RIP Bobby Thomson

We have been contacted by Stevie Thomson to advise us of the death of his father – Bobby Thomson – who played and indeed captained Cowden in the 1967-69 period. We extend condolences to Stevie and his family from all of us at Central Park. Bobby was born in Kirkcaldy in 1946. He played in the St John’s Boys Brigade team and for Kirkcaldy Secondary School when they won the Kirkcaldy Schools championship in 1960. He was also selected to represent Fife Schools. By 1964, he was playing as an amateur at wing half in the Nairn Thistle junior side based at Smeaton Park in Kirkcaldy. Raith Rovers had him on trial and East Fife were interested but in November 1964 he went south for trials with Stoke City and ended up signing for them. The playing staff at Stoke at that time included Geordie Kinnell from Cowdenbeath and Sir Stanley Matthews.

Bobby then played in the Stoke youth team which reached the quarter final of the FA Youth Cup in 1965 before asking for his release as he wanted to return to Fife to complete his apprenticeship as a joiner. He then rejoined Nairn Thistle but Morton quickly had him out on trial and then he joined Montrose in September 1965. He was deployed as a link man at Link’s Park and was a regular in their side for 2 seasons. Then at the start of season 1967/68, Archie Robertson signed him for Cowdenbeath. When Andy Rolland was transferred to Dundee United, Archie moved him into the right back berth where he was a revelation. Blackpool were keeping tabs on him for a while.

Bobby was a popular colleague at Central Park and he was an excellent golfer. He introduced several of his Cowden team-mates to the game and was also club champion at Dunnikier Golf Club in 1967 and 1970. Whilst with Cowden he played in the match v Celtic which saw the floodlights switched on at Central Park. Bobby left us in 1969 and then had two seasons with Stenhousemuir. His 6-year senior career saw him make 214 appearances for his 3 clubs. His playing days though weren’t over and he spent many years thereafter playing for Newburgh in the Fife Juniors – most notably in the side that reached the Scottish Junior Cup semi-final in 1973.

He was also involved in an unusual incident when he was with Cowden. In July 1968, the Daily Record published a headline reading, ‘Come back Thomson, you’re fired!’ The article then went on to say that Stockport County were looking for him after he had written some revealing newspaper articles. He was believed to have decamped for Spain and they had sought Foreign Office help in tracking him down as they wanted to sack him. The article also said that Thomson came from Kirkcaldy and that earlier in his career he had joined Stoke City from Nairn Thistle. A few days later a further Record headline read, ‘The wrong Bobby Thomson’. The accompanying article this time advised, ‘In a story headlined “Come back Bobby Thomson, you’re fired” which appeared in the Record on 20th July, we mentioned Bobby Thomson, a former Nairn Thistle junior and Stoke City player who is now with Cowdenbeath. In fact, the Bobby Thomson referred to is the former Aston Villa player who joined Stockport from Birmingham for £7000 last December. We apologise for any embarrassment caused to the Bobby Thomson who resides in Kirkcaldy and plays for Cowdenbeath.’ 

Main picture is Bobby Thomson with Andy Kinnell at Cowdenbeath in 1968.

Above is a picture from opening of floodlights at Central Park in 1968 - Bobby is standing between Davie Hay and Kenny Dalglish with Jock Stein and Bob Shankly behind taking their seats in the stand.