German footballer Andreas Thom, born 7 September 1965, was a forward renowned for his Centre Forward positions. Standing at a modest 5ft 8in (1.75m) and weighing in at a sturdy 11st 9lb (74kg), Thom carved out a significant career in European football.
In July 1989, Thom embarked on a journey with Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, Germany's top football league, following a transfer deal valued around £1.5m.
However, Thom's notable phase of play began when he crossed waters and joined Celtic in the Scottish Premiership in August 1995. His transfer was secured for around £2.5m. And, certainly, Thom quickly familiarised himself with the green and white stripes of Celtic, making a significant impact in his debut season (1995 - 1996). He achieved 32 first team appearances and netted the ball five times in league matches.
In the 1996 - 1997 season, Thom’s ambition seemed insatiable as he thrived even further, marking 23 first team appearances and increasing his goal tally to seven in league matches. The following season, 1997 - 1998, saw Thom uphold his commitment to Celtic, although his appearances dropped to 15 and his goal tally to three in league matches.
In July 1997, Thom bid farewell to the Celtic fans as he made his return back to German football, joining Hertha BSC in the 2. Bundesliga. Nostalgia didn't seem to stifle Thom's performance; in the 1998 - 1999 season, he marked 28 first team appearances and netted the ball three times. However, in the following seasons, Thom's first team appearances dwindled, settling to ten in the 1999 - 2000 season, one in the 2000 - 2001 season, and unfortunately none in the 2001 - 2002 season.
Following this decline in appearances, it came as no surprise that in June 2002, Thom decided it was time for yet another change, moving on from Hertha BSC in the 2. Bundesliga.
