance in Anglo-Italian Cup0100
1994–95

|First Division

|40

14040colspan="2"|—481
1995–96

|First Division

|42

02020colspan="2"|—460
colspan="2"|Total

!90

17060101041
rowspan="5"|Wimbledon

|1996–97{{soccerbase season|7860|1996|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Premier League

|9

00000colspan="2"|—90
1997–98{{soccerbase season|7860|1997|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Premier League

|26

03030colspan="2"|—320
1998–99{{soccerbase season|7860|1998|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Premier League

|31

02070colspan="2"|—400
1999–2000{{soccerbase season|7860|1999|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Premier League

|20

00020colspan="2"|—220
colspan="2"|Total

!86

050120001030
rowspan="4"|Tottenham Hotspur

|2000–01{{soccerbase season|7860|2000|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Premier League

|12

00030colspan="2"|—150
2001–02{{soccerbase season|7860|2001|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Premier League

|12

02030colspan="2"|—170
2002–03{{soccerbase season|7860|2002|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Premier League

|12

01010colspan="2"|—140
colspan="2"|Total

!36

0307000460
Leicester City

|2003–04{{soccerbase season|7860|2003|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Premier League

|29

10000colspan="2"|—291
rowspan="4"|Manchester City

|2004–05{{soccerbase season|7860|2004|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Premier League

|18

01020colspan="2"|—210
2005–06{{soccerbase season|7860|2005|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Premier League

|18

00010colspan="2"|—190
2006–07{{soccerbase season|7860|2006|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Premier League

|11

00000colspan="2"|—110
colspan="2"|Total

!47

0103000510
rowspan="3"|Charlton Athletic

|2006–07

|Premier League

|11

00000colspan="2"|—110
2007–08{{soccerbase season|7860|2007|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Championship

|11

00000colspan="2"|—110
colspan="2"|Total

!22

0000000220
rowspan="3"|Ipswich Town

|2008–09{{soccerbase season|7860|2008|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Championship

|20

01020colspan="2"|—230
2009–10{{soccerbase season|7860|2009|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|Championship

|0

00000colspan="2"|—00
colspan="2"|Total

!20

0102000230
colspan="3"|Career total

!330

2170300103782

{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

=International=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year{{NFT player|7274}}

National teamYearAppsGoals
Wales

|2004

70
colspan="2"|Total70

Honours

Tottenham Hotspur

  • Football League Cup runner-up: 2001–02{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/worthington_cup/1834988.stm |title=Cole strike stuns Spurs |website=BBC Sport |date=24 February 2002 |access-date=27 March 2024}}

Individual

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{Soccerbase}}
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927065030/http://www.charlton-athletic.co.uk/playerdisplay.ink?skip=29&season=2006%2F2007 Official Charlton Athletic F.C. profile]
  • [http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?syndicatorguid=&rmasiteinstanceguid=&pagegid={439A001B-9F18-408E-BD8E-8466AB3C97FD}&bioid=12672&siteid=502 Official Manchester City F.C. profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316221532/http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?syndicatorguid=&rmasiteinstanceguid=&pagegid=%7B439A001B-9F18-408E-BD8E-8466AB3C97FD%7D&bioid=12672&siteid=502 |date=16 March 2009 }}
  • [https://archive.today/20121223112439/http://www.lcfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10274~6037,00.html Official Leicester City F.C. profile]
  • [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/t/thatcher_28195.stm BBC profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080325141221/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/t/thatcher_28195.stm |date=25 March 2008 }}

{{Navboxes colour

|bg=gold

|fg=navy

|title= Awards

|list1=

{{1994–95 Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year}}

{{Millwall F.C. Player of the Year}}

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thatcher, Ben}}

Category:1975 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Swindon

Category:English people of Welsh descent

Category:English men's footballers

Category:Welsh men's footballers

Category:England men's under-21 international footballers

Category:Wales men's international footballers

Category:Men's association football fullbacks

Category:Millwall F.C. players

Category:Wimbledon F.C. players

Category:Tottenham Hotspur F.C. players

Category:Leicester City F.C. players

Category:Manchester City F.C. players

Category:Charlton Athletic F.C. players

Category:Ipswich Town F.C. players

Category:Premier League players

Category:English Football League players