Midland Young Player of the Year 1981-82
PFA Division One Team of the Season 1982-83
England, 2 caps
England U21, 5 caps
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 £250,000 at the end of June. 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 QPR defender Gavin Maguire 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, Division One
Sent off (2)
1980-81
3 January 1981 v Leeds United A, FA Cup 3rd Round, two bookings
1982-83
31 August 1982 v Swansea City A, Division One, two bookings
ENGLAND 2 caps
1982-83
12 June 1983 Australia 0-0 England, friendly, in Sydney
19 June 1983 Australia 1-1Â England, friendly, in Melbourne, substitute
ENGLAND U21, 5 caps
1980-81
25 February 1981 England U21 1-0 Republic of Ireland U21, friendly, at Anfield
1982-83
21 September 1982 England U21 3-1 West Germany U21, UEFA U21 Championship 1982 Final 1st Leg, at Bramall Lane
12 October 1982 West Germany U21 3-2 England U21, UEFA U21 Championship 1982 Final 2nd Leg, in Bremen
29 March 1983 England U21 2-1 Greece U21, UEFA U21 Championship 1984 qualifying, at Portsmouth
26 April 1983 England U21 1-0 Hungary U21, UEFA U21 Championship 1984 qualifying, at Newcastle, captain
2 further caps with Tottenham Hotspur (total 7 caps)
