Client News
Thomas recalls his life-defining goal
Hong Kong, 9 May 2010 - Michael Thomas knows exactly how the players of Chelsea and Manchester United will be feeling today as the destination of the Premier League trophy is decided. After all, he settled the tightest title race ever with the most famous goal in the history of English club football.
“I still get goose pimples when I watch it,” confirms the former Arsenal midfielder about his dramatic strike against Liverpool 21 years ago. “Great memories – a truly special moment in my life. I still have Arsenal fans coming up to me and talking about it.”
You can bet Thomas will be asked about his life-defining moment when he visits Hong Kong this coming week to play in the HKFC IP Global International Soccer Sevens. And, to his credit, he is still happy to relive it, although, as he modestly points out: “It’s nice to be remembered for the goal, but all season and on the night it was just a brilliant team effort.”
A quick recap: it is the final game of the 1988-89 season, Liverpool are hosting Arsenal at Anfield and both teams can win the league title. The game is being played so late in the campaign due to the Hillsborough disaster six weeks earlier, which has caused Liverpool’s fixtures to be re-arranged. Liverpool, who have already beaten Everton in the FA Cup final and are going for the Double, are three points ahead and have a better goal difference. In short, Arsenal need to win by at least two goals to finish top of the table.
Alan Smith heads the Gunners in front soon after half-time but, as the clock ticks down, it looks as if the home team will escape with a 1-0 defeat and hang on to their title. Then in the last minute, Thomas breaks through, collects a lucky rebound and finds himself one-on-one with Liverpool keeper Bruce Grobbelaar as the TV commentator, the late Brian Moore, yells, “It’s up for grabs now!” Thomas coolly clips the ball into the corner of the net. Cue pandemonium.
What was he thinking as he bore down on goal with the eyes of the world watching? “I was just thinking, ‘Come on, Bruce, make your move, show your hand.’ I was waiting for him to go one way. He didn’t do it until very, very late but, when he did, I put it the other side,” says Thomas. “It was a fantastic feeling, a dream finish.”
He continues: “We’d had a great season but everyone was writing us off before the game. We had no chance, they said. So to go into the lion’s den that was Anfield back then and come out with the win was an incredible feeling for us, especially for the homegrown players like myself who had been at the club since we were kids. To win it for Arsenal like that was special.”
Thomas captured the league title with Arsenal again two years later but then clashed with manager George Graham and was sold to – oh, the irony – Liverpool. “Can you believe it?” he laughs. “Some Liverpool fans were glad I joined but others were sick at the sight of me, as you can imagine. And the Blue half of the city were buying me drinks the whole time I was there!”
Thomas did make it up to the Liverpool faithful by scoring in the 1992 FA Cup final win over Sunderland – another memorable moment. “It was everyone’s dream to play in the Cup final. We’d all grown up watching it on TV and, back then, it was considered the biggest game of the season. So to score in the final was an immense feeling.”
With his league and Cup history, Thomas is well placed to offer a view as Chelsea go for the Double – first at home to Wigan in the Premier League today, then against Portsmouth in the Cup final next Saturday. “It looks like Chelsea will win both trophies but funnier things have happened,” he cautions. “Wigan will be up for it and everyone forgets they drew at Chelsea during the title run-in two years ago when Emile Heskey scored a late equaliser. And you could have an upset in the Cup final, you only have to look at Wimbledon beating Liverpool back in 1988. Obviously, there are a lot of fans in London hoping Pompey win!”
Thomas will pull on his boots again when he turns out for the Andy Cole Jura All Stars at the Soccer Sevens, to be held at Hong Kong Football Club from 14-16 May. “It’s a long time since I was in Hong Kong,” he reveals. “I stopped over once with the England youth team and I went there on holiday while I was at Arsenal, but I’ve never played there. It will be great to go back.”
Not that, at age 42, he thinks he will be powering forward in the last minute of a game and calmly slotting home, as he did on that epic night at Anfield two-plus decades ago. “Seven-a-side? On a big pitch?” he laughs. “Well, it’ll be interesting! I’m looking forward to it.”
About IP Global
IP Global (formerly Intellectual Property) sources property investments in emerging and recovering markets. The company has a unique approach; assisting clients in constructing a property investment portfolio tailored to their specific investment strategy and budget. IP Global focuses not only on where to invest but also removes the difficulties that independent investors face when buying property.
IP Global educates investors with the market knowledge required for potential and future investments. The extensive due diligence service provided gives clients the assurance to invest in remote markets which otherwise would not be accessible.
IP Global was launched in Hong Kong in September 2005 and now has offices in Singapore and Dubai to support a rapidly expanding client base and global ambitions. Since inception, IP Global has transacted a total of over US$700 million in property on behalf of its clients.
-- ENDS --
Released on behalf of the HKFC IP Global International Soccer Sevens by Two Up Front – Asia’s sports PR specialists.