Aston Villa legend is proud of Martin O'Neill's side
He transferred to Villa, newly relegated to the Second Division, in 1959 for £8,000, scoring 22 goals in his first season and helping them to the 1959–60 Second Division title.
Thomson, who was to move to Blues in 1963, collected a League Cup winners medal with Villa in September 1961 but admits there was a hint of controversy about it.
“We played a second replay in the semi-final against Burnley.
“The game went into extra-time at Old Trafford. I was tackled by Jimmy Adamson, who was a proper gentleman.
“He got the ball fairly. I went over and the referee gave a penalty. I turned to the referee and told him. ‘But Stan Lynn and Gerry Hitchens said the referee had given it and we couldn’t do anything about it. We got through to the final on the back of it.”
Thomson admits he is pessimistic about such glories for any of his former teams next season.
“I am a Scot from Dundee who had his photograph taken last year in the big square up there with the statue of Desperate Dan of the Beano.
“But I am also a Midlander and am a little full of foreboding,” he says.
“I worry about Birmingham and Wolves. I’d have loved the Albion to have stayed up. My old mate ‘Banger’ Walsh – a boxer – has a box at Coventry and he has threatened me with violence, so I’d love to see them up, too.”
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