Catching up: Stuart Thom

As featured in our matchday programme, we caught up with former Iron defender Stuart Thom to speak about his time with the club and see what he's been up to since injury forced him to quit the game.

Back in 2000, Thom became one of the first “internet transfers” Brian Laws made for the Iron.

He was with us for two seasons, appearing 22 times in his first campaign in 2000-01, before making a further 22 appearances the following campaign and scoring in the 3-1 home win over Shrewsbury that term.

Thom explained: “Brian told me that the deal was done over emails and that I was the first player he ever signed that way. He must have been testing the new technology.”

The defender signed for Scunthorpe on loan from Oldham Athletic just a week before the 2000-01 season, with Laws bringing him in to compete with the likes of Russ Wilcox, Nathan Stanton and room-mate Mark Jackson. The move was made permanent the following month.

He said: We (Jackson and Thom) used to travel in together. We built a good partnership up and he was probably the player I built a real understanding with on the pitch.

“There was a lot of expectation around Scunthorpe at the time and we were expected to reach the play-offs but missed out by a fraction which was disappointing.”

It was Thom’s familiarities with injury that ultimately cost him his footballing career, retiring at just 27-years-old.

He explained: “I had trouble with my calves which unfortunately brought my career to an early end. I miss the game and wish my career had gone on longer but you can’t help being injured.”

Thom remembers his time with Scunthorpe fondly and says the Iron were a “great club”.

Following his retirement, both he and another ex-United player, Nigel Pepper, went back to college and earned their respective degrees. Thom then passed his PGCE qualifications and is currently Director of Professional and Higher Education at Coventry College, where he has been for a number of years now.