John Thomas

Wing-half John Thomas was not used in either of the Irish Free State’s (now the Republic of Ireland) two matches at the 1924 Paris Olympics but did make his début in the friendly against Estonia at the Stade de Colombes the day after the quarter-final defeat by Netherlands. He then played in the State’s first home game against the USA at Dalymount Park, Dublin, on 14 June 1924 (although some sources incorrectly say 16 June). They were Thomas’s only two international caps.

Thomas played for Bohemians and was a member of the squad that played in the inaugural season if the Irish Free State League (now the League of Ireland) in 1921/22, and was in their team that secured the League title two seasons later. Thomas’s brother Bob was a member of the “Bohs” all-conquering 1928 team that won the Leinster Cup and the FAI League and Cup double. Another brother Paddy also played for Bohemians, as well as for Drumcondra and the English club Reading. Thomas’s great nephew Richard Dunne won 80 Ireland caps and played over 400 English Premier League games with Everton, Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Queens Park Rangers.