-
Thirty-Five years ago...
QPR had won four games in a row...QPR's absolutely brilliant midfielder, Martyn Busby had his leg shattered in a midweek game at Fulham (and so sadly never returned to his pre-injury future international level)...QPR's response: Gordon Jago and Jim Gregory signed Burnley's England U-23 midfielder/winger, Dave Thomas for a QPR and England transfer-shattering record: 165,000 pounds. A few months earlier, Thomas had been described as "the best young player in Europe." (Six months earlier, QPR had received 200,000 for Marsh and the English transfer record was not much higher.
Thomas made his QPR debut at home to Sunderland, October 21. QPR won 3-2 (Bowles 2, Givens) QPR's team: Parkes, Clemen, Hazell Evans Watson, Venables, Francis, Thomas, Bowles, Givens, Leach. Thomas struggled a bit before making the wing his own.
Obviously played a major, major role in QPR's (almost) Championship season. Played also 8 timrd for England. Jim Gregory bizarrely sold Thomas to Everton on the eve of the new season, hurting new manager Frank Sibley.
See Also: Thomas Playing Record
Dave Thomas/Wikipedia
Dave Barton's nice profile of Thomas