Jerome Thomas

Jerome William Thomas (born March 23, 1983 in Wembley, London) is an England Association football currently playing for Portsmouth F.C.. He predominantly plays as a Midfielder Winger, but can also operate centrally.

Club career

Arsenal

Thomas impressed as a schoolboy at Luton Town F.C., and joined Arsenal F.C. at the age of 18 in 2001. Despite winning the FA Youth Cup twice, in FA_Youth_Cup_Finals 1999.2F00:_Arsenal_v._Coventry_.283-1.2C_2-0.29 and FA_Youth_Cup_Finals 2000.2F01:_Arsenal_v._Blackburn_.285-0.2C_1-3.29, he found it difficult to break into the first team due to the consistency of Robert Pirès and Fredrik Ljungberg. He performed well at QPR - scoring a couple of long distance goals - and made his last appearance on October 29 2002 in an away draw with Wigan Athletic F.C.. However, upon his return to Arsenal Stadium his fortunes were little better, making just three appearances in the FA Premier League 2003–04 season - all in the Football League Cup.

Charlton

Thomas signed a two-and-a-half year deal with Charlton Athletic F.C. on February 2 2004, for a transfer fee of £100,000. He quickly fitted into the team: making a total of fifty-nine appearances and scoring four goals over the following two seasons; his first goal came in a 2-3 away win against Tottenham on November 6. As a result of this success, he signed a new three-year contract on August 18 2006, although he found himself absent for the beginning of FA Premier League 2006–07 due to a break of his right Fifth metatarsal bone Upon his return to fitness, he resumed his major role in Charlton's season, making a further fifty-seven appearances and scoring three goals in the FA Premier League 2006–07 and Premier League 2007–08 seasons.

Portsmouth

Thomas joined Premier League club, and reigning FA Cup winners, Portsmouth on August 15 2008 on a one-year loan deal, despite Thomas having appeared in both of Charlton's first two games of the season. He made his league debut for Portsmouth just two days later in a 4-0 away defeat to Chelsea F.C. on August 17. Thomas's temporary deal was made permanent on August 21 2008, when he signed a one-year deal with Portsmouth after impressing during his short loan tenure. Charlton will be paid a "small fee" should he play a certain number of matches during the Premier League 2008-09. He is mentioned in Kano's song London Town, from London Town (Kano album) of the same name.