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Tommy Wilson joined Queens Park straight
from school; and his performances for the amateurs prompted Saints to sign him
in July 1982. He made his debut in a pre season tour
of Isle of Man and quickly formed a solid full back partnership with Steve
Clarke. His competitive debut was at Love Street
in a League Cup victory over Ayr United on the 14th August 1982. Tommy went on to be ever present during
that first season and his consistent displays earned him a Scotland U-21 cap
against Switzerland. Much more was expected from him and as
the next season began he was being tipped for full international honours. Unfortunately tragedy was to befall him
in the first match of the season, against Rangers at Ibrox on the 20th August
1983. After a good start where he had provided
the cross from which Frank McAvennie had scored Saints goal in a 1-1 draw, Tommy
was badly injured making a goal line clearance late in the game. He collided
with Rangers Ally Dawson and sustained a career threatening knee injury which
kept him out of the game for the rest of the season. He made his comeback at the beginning of
1984-85 but took time to regain his consistency, but eventually over the next
two seasons began to fulfil all the promise he had shown. 1986-87 was a memorable one for Tommy as
he scored his first (and only) senior competitive goal at Pittodrie, when his
cross-cum-shot sailed over Jim Leighton to earn Saints a 1-0 victory on a snow
bound pitch. At the end of the season he was in the team that lifted the
Scottish Cup following Saints 1-0 victory over Dundee United and then played in
all four matches during the Epson Trophy win in Singapore. In total Tommy Wilson represented Saints
in 237 competitive matches. That goal at Pittodrie was his only competitive
goal, but he did score one more, in a friendly against Stenhousemuir in December
1985. He left to join Dunfermline Athletic in October 1989. | ||||||||||||
