After loan spells in the Conference with Grays Athletic and Rushden & Diamonds, he spent a season with League Two club Cheltenham Town.

In 2015–16, he spent time on loan at Swindon Town and Bradford City, before joining newly promoted Oxford United after the season ended.

[14] The club were keen for Thomas to sign an extended contract – by January 2011 he was top scorer with 12 goals – but was reluctant to do so because his pregnant girlfriend wanted to stay close to her London home.

[18] He made his Crawley debut as a very late substitute on the opening day of the 2011–12 season, and scored in his second game, in a 2–0 win over Macclesfield Town, but was unable to dislodge Tyrone Barnett and Matt Tubbs from the starting eleven,[19] and was unhappy about not playing.

[3] Thomas joined League One club Bournemouth on 9 September, initially on a 93-day loan, with an agreement for the move to be made permanent for a "six-figure fee" when the January 2012 transfer window opened.

He was reluctant to return to his parent club if he was not going be played,[32] and Michael Appleton wanted to keep him at Portsmouth,[33] but newly appointed manager Eddie Howe recalled him to Bournemouth with the intention of involving him in the squad.

[34] Thomas said he thought Groves had not given him enough backing, and hoped for a fresh start under Howe,[35] but a few days later he told the manager he wanted to leave.

[41] Thomas went straight into the starting eleven, partnering Marlon King, for Birmingham's 2–1 win against Nottingham Forest two days later.

The Birmingham Mail's reporter described how "with his back to goal, Thomas wrestle-turned two defenders and showed great determination before smashing the ball in from a tight angle on the left" to level the scores, and a "thumping drive" in stoppage time completed a 3–1 win.

[48] He made his second debut in the starting eleven for the opening-day defeat at Middlesbrough,[49] and his powerful header against Brighton & Hove Albion on 16 August ended Birmingham's 18-game winless run at home in the league.

[50] After Gary Rowett replaced Clark as manager, his preference for selecting Clayton Donaldson as lone striker in a 4–2–3–1 formation meant Thomas's appearances came mostly from the bench.

Early in the 2014–15 season, after scoring two poacher's goals as Birmingham beat Gillingham in the second round of the League Cup, he admitted he found the situation frustrating.

With the scores level in stoppage time, Thomas's shot was pushed onto the crossbar by Fleetwood's goalkeeper and Steve Davies touched home the rebound for a late winner.

[58] He played in ten matches, opening the scoring in a losing cause at home to Colchester United for his only Bradford goal, up to 19 March, but made no further appearances before the end of his loan.