A QUEENS LEGEND DEPARTS PALMY

Queens legend Andy Thomson left the Doonhamers this week to take up an appoinment as player coach with Stenhousemuir. Queens boss Ian McCall could not guarantee Andy a first team place so he was eventually released. Andy signed for Queens in 1989 by Billy (Phsyco)McLaren from Jerviston Boys Club,Motherwell from under the noses of several senior Scottish clubs and went on to score 109 goals in 201 games for Queens between 1989 and 1994. Andy was a quiet unassuming young man and became a great favourite with the fans winning a Golden Boot Award. He eventually moved to England in 1994, signing for Southend who paid £250,000 for the privilege. The manager at Southend was none other than Graham Taylor the England Youth coach. Under Taylor's coaching Andy soon began to find the net regularly and eventually signed for Oxford United then Gillingham. It was with the Gills that Andy had his glory period scoring the winner against Wigan in the 2000 Division two play-off final at Wenbley. He became more or less a folk hero in Kent but eventually moved up into the city and signed for QPR.. He returned to the Gills later in his career and subsequently headed back to Scotland and signed for Partick Thistle. A short spell with Falkirk ended when he returned to Queens last season but he failed to find the net on a regular basis despite flashes of the old magic. During his spell with Queens there was a widely held opinion in Scotland that if he had been playing for a more fashionable club then he would have received a Scottish under 21/23 cap. Craig Brown apparantly had a good look at him but it was not to be.

Andy-Cup Glory