Danny Thomas

Position
Defender
Nationality
Place Of Birth
Worksop
Date Of Birth
November 12, 1961
Age
63
Height (cm)
170
Games Played
129
-
Per Game
Games Started
123
1.0
Per Game
Minutes
11220
87.0
Per Game
Goals
6
0.05
Per Game
Assists
6
0.05
Per Game
Notes
Stats
Matches
Transfers
Gallery
Internationals

Midland Young Player of the Year 1981-82
PFA Division One Team of the Season 1982-83

Of all the excellent youngsters to emerge from the club’s youth scheme in the late 1970s, Danny Thomas was the most outstanding. It was obvious from his first appearance in the first team that he had the talent to become an international player. Originally he was a midfield player, fast and skilful with vision and a freedom of movement and elasticity that reminded one of the Brazilians. He settled at full-back by chance, forced to play there as a substitute at Villa Park in August 1980. Danny took his chance and played a key role in the League Cup run that season, winning Under 21 honours after less than 20 games and being voted City’s player of the year. Under Dave Sexton’s tutelage Thomas blossomed further and was selected for the England full squad in November 1982. One of his finest performances came in an FA Cup victory at Maine Road, Manchester when, he nullified the threat of the influential Asa Hartford so well that Hartford lashed out and was sent off. When Sexton was dismissed in May 1983, Danny was determined to leave the club too and, after winning his two full caps in Australia, he moved to Spurs for £300,000 in July. He took time to settle but after David Pleat arrived he began to blossom until suffering a serious knee injury after a brutal tackle by a QPR defender in March 1987. Sadly, he never fully recovered and was forced to retire at the age of 26. He is now a qualified physiotherapist.

Own goals (1)
1981-82
31 October 1981 v Arsenal A

Red cards (2)
1980-81
3 January 1981 v Leeds United A, two bookings
1982-83
31 August 1982 v Swansea City A, two bookings

Football League First Division (England)
1982-1983
Coventry City
41
41
3651′
3
1
3 (0)
3
1981-1982
Coventry City
39
39
3455′
2
1 (0)
1
1
1980-1981
Coventry City
25
23
2
2164′
2
1 (0)
2
1979-1980
Coventry City
2
0
2
98′
107
103
4
9368′
7
1
0
5 (0)
6
1
FA Cup (England)
1982-1983
Coventry City
3
3
300′
1981-1982
Coventry City
4
4
350′
1980-1981
Coventry City
3
2
1
171′
1
1
1 (0)
10
9
1
821′
1
1
0
1 (0)
0
0
League Cup (England)
1982-1983
Coventry City
3
3
300′
1981-1982
Coventry City
2
2
180′
1980-1981
Coventry City
6
5
1
475′
1979-1980
Coventry City
1
1
76′
12
11
1
1031′
0
0
0
0 (0)
0
0
Totals:
129
123
6
11220′
8
2
0
6 (0)
6
1
Date
For
Against
H/A
Result
Football League First Division 1982-1983
Football League First Division 1982-1983
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
L 2:4
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
W 0:3
90`
1
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Watford
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
A
L 5:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Swansea City
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Luton Town
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
W 0:3
90`
1
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
D 1:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Luton Town
H
W 4:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Watford
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 3:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Everton
H
W 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
D 1:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Swansea City
A
L 2:1
51`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 1:0
90`
FA Cup 1982-1983
FA Cup 1982-1983
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
L 2:1
120`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Worcester City
H
W 3:1
90`
Milk Cup 1982-1983
Milk Cup 1982-1983
Coventry City
Burnley
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Fulham
H
D 0:0
120`
Coventry City
Fulham
A
D 2:2
90`
Football League First Division 1981-1982
Football League First Division 1981-1982
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
D 5:5
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
H
W 6:1
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
L 1:0
35`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Swansea City
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
H
L 1:5
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
A
D 3:3
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
L 2:4
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 3:2
90`
1
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
L 5:2
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Swansea City
H
W 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 4:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
W 2:1
90`
FA Cup 1981-1982
FA Cup 1981-1982
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Oxford United
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
W 1:3
80`
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
H
W 3:1
90`
Milk Cup 1981-1982
Milk Cup 1981-1982
Coventry City
Everton
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
D 1:1
90`
Football League First Division 1980-1981
Football League First Division 1980-1981
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
D 1:1
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 1:0
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
A
W 0:1
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
D 2:2
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
H
W 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
L 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
L 0:4
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Crystal Palace
A
W 0:3
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
D 2:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
W 3:0
90`
1
Coventry City
Southampton
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 2:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
W 2:1
10`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
W 0:1
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
L 1:0
84`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
W 3:1
FA Cup 1980-1981
FA Cup 1980-1981
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
W 3:2
10`
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
D 1:1
71`
1
League Cup 1980-1981
League Cup 1980-1981
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Watford
H
W 5:0
90`
Coventry City
Watford
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Cambridge United
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
W 1:2
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
W 1:0
25`
Football League First Division 1979-1980
Football League First Division 1979-1980
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
L 1:2
Coventry City
Everton
H
W 2:1
63`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
D 1:1
35`
League Cup 1979-1980
League Cup 1979-1980
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 2:1
76`
Club Out
Club In
Transfer Date
Fee
Club Out / Club In
Transfer Date / Fee
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
Wed, 01 Jun, 1983
£250,000
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
Wed, 01 Jun, 1983
£250,000
Apprentice
Coventry City
Fri, 01 Dec, 1978
Apprentice
Apprentice
Coventry City
Fri, 01 Dec, 1978
Apprentice

England - 2 caps
1982-83
12 June 1983 Australia v England, Sydney, Friendly, 0-0
16 June 1983 Australia v England, Melbourne, Friendly, 1-1, substitute

England U21 - 5 caps
1980-81
25 February 1981 England U21 v Ireland U21, Friendly, 1-0
1982-83
21 September 1982 England U21 v West Germany U21, Bramall Lane, UEFA U21 Final 1st Leg, 3-1
21 September 1982 West Germany U21 v England U21, Bremen, UEFA U21 Final 2nd Leg, 3-2
29 March 1983 Greece U21 v England U21, Fratton Park, UEFA U21 Group, 1-2
26 April 1983 England U21 v Hungary U21, Newcastle, UEFA U21 Group, 1-0

2 further caps with Tottenham Hotspur (total 7 caps)