Emerson Thome

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Emerson Thome bigraphy, stories - Brazilian footballer and manager

Emerson Thome : biography

30 March 1972 –

Emerson Augusto Thome, also known as Paredão (born 30 March 1972) is a Brazilian former football player who last played for Vissel Kobe.

He first came to England towards the end of the 1997-98 season when moving to from Portuguese club Benfica, who signed him from Tirsense in 1994-95, when the "jesuítas" stood one win away from a UEFA Cup position. Whilst at Hillsborough he became a huge favourite with the Wednesday supporters who nicknamed him "The Wall" due to his physical presence and powerful style – which was recovered from his stint at Tirsense. Thome scored twice for Wednesday, once against Stockport County in the FA Cup and once against Wimbledon in the league.

In late 1999, with the Owls staring at the prospect of possible relegation in the face, he made the move to for a fee of £2.7 million. He was to remain at Stamford Bridge for just nine months, as he found it hard to break up the tried and tested central defensive partnership of Marcel Desailly and Frank Leboeuf. Just one game into the 2000-2001 season Thome was sold to Premiership rivals for a fee of around £4 million, quite a considerable profit for the Londoners. He was replaced by Winston Bogarde, a move widely regarded as one of the most disastrous transfers of all time. The sale of Thome was reputedly not sanctioned by Chelsea manager Gianluca Vialli, who left the club a short time later.

During his time at the Stadium of Light, Thome struggled with injuries and Sunderland were reluctant to extend his contract. A clause in his contract with Sunderland meant that a considerable sum had to be paid to Chelsea after he played 50 matches. Sunderland were not willing to pay the extra appearance based fee, hence their reasons for not playing Thome towards the end of the 2002-2003 season, a campaign which ended in relegation heartbreak. Thome scored twice for Sunderland, netting in league games against Coventry City and Aston Villa.

In August 2003 he joined ambitious on a free transfer, and became a regular campaigner for the Trotters as they finished eighth in the Premier League and reached the final of the League Cup where they eventually lost to at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. He was offered fresh terms to extend his stay with Bolton, but instead chose to move down a division to their near neighbours along with former team-mate Per Frandsen. This proved a good move for Thome as the Latics where promoted to the Premiership for the first time in their history in 2005. However, Thome was loaned out to in November 2005 and was released from his contract at Wigan on 7 February 2006.

Thome then decided to go to Japan to join Vissel Kobe, who were relegated to second division J2 after finishing at the bottom of the table in the 2005 season.

Thome retired after the end of the 2007 season.

Thome has been the Everton F.C. chief scout in Portugal since the end of 2008.

Club career statistics

Club performance League
Season Club League Apps Goals
Portugal League
1992/93 Académica Coimbra 3 0
1993/94 Tirsense 25 2
1994/95 Portuguese Liga 30 3
1995/96 Benfica Portuguese Liga 0 0
1996/97 0 0
1997/98 Alverca 0 0
1997/98 Benfica Portuguese Liga 16 1
England League
1997/98 Sheffield Wednesday Premier League 6 0
1998/99 38 1
1999/00 17 0
1999/00 Chelsea Premier League 20 0
2000/01 1 0
2000/01 Sunderland Premier League 31 1
2001/02 12 1
2002/03 1 0
2003/04 Bolton Wanderers Premier League 26 0
2004/05 Wigan Athletic League Championship 15 0
2005/06 Premier League 0 0
2005/06 Derby County League Championship 4 0
Portugal League
2006 Vissel Kobe J. League 2 31 0
2007 J. League 1 9 0
Country Portugal 74 5
England 171 3
Japan 40 0
Total 285 8