Career Record for Featherstone
Appearances			Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Total	Start	Sub
108	108	0	35	0	0	105

Yet another product of the famous Sharlston nursery, Vaughan Thomas played his junior football with Wakefield Trinity but was invited to attend training at Post Office Road by Willis Fawley, the Rovers hooker, and signed in October 1963. He got his chance later that season after some sound displays in the reserves and he scored on his debut, at home to Huddersfield, as Rovers won 23-3. Indeed, he finished the season in style, scoring seven tries in 11 appearances.

More impressive form in 1964/65 led to his selection for the Great Britain Under 24 team v France at Oldham in October 1965 and with 32 appearances for Rovers he only missed six games during the season. He started 1966/67 with a bang when he went in for his only hat-trick of tries at home to York in the first round Yorkshire Cup victory by 50-15.  There were hopes of a first winners medal in the Yorkshire Cup final v Hull KR on 15 October 1966, but a sub-standard performance by Rovers saw them lose 25-12, with Thomas hardly touching the ball. By the start of the RL Cup campaign in February, coach Laurie Gant increased his options amongst the backs with the return of Jordan and the acquisition of Newlove. Thomas played in the rounds against Bradford and Castleford, but missed out against Wakefield and against Leeds in the semi-final. He resumed to play in the last four league games and did sufficiently well to convince coach Laurie Gant that he should play at Wembley - although the decision was made so late that he was not even included in the Wembley programme! He more than justified his selection, however, and he had his moment of glory when he sped in to pick up a spilled ball early in the second half and score one of the tries that sealed Barrow's fate.

After a promising start to 1967/68, he was briefly transfer-listed in November but then announced in February 1968 that he was retiring from football. He was transfer-listed again at £3,500 and then signed for Bradford Northern. Sadly, a knee injury caused him to retire permanently from the game in September 1969. A cousin of Carl Dooler, Thomas was a very talented winger. His high stepping action was different, but with his pace and strength he had the ability to take his chances, particularly with his no-nonsense running style.  Similarly, his tackling was unorthodox but very effective. He was very fit and a quick thinker and it was a pity that his football career should end so comparatively early. His last game for Featherstone was at home to Widnes on 6 January 1968.

Biography by Ron Bailey