Edwin Henry Charles Thomas (9 November 1932 – 23 September 2020)[1] was an English footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for Southampton in the early 1950s.
Whilst playing for the works team, he caught the eye of a scout from Southampton of the Football League Second Division, joining them as an amateur in 1949.
Black moved to Fulham in July 1950, with Northern Irish international Hugh Kelly joining the Saints in exchange.
At a month before his 18th birthday, Thomas thus became Southampton's youngest-ever first-team goalkeeper, until the debut of Bob Charles in 1959.
[5] Thomas briefly became the second-choice 'keeper for the first eleven, making four further appearances before Christmas, but the signing of John Christie in January 1951 relegated him back to the reserves.