Barrie Thomas

Barrie Thomas (19 May 1937 – 30 August 2025) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Over the course of his career, Thomas made a total of 338 appearances in the Football League for five clubs over a period of fourteen years, scoring 211 goals.

Background Barrie Thomas was born on 19 May 1937 in Measham, Leicestershire.

Career Thomas began his career as a youth player with Leicester City. Thomas moved to Mansfield Town in 1957, and spent two seasons with the club, scoring 48 league goals in 72 league games. Thomas' next club was Scunthorpe United, moving there in 1959. Thomas' form in the 1961–62 season saw him score 30 league goals in 22 league games by Christmas 1961, and a total of 31 goals in 24 games in all competitions. Thomas' goalscoring record attracted attention from First Division clubs including Manchester United, Bolton Wanderers and Fulham. In his three seasons at Scunthorpe, Thomas scored 67 league goals in 91 league games. Thomas' exit had a detrimental effect on Scunthorpe United's season; attendances at their home matches fell by 20% after Thomas left, before returning to Scunthorpe in 1964. Thomas spent a further two years at Scunthorpe, scoring 26 goals in 52 games in his second spell with the club. before retiring in 1968 because of injury.