Burnley X-Files: Wayne Thomas to Leave Saints

League 1 club, Southampton have confirmed that 13 players will be leaving St Mary's when their contracts expire in the summer.

One such player is former Clarets defender, Wayne Thomas.

Thomas, now 30 was signed by Burnley on a Bosman in the summer of 2005 after leaving Stoke City. Steve Cotterill, our manager at the time had even flown out to Thomas' holiday home in Florida to persuade him to sign for the Clarets.

He had a pretty eventful stay at Turf Moor. In his first season he picked up two serious injuries. Thomas first tore his knee ligaments but made a remarkably quick recovery. After returning he later broke his second metatarsal bone bringing his season to a premature end.

By the start of the 2006-7 season he had been made captain. He was however sent off twice before the end of September and was making a number of costly mistakes in defence. Clarets fans were not impressed and there was some anti-Thomas feeling beginning to surface at the matches.

Steve Cotterill though stuck by him and his form later improved. He was however stripped of the captaincy in February 2007 following the arrival of Steven Caldwell.

Thomas signed for Southampton in a £1.2 million deal in August 2007 after stating he wished to leave the club. It was a good bit of business for the Clarets and in the end a bad move for Thomas who made just 45 appearances for the Saints over three seasons. This was a period which also saw Southampton relegated into League One following administration and a points deduction at the end of 2008-9.

The other Saints players to be released include experienced players Chris Perry, Graeme Murty and Jon Otsemobor. Lloyd James, Simon Gillett, Michael Poke, Jake Thomson, Kayne McLaggon, Jamie White, Oliver Lancashire, Tom Dunford and Jack Boyle will also be leaving St Marys in the summer.

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