Martha Thomas (footballer)

Martha Ellen Thomas (born 31 May 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United in the FA Women's Super League and the Scotland national team.

Martha Thomas
Thomas in 2022
Personal information
Full name Martha Ellen Thomas
Date of birth (1996-05-31) 31 May 1996
Place of birth Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Manchester United
Number 9
Youth career
Dorchester Town
Weston FC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 Charlotte 49ers 78 (47)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 Le Havre 13 (6)
2019–2021 West Ham United 26 (8)
2021– Manchester United 17 (4)
National team‡
2020– Scotland 13 (7)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 May 2022
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 April 2022

Thomas played four years of college soccer for Charlotte 49ers before playing professionally with French Division 2 Féminine club Le Havre and West Ham United of the English FA Women's Super League.

Early life

Thomas was born in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, to a Scottish mother, Christine, and English father, Andrew. She grew up in Dorchester until 2001 when the family moved to Atlanta, when her father got a job in the United States. They briefly returned to Dorchester in 2003 where Thomas played for Dorchester Town for a season before once again relocating to the States, this time to Weston, Florida, at the age of six.[1][2] While in Weston, she played for youth club Weston FC.[3]

Charlotte 49ers

Thomas played college soccer for Charlotte 49ers, captaining the team for two seasons. In her first year, Thomas led the team in goals with 11 and was voted Conference USA Freshman of the Year. The following three years, Thomas was selected to the All-Conference USA First Team as well as being voted as the league's Offensive Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017. Upon leaving, Thomas ranked as the school's all-time leading goalscorer with 47.[4] She was also named team MVP in each of her four seasons.[5]

Club career

Le Havre

Thomas had hoped to enter the 2018 NWSL College Draft in January 2018, but suffered an ACL injury in her final appearance for the 49ers in November 2017.[6] Having rehabbed, Thomas belatedly began her professional career with Le Havre AC in the French Division 2, signing for the club in August 2018.[7] She made her debut on 21 October 2018, starting in a 1–0 defeat to Stade de Reims.[8] She scored 6 goals in 13 league appearances as Le Havre finished second.[9]

West Ham United

On 16 July 2019, Thomas signed for West Ham United of the FA WSL, taking the number 9 shirt following the departure of Jane Ross.[2] Thomas started and scored on her debut, the season opener as West Ham lost 2–1 away to reigning champions Arsenal on 8 September 2019.[10] She scored her first career hat-trick during the first half of a 5–0 win against Reading on 3 April 2021.[11] On 21 May 2021, it was confirmed Thomas would leave West Ham after two seasons following the expiration of her contract.[12]

Manchester United

On 28 July 2021, Thomas signed for Manchester United on a two-year deal with the option of an additional year.[13]

International career

Thomas represented the United States at youth level, playing for the under-23 team in 2019 at the Portland Thorns Spring Invitational preseason tournament.[14] She had not yet acquired American citizenship, however, making her ineligible to represent the senior team.[6]

Thomas was eligible to represent both England and Scotland at the senior level.[6] In September 2019 she attended a training camp with the Scotland national team.[15] She subsequently received her first call-up to the Scotland squad on 25 October 2019 but was forced to withdraw through injury.[16] She was again selected by Scotland for the 2020 Pinatar Cup and scored two goals as she made her international debut in a 3–0 win against Ukraine on 4 March 2020.[17][18] Thomas scored another brace in her seventh appearance for Scotland on 19 February 2021 during a 10–0 victory over Cyprus as part of UEFA Euro 2022 qualifying, the first time Scotland had hit double figures since 2015. Despite the emphatic victory, Scotland had already been mathematically eliminated from qualification in December 2020.[19]

Personal life

Thomas' great uncle, Jim Kirkland, also played football professionally for Aberdeen in the Scottish top-flight.[1]

She is in a relationship with fellow footballer Ellie Leek. The two met while both playing for Le Havre. She has been a vocal supporter of Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign.[20]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 1 May 2022[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Le Havre 2018–19[9] D2F 13620—156
West Ham United 2019–20 FA WSL 1040031135
2020–21 1640031195
Total 26800623210
Manchester United 2021–22 FA WSL 1742041235
Career total 5618401037021

International
Statistics accurate as of match played 12 April 2022.
Scotland
YearAppsGoals
202062
202144
202231
Total137

International goals
As of match played 19 February 2022
Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Thomas goal.
List of international goals scored by Martha Thomas
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition Ref
1 4 March 2020Pinatar Arena, San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain1 Ukraine1–03–02020 Pinatar Cup[22]
2 2–0
3 19 February 2021AEK Arena, Larnaca, Cyprus7 Cyprus2–010–0UEFA Euro 2022 qualifying[23]
4 9–0
5 17 September 2021Hidegkuti Nándor Stadion, Budapest, Hungary9 Hungary2–02–02023 World Cup qualifying[24]
6 21 September 2021Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland10 Faroe Islands5–17–1[25]
7 19 February 2022Pinatar Arena, San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain12 Slovakia2–02–02022 Pinatar Cup

Honours

College

Charlotte 49ers

  • Conference USA Women's Soccer Tournament: 2016[26]

Individual

References
  1. "Profile: Martha Thomas, Manchester United's New Signing". Our Game Magazine. 3 August 2021.
  2. "West Ham United secure Martha Thomas signing". West Ham United FC. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  3. "MARTHA THOMAS - Weston FC". WestonFC.org. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  4. "Thomas Named League's Best Offensive Player, Again - Charlotte Athletics". Charlotte 49ers.
  5. Thomas, Roshane. "West Ham Women's new goal machine: born in England, made in America and proud to be Scottish". The Athletic.
  6. Muro, Giuseppe (27 September 2019). "West Ham women's new star Martha Thomas happy to wait on international decision after 'dream move' to England". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  7. "Thomas Turns Pro with France's Havre Athletic Club". Charlotte 49ers. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  8. "Footofeminin - Championnat de France de D2 2018-2019 - Le Havre-Reims". www.statsfootofeminin.fr.
  9. "Footofeminin - Martha Thomas". www.statsfootofeminin.fr.
  10. "FA WSL match report: Arsenal 2–1 West Ham". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
  11. "FA WSL match report: Reading 0–5 West Ham". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
  12. "West Ham United Women announce retained list". West Ham United FC.
  13. "United Women sign Martha Thomas". Manchester United (Press release). 28 July 2021.
  14. "Thomas Called to USWNT U23 Roster". Charlotte 49ers. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  15. Campbell, Alan (28 September 2019). "Alan Campbell on women's football: West Ham striker is rabbit out of a hat". The Herald (Glasgow). Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  16. "Martha Thomas: West Ham striker earns first Scotland call-up". BBC Sport. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  17. Dewar, Heather (18 February 2020). "Pinatar Cup: Scotland coach Kerr names two uncapped players in squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  18. "Ukraine 0–3 Scotland". BBC Sport. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  19. "Scots win 10-0 in McLaren's first game". BBC Sport.
  20. Ranson, Jacob (9 December 2020). "Football should be a safe and open space for everyone says West Ham forward Martha Thomas". Barking and Dagenham Post.
  21. "Martha Thomas soccerway profile". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  22. "Scotland 3-0 Ukraine | Match Report | Scotland | Scottish FA". www.scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  23. "Cyprus-Scotland - UEFA Women's EURO 2022 qualifying". UEFA.
  24. "Scotland ease to win over Hungary". BBC Sport.
  25. "Scotland-Faroe Islands". UEFA.com.
  26. "49ers roll past Owls to clinch C-USA title, NCAA berth". Charlotte 49ers.
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