John Thomson (1909 in Kirkcaldy - September 5, 1931) was a soccer player for Celtic and Scotland who died in an accidental collision during a match. 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Kirkcaldy is currently the largest town in Fife, Scotland. ... September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years). ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ... Celtic Football Club, more commonly referred to simply as Celtic (pronounced seltik), is one of the worlds most famous football clubs. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ...

Thomson grew up in the mining community of Cardenden in Fife. He was a member of the Church of Christ, a small Protestant evangelical church. He was very keen on football, and became the first choice goalkeeper for Celtic and Scotland. Fife (Fìobh in Gaelic) is a council area of Scotland, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with landward boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The word evangelicalism usually refers to a tendency in diverse branches of Protestantism, typified by an emphasis on evangelism, a personal experience of conversion, biblically-oriented faith, and a belief in the relevance of Christian faith to cultural issues. ... A goalkeeper leaves his feet to parry a shot on goal In many team sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ... Celtic Football Club, more commonly referred to simply as Celtic (pronounced seltik), is one of the worlds most famous football clubs. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ...

On September 5, 1931 Celtic were playing their old rivals Rangers at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow. Early in the second half Thomson and a Rangers player, Sam English, went for the ball at the same time. Thomson's head collided with English's knee, fracturing his skull. Thomson was taken off the field in a stretcher, most people assumed that he was just badly concussed, but a few people who had seen his injuries suspected worse. One Rangers player who had had some medical training said later that as soon as he saw him he gave little chance for his survival. The rest of the match passed uneventfully and ended in a 0-0 draw. Thomson died in the Victoria Infirmary later that evening. September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years). ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Rangers Football Club is a football club from Glasgow, Scotland which plays in the Scottish Premier League. ... Aerial view of Ibrox Stadium The main stand of Ibrox Stadium Ibrox Stadium, originally Ibrox Park, is the stadium of Rangers F.C. It is located on the south side of the River Clyde in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. ... Glasgow (or Glaschu in Gaelic) is Scotlands largest city and unitary council, situated on the River Clyde in the countrys west central lowlands. ... Sam English (1908 - 1967) was a football player for Rangers, Liverpool, and Ireland. ... A skull fracture is a break in one or more of the bones in the skull caused by a head injury. ... Your brain floats within your skull surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). ...

His death shocked many people, and there was a song written Johnny Thomson, to the tune of Arbor Hill. English was totally cleared of any responsibility for the accident. Even at the start of the 21st century Thomson's grave in Fife remains a place of pilgramage for Celtic fans. The 21st century is the century that began on 1 January 2001 and will last to 31 December 2100. ... Fife (Fìobh in Gaelic) is a council area of Scotland, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with landward boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire. ...

Celtic manager Willie Maley wrote this of him: William Willie Patrick Maley (born Newry, Northern Ireland, April 25, 1868); was the first manager of Celtic Football Club and one of the most successful managers in Scottish football history. ...

"Among the galaxy of talented goalkeepers whom Celtic have had, the late lamented John Thomson was the greatest. A Fifeshire friend recommended him to the Club. We watched him play. We were impressed so much that we signed him when he was still in his teens. That was in 1926. Next year he became our regular goalkeeper, and was soon regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers in the country. 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

"But, alas, his career was to be short. In September, 1931, playing against Rangers at Ibrox Park, he met with a fatal accident. Yet he had played long enough to gain the highest honours football had to give. A most likeable lad, modest and unassuming, he was popular wherever he went.

"His merit as a goalkeeper shone superbly in his play. Never was there a keeper who caught and held the fastest shots with such grace and ease. In all he did there was the balance and beauty of movement wonderful to watch. Among the great Celts who have passed over, he has an honoured place."

Thomson was known for his incredible agility, bravery and safe handling, who produced some magnificent displays of goalkeeping. He was capped four times for Scotland, and, had he lived, could have become an even greater legend than he is.

Reference

• Greig, Tom (2003). My Search for Celtic's John. Ogilvie Writings. ISBN 0954913507.vb