ONEOF LIFE’S GOOD GUYS
Billy was the perfect example of how to live as a player and a man says Hegarty
BILLY Thomson was part of one of Dundee United’s greatest ever teams and will be forever remembered at Tannadice – for also being a top person.
The former Scotland keeper passed away yesterday at the age of 64.
Thomson had a superb top-flight career that saw him play for Partick Thistle, St Mirren, Dundee United, Motherwell, Rangers and Dundee.
He also took on the goalkeeping coaching roles at Dundee, Rangers, Kilmarnock and then Stranraer.
Ex-United captain Paul Hegarty led the tributes to his former club and international team-mate who was at Tannadice from 1984 to 1991.
Thomson was part of the Dundee United team that went all the way to the 1987 UEFA Cup Final, where they bravely lost over two legs to IFK Gothenburg, and they also made two Scottish Cup Finals.
The only disappointment from Thomson’s time was that he never picked up a winner’s medal while at United.
Hegarty said: “Billy was a great human being and a top goalkeeper. I am just devastated for Louise and all his family.
“Maurice Malpas got in touch with me this morning while I had spoken to Billy about 10 days ago. He hadn’t been well.
“He didn’t sound great but we still had a good chat. We just didn’t think it would be this quick.
“It is pretty raw just now if I am being honest. I am still in a bit of shock about it.
“It is really upsetting for his family and friends.
“I know people say it but Billy genuinely was one of the good guys. You could speak to him at any time and you knew he would be there for you.
“He was a brilliant human being. I can’t honestly believe it.”
Thomson took over at Tannadice from the legendary title-winning keeper Hamish McAlpine.
Hegarty reckons the fact Thomson came in and impressed with the gloves showed the quality he had to go on and play under the late Jim McLean for such a prolonged period.
The former defender said: “The football side of things, he was a great goalie and a wonderful big guy.
“I played with Hamish for 10 to 12 years and then he moved on. Replacing Hamish at Dundee United was a massive task. All I can say is that Billy came in and it was pretty seamless.
“Big Billy was commanding in his box. Hamish preferred to stay on his line but with Billy he was taller and he would come off his line and take crosses.
“We had faith in him because you knew 99 per cent of the time he would come and take the ball.
“You also knew that if you were one of the defenders he was coming through you as well.
“Billy was a great shot-stopper and had great reflexes for a big lad and his distribution was excellent. Billy played at United like he had been there forever.
“He was absolutely brilliant for Dundee United.
“He had five or six really good seasons at Tannadice.”
The news has hit the United family hard and in particular Malpas and Hegarty, who stayed beside Thomson in and around the Monifieth area.
Hegarty said: “Billy, Maurice and big Thommo all stayed within 200 to 300 yards. He came up from the west with his family and settled in really well.
“People talk about the UEFA Cup team but Billy was great in his entire time at United.
“He did really well in that European run but it is no surprise because of the quality he had.
“We had a question and answer
We had faith in him because you knew 99 per cent of the time he’d come and take the ball
PAUL HEGARTY PAYS TRIBUTE TO BILLY
session in Dundee for the anniversary of the UEFA Cup Final team of 1987. Billy was there and was in fine form.
“It was great seeing all our team-mates, reminiscing about what we did all those years ago under Jim McLean.”
A lot of football fans will recall Thomson as a goalkeeper.
Hegarty insisted he was a top keeper but he was as equally as good a man. Thomson, who won seven Scotland caps, believes he was the perfect example for every up and coming player.
“He came from St Mirren to us and it was great,” Hegarty admitted.
“We were in the throes of making changes. Billy, along with Ian Redford, Jim McInally and Davie Bowman, it was a sort of changing of the guard.
“A lot of players had been there for a good number of years and Jim McLean had to replace them. Jim replaced the players with equal quality as to the one who had moved on and Thommo definitely fell into that category. “He was a good goalkeeper and ambassador for the club. “If you are a footballer then Billy was the perfect example of how to conduct yourself on and off the park.”