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Lawrence Thomas (soccer)

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Lawrence Thomas
Thomas with Western Sydney Wanderers in 2023
Personal information
Full name Lawrence Andrew Kingsley Thomas
Date of birth (1992-05-09) 9 May 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Toongabbie, Australia[1]
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Western Sydney Wanderers
Number 20
Youth career
Winston Hills Bears
Marconi Stallions
Bankstown City Lions
Blacktown City
2009–2010 AIS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2011 Bankstown City 25 (0)
2011 Sheffield United 0 (0)
2011–2020 Melbourne Victory 112 (0)
2012 → Bentleigh Greens (loan) 19 (0)
2020–2022 SønderjyskE 56 (0)
2022– Western Sydney Wanderers 44 (0)
International career‡
2007–2008 Australia U17 4 (0)
2009 Australia U20 1 (0)
2021– Australia 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 June 2021

Lawrence Andrew Kingsley Thomas (born 9 May 1992) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Australian A-league club Western Sydney Wanderers and the Australia national team, having previously represented Australia at Australia U-17s and Australia U-20s.

Thomas is Melbourne Victory's most capped goalkeeper, with 151 appearances in all competitions.[3]

Club career

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Early career

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Born in Sydney, Australia, Thomas played for NSW Premier League club Marconi Stallions, Blacktown City Demons and the Australian Institute of Sport for the National Youth League season. Thomas was signed to Bankstown City for the 2010 NSW Premier League season in which Bankstown finished 8th.

Thomas went on a trial with Football League Championship club Coventry City F.C. in 2010,[4] however this was not successful and was released. In 2011 fellow Championship club Sheffield United signed Thomas until the end of the 2010–11 season.[5][6]

Melbourne Victory

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Thomas playing for Melbourne Victory in 2012

In September 2011, Thomas began trialling with A-League club Melbourne Victory.[7] On 15 September the club announced that he had signed a two-year contract.[8]

Thomas made his debut with Melbourne Victory as a player in the Round 5 clash with reigning premiers and champions Brisbane Roar at Docklands Stadium, coming on as a substitute after Victory first choice goalkeeper Ante Čović was sent off by referee Ben Williams for bringing down a Roar player in the Penalty area. He made an impressive debut, pulling off brilliant saves and helping Victory to a two all draw.[9] Thomas made his second appearance in the Round 6 clash against A-League runners-up Central Coast, again putting up an impressive performance, pulling off brilliant saves and keeping a clean sheet in the Victory's nil-all draw.

Thomas made his third appearance in the Round 1 clash against crosstown rivals Melbourne Heart. Despite putting up an impressive performance, and making several brilliant saves, the Victory went down 2–1 to the Heart, with goals coming from David Williams and Dylan Macallister.

While Thomas improved, he would struggle to get regular game time, often being the second choice goal keeper behind Covic, Nathan Coe and later Danny Vukovic.[citation needed]

A drop in form from Coe in the latter stages of the 2013/14 season would see Thomas get a chance to become the number one keeper but failed to grasp it, allowing Coe to be recalled back into the starting lineup.[citation needed] A year later a similar situation arose, however this time through a Coe injury. This time Thomas made the most of the opportunity, putting in consistently good performances, culminating in a very good albeit somewhat quiet game in the grand final against Sydney FC, to make it hard for Coe to return to the team as first choice keeper.[citation needed]

Coe would depart the club at the off-season with most assuming that meant Thomas would be taking the number one goal keeping position. However, in a slightly surprising move, Melbourne Victory would sign Perth Glory goalkeeper Danny Vukovic meaning that yet again, Thomas would have to settle for the backup 'keeping spot again.[citation needed]

In the 2015–16 season, Vukovic would make a decent start to the season but then, against Brisbane Roar, would concede five goals, opening the door up again for Thomas to come in to the side again and wouldn't go out of the side for the rest of the year.[citation needed]

Vukovic would depart for Sydney FC at the end of the season, which again most people thought that Thomas would become the number one 'keeper. This would finally happen with Victory signing a former backup 'keeper from the Central Coast Mariners as a backup for Thomas.[citation needed]

During the 2016–17 season, Thomas would put in consistent performances, with the exception of the derby which ended in a 4–1 defeat.

On 5 May 2018, Lawrence was named the best on ground in his team's 1–0 grand final win over Newcastle Jets, and he received the Joe Marston Medal.[10]

SønderjyskE

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In July 2020, the Victory announced that Thomas had left the club to pursue overseas opportunities.[11] On 2 August 2020, Lawrence signed a 2-year deal with Danish Superliga club SønderjyskE.[12]

Western Sydney Wanderers

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On 30 May 2022, it was announced that Thomas signed a three-year contract with Western Sydney Wanderers in May 2022.[13]

Career statistics

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As of match played on 27 April 2024[14]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Melbourne Victory 2011–12 A-League 2 0 — — — 2 0
2012–13 A-League 2 0 — — — 2 0
2013–14 A-League 5 0 — 3[a] 0 — 8 0
2014–15 A-League 5 0 0 0 — 2[b] 0 7 0
2015–16 A-League 4 0 0 0 5[a] 0 1[c] 0 10 0
2016–17 A-League 26 0 0 0 — 2[d] 0 28 0
2017–18 A-League 25 0 0 0 5[a] 0 3[e] 0 33 0
2018–19 A-League 22 0 0 0 4[a] 0 2[f] 0 28 0
2019–20 A-League 21 0 1 0 4[a] 0 — 26 0
Total 112 0 1 0 21 0 10 0 144 0
Sønderjyske 2020–21 Danish Superliga 32 0 1 0 — 1[g] 0 34 0
2021–22 Danish Superliga 24 0 0 0 — — 24 0
Total 56 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 58 0
Western Sydney Wanderers 2022–23 A-League Men 26 0 0 0 — 1[h] 0 27 0
2023–24 A-League Men 17 0 3 0 — — 20 0
Total 43 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 47 0
Career totals 211 0 5 0 21 0 12 0 249 0
  1. ^ a b c d e Appearances in the AFC Champions League
  2. ^ Appearances in the 2014–15 A-League Finals series
  3. ^ Appearance in the 2015–16 A-League Finals series
  4. ^ Appearances in the 2016–17 A-League Finals series
  5. ^ Appearances in the 2017–18 A-League Finals series
  6. ^ Appearances in the 2018–19 A-League Finals series
  7. ^ Appearance in the UEFA Europa League
  8. ^ Appearance in the 2022–23 A-League Men Finals series

International career

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Thomas has represented Australia at 2008 Qantas Joeys under-16 ASEAN Youth Championship 2009 HKFC IP Global Soccer 7s U-17s[15] and Australia U-20 level, with four caps at under-17 level and one cap at under-20 level.

On 7 March 2011 he was selected to represent the Australia Olympic football team in an Asian Olympic Qualifier match against Iraq.[16]

On 11 June 2021, Thomas made his debut for Australia against Nepal, with Australia achieving a 3–0 victory.[17]

Personal life

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Thomas was born on 9 May 1992 in Sydney, New South Wales, to an Australian father (deceased) and a mother of Italian descent.

Honours

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Melbourne Victory

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Lawrence Thomas comes home". wswanderersfc.com.au. Western Sydney Wanderers FC. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Lawrence Thomas". melbournevictory.com.au. Melbourne Victory FC. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  3. ^ "Melbourne Victory". ALeagueStats. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  4. ^ "City look at Lawrence Thomas in goal". Coventry City F.C. 10 July 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  5. ^ "Blades sign young keeper". Sheffield United F.C. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  6. ^ "Sheffield United sign back-up keeper Lawrence Thomas". BBC. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  7. ^ "Melbourne Victory give Brazilian a test run". Herald Sun. 11 September 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  8. ^ "2011/12 Playing Squad Nearing Completion". MVFC Official Website. 15 September 2011.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Nine-Man Victory Heroically Hold Champs". FourFourTwo Australia. 5 November 2011. Archived from the original on 8 November 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  10. ^ Connell, Tim (5 May 2018). "Melbourne Victory claim record fourth A-League title with win over Newcastle Jets". The Guardian.
  11. ^ "Victory farewells Lawrence Thomas". Melbourne Victory FC. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  12. ^ SønderjyskE henter målmand "Down Under", soenderjyske.dk, 2 August 2020
  13. ^ Harrington, Anna (30 May 2022). "Wanderers sign goalkeeper Thomas in ALM". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  14. ^ Lawrence Thomas at Soccerway
  15. ^ "WISHING AND HOPING – THE FACES OF 2018". Givemefootball.com. 23 May 2008. Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  16. ^ "Vidmar names U23s squad to face Iraq @ Football Australia 2011". Archived from the original on 9 June 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  17. ^ Socceroos [@Socceroos] (12 June 2021). "A big congratulations to @lawrencet92 on debuting for the Socceroos and becoming Cap #613 💚💛" – via Instagram.
  18. ^ Larkin, Steve (29 May 2023). "City's Bos leads PFA A-League Men team of the season". Narromine News. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  19. ^ "A-League All Stars Men lock in final 21-player squad to take on Newcastle United this Friday". A-League Men. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
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