Thomson Allan Player Profile

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Personal

  • Full Name: Thomson Sandlands Allan
  • Born: October 5th, 1946 (Longridge, West Lothian)
  • Height: 5' 11

Career



Dundee Career Summary

Competitive Friendlies Other (War)
1971-72 - - - - - -
1972-73 42- - - - -
1973-74 54- - - - -
1974-75 49- - - - -
1975-76 45-9- - -
1976-77 16-3 (1)- - -
1977-78 19-1 (1)- - -
1978-79 - - - - - -
TOTAL 225-13 (2)- - -

NOTES:
Other Cups may include: Anglo-Scottish Cup, Challenge Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, Drybrough Cup, International Soccer League, League Cup, Summer Cup, Texaco Cup.


Biography

Dundee have had a fine tradition of good goalkeepers over the years and Thomson Allan certainly fits into that category, winning the Scottish League Cup in 1973 and going to the World Cup in West Germany the following year. He was confidence personified and inspired his teammates with his immaculate handling and wonderful ability to cut out cross balls and is one of the best keepers to have worn the number one shirt for Dundee.

Thomson Sandlands Allan was born on October 5th, 1946, in Longridge, West Lothian and after enjoying a youth career at Edina Hibs, was signed by Hibernian in 1963. At Easter Road, Allan would go on to become a League Cup runner-up in 1968/69 after defeating Dundee in the semis but with just seventy league appearances under his belt for the Edinburgh side, he was disappointed to be freed in the summer of 1972.

Fortunately for Allan, Dundee were on the lookout for a keeper as regular number one Ally Donaldson was in dispute with the Club and manager John Prentice signed him on a free transfer as a more experienced option to youngster Mike Hewitt.

Being surplus to requirements in the Capital only made Thomson’s resolve to succeed all the greater and he went on to enjoy the best spell of his career with the Dark Blues.

He made his debut in the first game of the 1972/73 season in an 8-2 League Cup win away to East Stirlingshire and in all played 226 games for Dundee and kept a clean sheet on fifty-two occasions.

His finest moment in a Dundee shirt came on December 15th, 1973, when Allan was part of the Dark Blue side which won the League Cup at Hampden with a 1-0 win over Celtic and it was sweet revenge for Thomson who had been on the losing side to Celtic five years previously.

In the twelve match League Cup run, Allan kept a clean sheet in seven of them including clean sheets in the quarters, semi and final. He also played in the two Scottish Cup semi-finals in consecutive years against Celtic and in two European campaigns, but the League Cup win was the highlight of his eight years at Dens.

At this time Thomson was turning in brilliant performances on a weekly basis and he was rewarded with a place in the 1974 Scotland World Cup squad after winning the Dundee FC Player of the Year. He was one of three custodians in the twenty-two alongside David Harvey of Leeds United and Kilmarnock’s Jim Stewart and was given squad number twelve. Despite not playing in any of Scotland’s three matches in West Germany, Thomson was rewarded with two caps in the build up matches, playing the full ninety minutes in a 2-1 defeat to the hosts in Frankfurt and in Oslo against Norway where the Scots won 2-1.

In 1977 Allan’s team mate Tommy Gemmell took over the hot seat at Dens and when the team’s form took a dip, the former captain brought Ally Donaldson back from Falkirk to replace Allan.

At the end of the season Thomson walked out on Dundee and went on loan to Meadowbank Thistle before his former international boss Willie Ormond took Allan to Tynecastle in February 1979 for £10,000. At Hearts he made twenty-four appearances before moving to Falkirk and then East Stirlingshire and then retiring in 1982.

These days Allan is a season ticket holder at Falkirk but he was welcomed back to Dundee in 2003 for the thirtieth anniversary dinner to celebrate Dundee’s League Cup win and again at the fortieth anniversary dinner in 2013 at the Invercarse Hotel on December 15th – the exact date of that historic win.

The consistent, reliable and agile keeper is fondly remembered by the Dundee supporters who were lucky enough to see him play. He came out with the highest number of votes in a fans’ favourite goalkeeper poll on Dundee’s official website in 2009 and in 2017 was inducted into the Dundee Hall of Fame with a Legends Award.

Debut

August 12th, 1972
East Stirlingshire 2 - 8 Dundee

League Cup (Group 7)


Playing Statistics - First Team Competitive matches (All Seasons)


Competition NPS Win % Draw % Loss %
League 159-- --
UEFA Cup 4-- --
Scottish Cup 16-- --
League Cup 40-- --
Texaco Cup --1 --
Anglo-Scottish Cup 2-- --
Drybrough Cup 4-- --
Totals: 225-1 --

 Recent Starting Appearances (First Team Competitive matches)
 02/01/78 First Division vs. St Johnstone (H) 3 - 4
 31/12/77 First Division vs. Stirling Albion (A) 3 - 2
 24/12/77 First Division vs. Morton (H) 3 - 1
 17/12/77 First Division vs. East Fife (A) 3 - 0
 10/12/77 First Division vs. Montrose (H) 4 - 1

 Recent Goals Scored (First Team Competitive matches)
 None

 List of First Team Competitive matches played (click to expand)
 02/01/78 First Division vs. St Johnstone (H)  3 - 4
 31/12/77 First Division vs. Stirling Albion (A)  3 - 2
 24/12/77 First Division vs. Morton (H)  3 - 1
 17/12/77 First Division vs. East Fife (A)  3 - 0
 10/12/77 First Division vs. Montrose (H)  4 - 1
 03/12/77 First Division vs. Kilmarnock (A)  0 - 1
 26/11/77 First Division vs. Hamilton (H)  3 - 0
 19/11/77 First Division vs. Dumbarton (A)  0 - 0
 12/11/77 First Division vs. St Johnstone (H)  5 - 3
 05/11/77 First Division vs. Stirling Albion (A)  2 - 0
 29/10/77 First Division vs. Hearts (H)  1 - 1
 26/10/77 3rd Round 2nd Leg vs. Queen of South (A)  0 - 6
 22/10/77 First Division vs. Airdrie (1878) (A)  0 - 3
 19/10/77 First Division vs. Arbroath (H)  2 - 3
 15/10/77 First Division vs. East Fife (H)  2 - 1
 08/10/77 First Division vs. Montrose (A)  2 - 1
 05/10/77 3rd Round 1st Leg vs. Queen of South (H)  0 - 0
 01/10/77 First Division vs. Kilmarnock (H)  2 - 1
 28/09/77 First Division vs. Queen of South (A)  2 - 0
 06/10/76 First Division vs. Hamilton (A)  2 - 4
 02/10/76 First Division vs. St Mirren (A)  0 - 4
 29/09/76 First Division vs. Hamilton (H)  5 - 1
 25/09/76 First Division vs. Falkirk (A)  6 - 1
 22/09/76 First Division vs. Airdrie (1878) (A)  2 - 2
 18/09/76 First Division vs. Queen of South (H)  1 - 1
 15/09/76 First Division vs. Arbroath (H)  2 - 1
 11/09/76 First Division vs. Morton (A)  2 - 2
 08/09/76 First Division vs. East Fife (A)  4 - 2
 04/09/76 First Division vs. Dumbarton (H)  2 - 1
 01/09/76 Group 1 vs. Hearts (H)  3 - 2
 28/08/76 Group 1 vs. Partick (A)  1 - 0
 25/08/76 Group 1 vs. Motherwell (A)  3 - 3
 21/08/76 Group 1 vs. Partick (H)  0 - 2
 18/08/76 Group 1 vs. Motherwell (H)  2 - 1
 14/08/76 Group 1 vs. Hearts (A)  0 - 2
 01/05/76 Premier Division vs. Motherwell (H)  1 - 0
 24/04/76 Premier Division vs. Motherwell (A)  1 - 1
 21/04/76 Premier Division vs. Dundee Utd (H)  2 - 1
 17/04/76 Premier Division vs. St Johnstone (A)  1 - 1
 14/04/76 Premier Division vs. Hibernian (H)  1 - 1
 10/04/76 Premier Division vs. Rangers (A)  0 - 3
 03/04/76 Premier Division vs. Ayr Utd (H)  1 - 2
 27/03/76 Premier Division vs. Hearts (A)  0 - 3
 20/03/76 Premier Division vs. Celtic (H)  0 - 1
 13/03/76 Premier Division vs. Aberdeen (A)  1 - 0
 28/02/76 Premier Division vs. Dundee Utd (A)  0 - 1
 21/02/76 Premier Division vs. St Johnstone (H)  3 - 0
 07/02/76 Premier Division vs. Hibernian (A)  0 - 4
 31/01/76 Premier Division vs. Rangers (H)  1 - 1
 24/01/76 3rd Round vs. Falkirk (H)  1 - 2
 17/01/76 Premier Division vs. Ayr Utd (A)  1 - 3
 10/01/76 Premier Division vs. Hearts (H)  4 - 1
 03/01/76 Premier Division vs. Celtic (A)  3 - 3
 01/01/76 Premier Division vs. Aberdeen (H)  1 - 3
 27/12/75 Premier Division vs. Motherwell (A)  2 - 3
 20/12/75 Premier Division vs. Dundee Utd (H)  0 - 0
 13/12/75 Premier Division vs. St Johnstone (A)  3 - 1
 06/12/75 Premier Division vs. Hibernian (H)  2 - 0
 29/11/75 Premier Division vs. Rangers (A)  1 - 2
 22/11/75 Premier Division vs. Ayr Utd (H)  2 - 2
 15/11/75 Premier Division vs. Hearts (A)  1 - 1
 08/11/75 Premier Division vs. Celtic (H)  1 - 0
 01/11/75 Premier Division vs. Aberdeen (A)  0 - 2
 25/10/75 Premier Division vs. Motherwell (H)  3 - 6
 18/10/75 Premier Division vs. Dundee Utd (A)  2 - 1
 11/10/75 Premier Division vs. St Johnstone (H)  4 - 3
 04/10/75 Premier Division vs. Hibernian (A)  1 - 1
 27/09/75 Premier Division vs. Rangers (H)  0 - 0
 20/09/75 Premier Division vs. Ayr Utd (A)  1 - 2
 13/09/75 Premier Division vs. Hearts (H)  2 - 3
 06/09/75 Premier Division vs. Celtic (A)  0 - 4
 30/08/75 Premier Division vs. Aberdeen (H)  3 - 2
 27/08/75 Group 2 vs. Hibernian (H)  1 - 2
 23/08/75 Group 2 vs. Ayr Utd (H)  2 - 4
 20/08/75 Group 2 vs. Dunfermline (A)  1 - 1
 16/08/75 Group 2 vs. Ayr Utd (A)  1 - 1
 13/08/75 Group 2 vs. Dunfermline (H)  4 - 0
 09/08/75 Group 2 vs. Hibernian (H)  0 - 2
 06/08/75 1st Round 2nd Leg vs. Motherwell (H)  0 - 1
 04/08/75 1st Round 1st Leg vs. Motherwell (A)  1 - 1
 23/04/75 Division One vs. Hearts (H)  2 - 0
 19/04/75 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  2 - 1
 12/04/75 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (H)  2 - 3
 05/04/75 Division One vs. Partick (A)  2 - 2
 02/04/75 Semi Final vs. Celtic (N)  0 - 1
 29/03/75 Division One vs. Dumbarton (H)  2 - 1
 22/03/75 Division One vs. St Johnstone (A)  1 - 3
 18/03/75 Division One vs. Clyde (A)  1 - 0
 15/03/75 Division One vs. Rangers (H)  1 - 2
 12/03/75 Quarter Final Replay vs. Hearts (H)  3 - 2
 08/03/75 Quarter Final vs. Hearts (A)  1 - 1
 01/03/75 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  2 - 0
 22/02/75 Division One vs. Morton (A)  2 - 1
 15/02/75 4th Round vs. St Johnstone (A)  1 - 0
 10/02/75 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  4 - 1
 08/02/75 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  4 - 1
 01/02/75 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  1 - 2
 25/01/75 3rd Round vs. Clyde (A)  1 - 0
 11/01/75 Division One vs. Arbroath (A)  2 - 2
 04/01/75 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (H)  2 - 0
 01/01/75 Division One vs. Aberdeen (A)  0 - 4
 28/12/74 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878) (H)  1 - 0
 21/12/74 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  0 - 0
 14/12/74 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  0 - 6
 07/12/74 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (A)  1 - 2
 30/11/74 Division One vs. Partick (H)  1 - 0
 23/11/74 Division One vs. Dumbarton (A)  0 - 0
 16/11/74 Division One vs. St Johnstone (H)  4 - 0
 09/11/74 Division One vs. Rangers (A)  0 - 1
 02/11/74 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  4 - 1
 26/10/74 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  1 - 3
 19/10/74 Division One vs. Morton (H)  3 - 0
 12/10/74 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (A)  1 - 1
 05/10/74 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  0 - 0
 02/10/74 1st Round 2nd Leg vs. Molenbeek (H)  2 - 4
 28/09/74 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  1 - 0
 21/09/74 Division One vs. Arbroath (H)  0 - 1
 18/09/74 1st Round 1st Leg vs. Molenbeek (A)  0 - 1
 14/09/74 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (A)  0 - 3
 07/09/74 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  0 - 1
 31/08/74 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878) (A)  1 - 0
 28/08/74 Group 2 vs. St Johnstone (H)  6 - 1
 24/08/74 Group 2 vs. Rangers (A)  0 - 4
 21/08/74 Group 2 vs. Hibernian (A)  2 - 4
 17/08/74 Group 2 vs. Rangers (H)  0 - 2
 14/08/74 Group 2 vs. Hibernian (H)  2 - 1
 10/08/74 Group 2 vs. St Johnstone (A)  1 - 2
 31/07/74 Semi Final vs. Celtic (H)  1 - 2
 27/07/74 1st Round vs. Queen of South (A)  3 - 2
 06/05/74 Division One vs. Hearts (H)  0 - 0
 03/05/74 Division One vs. Morton (A)  1 - 0
 29/04/74 Division One vs. Rangers (H)  2 - 3
 27/04/74 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  2 - 2
 22/04/74 Division One vs. St Johnstone (H)  2 - 2
 20/04/74 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  6 - 1
 17/04/74 Division One vs. Clyde (A)  2 - 0
 13/04/74 Division One vs. Rangers (A)  2 - 1
 10/04/74 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  1 - 3
 06/04/74 Division One vs. Morton (H)  2 - 1
 03/04/74 Semi Final vs. Celtic (N)  0 - 1
 30/03/74 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  5 - 1
 18/03/74 Quarter Final Replay vs. Hibernian (H)  3 - 0
 09/03/74 Quarter Final vs. Hibernian (A)  3 - 3
 02/03/74 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (A)  2 - 4
 23/02/74 Division One vs. Arbroath (H)  5 - 2
 17/02/74 4th Round vs. Rangers (A)  3 - 0
 10/02/74 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  2 - 1
 03/02/74 Division One vs. Partick (H)  4 - 1
 27/01/74 3rd Round vs. Aberdeen (A)  2 - 0
 19/01/74 Division One vs. East Fife (A)  3 - 0
 05/01/74 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (A)  2 - 1
 01/01/74 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  1 - 1
 29/12/73 Division One vs. Falkirk (A)  3 - 3
 22/12/73 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  0 - 1
 15/12/73 Final vs. Celtic (N)  1 - 0
 28/11/73 Semi Final vs. Kilmarnock (N)  1 - 0
 24/11/73 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  1 - 5
 21/11/73 Quarter Final 2nd Leg vs. Clyde (A)  2 - 2
 17/11/73 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  1 - 2
 10/11/73 Division One vs. Dumbarton (H)  2 - 1
 03/11/73 Division One vs. St Johnstone (A)  4 - 1
 31/10/73 Quarter Final 1st Leg vs. Clyde (H)  1 - 0
 27/10/73 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (H)  2 - 1
 20/10/73 Division One vs. Arbroath (A)  4 - 2
 13/10/73 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  0 - 1
 10/10/73 2nd Round 2nd Leg vs. Dunfermline (H)  2 - 2
 06/10/73 Division One vs. Partick (A)  0 - 1
 03/10/73 1st Round 2nd Leg vs. Twente (A)  2 - 4
 29/09/73 Division One vs. East Fife (H)  0 - 1
 22/09/73 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  2 - 2
 19/09/73 1st Round 1st Leg vs. Twente (H)  1 - 3
 15/09/73 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (H)  0 - 1
 12/09/73 2nd Round 1st Leg vs. Dunfermline (A)  3 - 2
 08/09/73 Division One vs. Aberdeen (A)  0 - 0
 01/09/73 Division One vs. Falkirk (H)  4 - 0
 29/08/73 Group 3 vs. St Johnstone (A)  1 - 1
 25/08/73 Group 3 vs. Hearts (A)  0 - 0
 22/08/73 Group 3 vs. Partick (H)  4 - 0
 18/08/73 Group 3 vs. Hearts (H)  2 - 1
 15/08/73 Group 3 vs. Partick (A)  3 - 0
 11/08/73 Group 3 vs. St Johnstone (H)  1 - 0
 08/08/73 Semi Final vs. Celtic (A)  0 - 4
 28/07/73 1st Round vs. Raith Rovers (H)  1 - 0
 28/04/73 Division One vs. Hearts (H)  2 - 2
 21/04/73 Division One vs. Partick (A)  1 - 1
 18/04/73 Division One vs. East Fife (A)  1 - 0
 14/04/73 Division One vs. Falkirk (H)  5 - 3
 11/04/73 Semi Final Replay vs. Celtic (N)  0 - 3
 07/04/73 Semi Final vs. Celtic (N)  0 - 0
 31/03/73 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (H)  2 - 1
 24/03/73 Division One vs. St Johnstone (A)  1 - 4
 21/03/73 Division One vs. Arbroath (H)  6 - 0
 17/03/73 Quarter Final vs. Montrose (A)  4 - 1
 10/03/73 Division One vs. Rangers (A)  1 - 3
 03/03/73 Division One vs. Morton (H)  6 - 0
 27/02/73 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (A)  2 - 1
 24/02/73 4th Round vs. Stranraer (A)  9 - 2
 20/02/73 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878) (H)  1 - 1
 10/02/73 Division One vs. Dumbarton (H)  2 - 1
 03/02/73 3rd Round vs. Dunfermline (A)  3 - 0
 27/01/73 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  1 - 1
 13/01/73 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  1 - 2
 06/01/73 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (H)  3 - 0
 01/01/73 Division One vs. Aberdeen (A)  1 - 3
 30/12/72 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  2 - 0
 23/12/72 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  2 - 1
 16/12/72 Division One vs. Partick (H)  4 - 1
 09/12/72 Division One vs. Falkirk (A)  2 - 2
 02/12/72 Division One vs. East Fife (H)  4 - 0
 25/11/72 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (A)  1 - 2
 20/11/72 Quarter Final Replay vs. Celtic (N)  1 - 4
 18/11/72 Division One vs. St Johnstone (H)  3 - 0
 11/11/72 Division One vs. Arbroath (A)  1 - 2
 04/11/72 Division One vs. Rangers (H)  1 - 1
 01/11/72 Quarter Final 2nd Leg vs. Celtic (H)  2 - 3
 28/10/72 Division One vs. Morton (A)  2 - 5
 21/10/72 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  1 - 0
 14/10/72 Division One vs. Dumbarton (A)  2 - 2
 11/10/72 Quarter Final 1st Leg vs. Celtic (H)  1 - 0
 07/10/72 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  1 - 0
 27/09/72 1st Round 2nd Leg vs. Norwich (A)  0 - 2
 26/08/72 Group 7 vs. East Stirling (H)  3 - 0
 23/08/72 Group 7 vs. Clyde (A)  1 - 0
 19/08/72 Group 7 vs. Motherwell (A)  3 - 1
 16/08/72 Group 7 vs. Clyde (H)  2 - 1
 12/08/72 Group 7 vs. East Stirling (A)  8 - 2

 List of First Team Competitive goals scored
None

  = Starting Appearances (Sub Appearances) | = Goals | NPS = Squad Appearances (as Non-Playing Sub) | GtGR = Goals to Games Ratio
 Yel = Yellow Cards/Cautions | Red = Red Cards/Dismissals | W/D/L - Games won, drawn or lost as percentage of games played in


Timeline