[4] When he left school, he joined Brighton & Hove Albion, but soon returned to Wales where he signed for Cardiff City as a junior.
[3] He turned professional in January 1951, and remained with the club for five more years, but never played for their league team.
[1] For some of that time, he was engaged on National Service duties with the RAF,[4] and he also spent a spell on loan at Torquay United, with whom he made his Football League debut in 1953.
[3] He had a run in the league side in his first season, but lost his place to Des Tennant, and moved on to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in January 1958.
[3] His performances for Bournemouth earned him a move to Portsmouth of the Second Division, but he played only 30 matches over two seasons, the second of which ended in relegation to the third tier and Thomas was released.