Thomas Dave Image 1 Plymouth Argyle 1946

Description

Born in Stepney in London’s East End, centre forward Dave Thomas Thomas was a prolific centre-forward throughout his career which started locally with non-league Romford in 1937. He was Plymouth Argyle manager Jack Tresadern’s first signing in June 1938, making his Football League debut at Southampton that September, he went on to replace Old Trafford-bound Bill Hullett, and had scored 8 goals in 24 appearances before the Second World War interrupted his Football League career. He continued to play in the 1939-40 South West Regional League and 1945-46 Football League South, and then resumed his Football League career with a highly prolific 1946-47 campaign. In April 1946, he was joined at Plymouth by his younger brother Bob, who had been signed from Brentford. Both brothers were exciting and free scoring forwards who notched up 36 goals between them in the first season of the re-established Second Division, with Dave scoring 19 goals, two ahead of his brother.

Maurice Tadman’s arrival in the summer of 1947 limited his chances the following season and he left Home Park for Watford in February 1948, having scored 30 goals in 78 appearances. He then spent three years with Watford, where he was the club’s top scorer in both 1948-49 and 1949-50, scoring 21 goals in the latter campaign. He scored 45 goals in 111 appearances before moving to Gillingham in October 1950 where he hit the net with still more regularity, being the club’s top goalscorer in both 1950-51 and 1951-52 (joint), scoring 46 times in just 87 appearances, before winding down with non-league Sittingbourne in 1953 before retirement.

NB in the photograph he is on the right of his younger brother Dave, who played for Plymouth Argyle, Brentford, Fulham and Crystal Palace.