
The live-wire scouse midfielder was signed from Liverpool by Gordon Strachan in the summer of 2000 for £3 million. At Anfield he had made 50-odd appearances in four years and his move to Coventry was a surprise. Disaster struck on his debut when he was sent off near the end of an embarrassing 1-3 home defeat to Middlesbrough and although he worked hard in a poor side he could not stop the club being relegated. Despite indicating that he wanted a quick move back to the Premiership he stayed at Coventry for more than a season and his outstanding form and spectacular long-range goals won him the Player of the Year award for 2001-02. Shortly after the start of the following season ‘Tommo’ moved to Blackburn for £1.5 million and was an immediate success earning a call-up to the full England squad. Since then however his career was blighted by injuries. An unresolved cartilage problem forced Blackburn to release him on a free transfer to Wigan in 2006 but he played only a handful of games before moving to Portsmouth that summer. He subsequently played for Bolton but was released after only eight games. Following an unsuccessful trial at Sheffield United in November 2007 he announced his retirement.
Penalties (1 - scored)
2001-02
11 September 2001 v Peterborough United A, scored in shootout
Free kick goals (1)
2000-02
22 December 2000 v Southampton H
Red cards (2)
2000-01
19 August 2000 v Middlesbrough H, two bookings
2001-02
3 November 2001 v Millwall A, two bookings
13 January 2002 v Wolverhampton Wanderers A, two bookings



































































































































































