Conor Thomas
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Conor Thomas
| image = Conor Thomas.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Thomas playing for Crewe Alexandra in 2023
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|10|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = Coventry, England
| height = {{convert|1.88|m|order=flip}}{{cite web |title=Conor Thomas |url=http://www.11v11.com/players/conor-thomas-236407/|publisher=11v11 |access-date=1 December 2015}}
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Crewe Alexandra
| clubnumber = 8
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2010
| youthclubs1 = Coventry City
| years1 = 2010–2016| clubs1 = Coventry City | caps1 = 100 | goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2011 | clubs2 = → Liverpool (loan) | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2016–2017| clubs3 = Swindon Town | caps3 = 35 | goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2017–2018| clubs4 = ATK | caps4 = 18 | goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2018–2022| clubs5 = Cheltenham Town | caps5 = 120 | goals5 = 18
| years6 = 2022–| clubs6 = Crewe Alexandra | caps6 = 83 | goals6 = 2
| nationalyears1 = 2009 | nationalteam1 = England U17 | nationalcaps1 = 6 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2011 | nationalteam2 = England U18 | nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 14:47, 15 March 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Conor Thomas (born 29 October 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{English football updater|CreweAle}} club Crewe Alexandra. He has previously played for Coventry City, Swindon Town, former Indian Super League club ATK and Cheltenham Town.
Club career
=Coventry City=
Thomas joined the Coventry City Academy after being spotted playing for local side Christ The King FC.
He was approached by scouts from the likes of Aston Villa and Birmingham too, but decided to start his career with the Sky Blues. He made his professional debut as a substitute on 8 January 2011 in a 2–1 FA Cup win over Crystal Palace, coming on to replace Gary McSheffrey after 72 minutes{{Cite web |url=http://www.ccfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10269~2261555,00.html |title=Coventry City 2–1 Crystal Palace |publisher=Coventry City F.C. |date=8 January 2011 |access-date=8 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111042847/http://www.ccfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10269~2261555%2C00.html |archive-date=11 January 2011 }} and made his full debut for the club on 25 January, again during an FA Cup tie, against Birmingham City.
He joined Premier League club Liverpool initially on loan on 31 January 2011, with a view to a permanent move{{Cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/england-u17-star-arrives|title=England U17 star arrives|publisher=Liverpool F.C.|date=31 January 2011|access-date=1 February 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203033243/http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/england-u17-star-arrives|archive-date=3 February 2011}} but after playing and training with Liverpool's reserves and training with the first team on seven occasions he returned to Coventry after a hamstring injury and the mutual decision to end the loan.http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/coventry-city-fc/coventry-city-fc-news/2011/07/19/liverpool-fc-move-came-too-early-for-me-says-conor-thomas-92746-29079631/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721011237/http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/coventry-city-fc/coventry-city-fc-news/2011/07/19/liverpool-fc-move-came-too-early-for-me-says-conor-thomas-92746-29079631/ |date=21 July 2011 }}? Thomas scored his first senior goal on 31 January 2012 in a 2–1 defeat away to Blackpool, opening the scoring in the 59th minute.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16695840 "Blackpool 2–1 Coventry"] BBC Sport. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
After a six-year spell at Coventry, Thomas was released by the club in June 2016.{{Cite news |title=Coventry City release nine players following Sky Blues' League One promotion failure |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36252355 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=9 May 2016 |access-date=29 March 2017}}
=Swindon Town=
On 4 July 2016, preceding his release from Coventry, Thomas joined fellow League One side Swindon Town on a three-year deal.{{Cite news |title=Conor Thomas: Swindon Town sign former Coventry City midfielder |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36707240 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=4 July 2016 |access-date=29 March 2017}} On 6 August 2016, Thomas made his Swindon Town debut in a 1–0 victory against his former side; Coventry City, featuring for the entire 90 minutes.{{Cite news |title=Swindon Town vs. Coventry City |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2016/08/06/england/league-one/swindon-town-fc/coventry-city-fc/2247290/ |publisher=Soccerway |date=6 August 2016 |access-date=29 March 2017}} On 25 March 2017, Thomas scored his first goal for Swindon, netting the winner in their 1–0 victory over Millwall in the 90th minute.{{Cite news |title=Swindon Town vs. Millwall |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2017/03/25/england/league-one/swindon-town-fc/millwall-fc/2247758/ |publisher=Soccerway |date=25 March 2017 |access-date=29 March 2017}}
=ATK=
=Cheltenham Town=
On 25 May 2018, Thomas returned to England to join League Two side Cheltenham Town on a two-year deal.{{Cite news |title=NEW SIGNING: Conor Thomas |url=https://www.ctfc.com/news/2018/may/signing-conor-thomas/ |publisher=Cheltenham Town Official Site |date=25 May 2018 |access-date=25 May 2018}} He helped Cheltenham to the 2019–20 League Two play-off semi-finals, only to lose 3–2 on aggregate against Northampton Town.{{Cite web| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53063401 |title=Cheltenham Town 0-3 Northampton Town |publisher=BBC Sport |date=22 June 2020}} After four seasons, on 6 May 2022, Thomas left the club after not being able to reach an agreement with the club on new terms.{{Cite web |url=https://www.ctfc.com/news/2022/may/202122-retained-and-released-list/ |title=2021/22 retained and released list |publisher=Cheltenham Town FC |date=6 May 2022 |accessdate=9 May 2022}}
=Crewe Alexandra=
On 19 May 2022, he joined Crewe Alexandra.{{cite news |title=Conor Thomas: Crewe sign Cheltenham midfielder on two-year deal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61510834 |access-date=20 May 2022 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=19 May 2022}} He started in Crewe's opening game of the 2022–23 season, a 2–1 victory over Rochdale at Spotland.{{cite news |title=Rochdale 1-2 Crewe Alexandra |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62275052 |access-date=30 July 2022 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=30 July 2022}} and he scored his first Crewe goal in the side's 2–1 win over former club Swindon Town at Gresty Road on 29 April 2023.{{cite news |title=Crewe Alexandra 2-1 Swindon Town |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65357137 |access-date=30 April 2023 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=29 April 2023}} In May 2024, Thomas signed a new two-year deal, keeping him at Crewe until the summer of 2026.{{cite news |title=Crewe midfielder Thomas signs new deal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c3g98zl1zjgo |access-date=2 May 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2 May 2024}} In late October, Thomas sustained a freak knee injury as a result of a teammate taking an ill-timed shot in training, ruling him out of action until early 2025.{{cite news |title=Crewe lose defender Connolly to hamstring injury |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5y4yng54v0o |access-date=10 January 2025 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=10 January 2025}} He eventually made a substitute appearance in Crewe's 3–1 win at Chesterfield on 1 March 2025.{{cite news |title=Chesterfield 1-3 Crewe Alexandra |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cx28v7n0x2yt |access-date=2 March 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=1 March 2025}}
International career
Thomas was an England under-17 international. He played in the final of the 2009 Nordic Tournament and was awarded a winner's medal following the side's victory over Scotland.{{Cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/England/mens-u17s/News/2009/nordics_vScotland_final|title=Bidwell strike wins Nordics for England|publisher=The Football Association |date=2 August 2009 |access-date=1 February 2011}}
Coaching career
In March 2023, Thomas launched the Conor Thomas Academy, offering one-on-one and small group football coaching sessions to young players in the Crewe, Sandbach, and Stoke areas. The academy aims to bridge the gap between amateur and academy-level football.{{Cite web |last=Parker |first=Ryan |date=2023-04-04 |title=Crewe Alex player 'excited and passionate' to launch new coaching company in town |url=https://crewe.nub.news/news/local-news/crewe-alex-star-excited-and-passionate-to-launch-new-coaching-company-in-town-178430 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Crewe Nub News |language=en}}
Media involvement
Conor Thomas has undertaken football commentary work with BBC Radio Stoke. He participated in studio discussions with presenter Samantha Fletcher-Goodwin and contributed to live match commentary at Crewe Alexandra home games alongside Graham McGarry and Peter Morse.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played on 15 March 2025}}
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.thefa.com/England/All-Teams/Players?p=346661 Conor Thomas profile] at the Football Association website
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{Crewe Alexandra F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Conor}}
Category:Footballers from Coventry
Category:English men's footballers
Category:England men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Coventry City F.C. players
Category:Liverpool F.C. players
Category:Swindon Town F.C. players
Category:ATK (football club) players
Category:Cheltenham Town F.C. players
Category:Crewe Alexandra F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Indian Super League players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in India
Category:English expatriate men's footballers