| Jack Thomas | |
| Fullname: | John William Thomas |
| Birth Date: | 30 September 1890 |
| Birth Place: | Sacriston, England |
| Position: | Inside right |
| Years1: | –1910 |
| Clubs1: | Spennymoor United |
| Years2: | 1910–1911 |
| Clubs2: | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| Caps2: | 1 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 1911–1912 |
| Clubs3: | Newcastle United |
| Caps3: | 1 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 1912–19?? |
| Clubs4: | Spennymoor United |
John William Thomas MSM (30 September 1890 – 1947) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Newcastle United as an inside right.[1]
Either side of the First World War, Thomas worked as a miner,[2] latterly in Sacriston.
After the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, he enlisted as a lance corporal in the Durham Light Infantry.[3] In 1915, Thomas took part in the Second Battle of Ypres. During the battle, he was taken prisoner of war near Boetleer's Farm and was sent to Germany,[4] where he was incarcerated with French prisoners and learnt the language. He eventually escaped with four other French prisoners and by using a compass which had been hidden in a cake sent from home, he made it to the neutral Netherlands. Upon his return to Britain, Thomas was interrogated as a possible German spy, but was then sent back to France to work in counter-espionage, by posing as a French dock worker in Le Havre and Dieppe.[5] He won the Meritorious Service Medal during the course of his service.[6]
| Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 1910–11[7] | Southern League First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Newcastle United | 1911–12[8] | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Career total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||