Researching Mark Thomas

Thomas would start with a strong showing in his first season, when he played in 22 games and totalled 63 penalty minutes as well as helping out the offence with seven points. For the start of the 2003–04 season Thomas was a Telford Wildfoxes player, but played just once before being snapped up by then Manchester Phoenix head coach, Rick Brebant to play for the Phoenix in their debut season. The Phoenix had been established following the collapse of the Storm, the team that had inspired Thomas to start to play ice hockey in the first place.

Thomas was an important part of the Phoenix's first season and played in 52 EIHL regular season games and featured six times in the play-offs. The Phoenix organisation was suspended in 2004 due to off ice problems and so Thomas was forced into moving. In the summer of 2004 he chose to sign for the London Racers, where he stayed for a season-and-a-half. It was financial problems that again forced Thomas to move, with the Racers franchise folding mid-way through the 2005–06 season.

This mid-season move brought Thomas to sign for the Sheffield Steelers, arch-rivals of the Phoenix whom Thomas had played for just two years earlier. Thomas established himself as a key part of the Steelers defence, and was a rare British star player surrounded by foreign imports. It was that consistency that saw "Tomo" remain a fan favourite with the Steelers organisation for 10 seasons, and in 2015, he was rewarded with a testimonial season.

Various events were held in his testimonial year, including a testimonial match which saw many former Steelers, including Scott Basiuk and Steve Munn, return to Sheffield.

On 6 May 2015, it was announced that Mark Thomas was returning to his home town team, the EPL's Manchester Phoenix, who he had previously played for in their inaugural season in 2003–04.

Thomas made his debut for Norfolk in the 1996 Minor Counties Championship against Cumberland. Thomas played Minor counties cricket for Norfolk infrequently from 1996 to 2008, which included 35 Minor Counties Championship matches and 21 MCCA Knockout Trophy matches. In 2001, he appeared in 3 MCCA Knockout Trophy matches for Cambridgeshire. He made his List A debut for Norfolk against Hampshire in the 1996 NatWest Trophy. He made 3 further List A appearances for the county, the last coming against the Surrey Cricket Board in the 1999 NatWest Trophy. In his 4 List A matches, he scored 35 runs at an average of 8.75, with a high score of 26. As a bowler, Thomas bowled 38.1 overs for the cost of 182 runs, and claiming just the one wicket.

His father, Peter and uncle, David, both played for Norfolk.

Thomas grew up in south London, where he attended Rutlish School, Merton Park. He entered journalism in 1988, as a reporter for The People. In 1994, he moved to the News of the World, where he rose to become a chief reporter.

He joined the Daily Mirror in 1997 as features editor, then became assistant editor and, in 2001, deputy editor. In 2003, he was appointed editor of The People, and remained in the post until 2008. He then took up an appointment at TM Media PR.

He currently works as director of marketing & fundraising at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth, 60 Grove End Road, St John's Wood, London NW8.