Football administrator Colin Peake delivered a heartfelt tribute at the funeral of former Wales, Swindon Town and Derby County defender Rod Thomas, who passed away aged 78.
The funeral took place in Worcestershire on Thursday and was attended by many former football luminaries who had shared the pitch with Thomas.
Thomas enjoyed a distinguished playing career spanning nearly two decades, representing clubs including Swindon Town, Derby County, Cardiff City, and Gloucester City, as well as earning 50 caps for the Welsh national team.
Highly respected both on and off the pitch, he was also known for his talent as a cricketer, playing for Slad Exiles, and for a time served as the landlord of the Foston’s Ash pub near Stroud after retiring from professional football in 1982.
Tribute to Rod Thomas by Colin Peake
May I take a moment to introduce myself. While some of you may know me, I suspect the majority will have no idea who I am—and, in a typical humorous retort by Roderick John Thomas, he might have snappily replied, “And how lucky they are.”
My name is Colin Peake. I come from Gloucester, where Rod’s love of football truly flourished, and I have been involved in football for a large slice of my life in various roles across the game.
Although Rod came to live in my home city in 1960, I never physically met him until 3 May 1980. By then, Rod was in the twilight of his long career and had been with Cardiff City for some three seasons, plying his trade in the old Division Two of the Football League.
For me, it was my first season in the Football League as a match official, and I had been appointed to run the line in a crucial game involving the Bluebirds and Sunderland. With it being Sunderland’s last away game of the season, a win would see them promoted. The Mackems were in a head‑to‑head battle with Leicester City for the title.
Just how important that match was dawned on me as I travelled down the M5 and then the M4 before crossing into Wales, with a sea of red and white visible in almost every vehicle on the road.
On arrival at Ninian Park, I found that the highest attendance of the season had been smashed, with some 11,000 away fans present. It created a unique atmosphere—at times frightening—due to overcrowding.
Rod played his part in securing City a 1–1 draw that afternoon, keeping the title race alive for the final round of fixtures. Rod’s performance, literally right in front of me, could only be described as typical of him: hard‑working, sporting, and driven by a desire to be part of a team that demonstrated the very best of football in those days.
While Rod was concentrating on being the ultimate professional, I was concentrating on avoiding being bitten by five police dogs patrolling my touchline in front of the rowdiest section of the travelling support.
As Rod later found out at subsequent meetings, me being bitten would have been particularly embarrassing—because at the time, I was a serving police officer.
During my police career, I served 26 years in the CID, and there is one thing I believe needed investigating when it came to Rod’s playing statistics.
When analysing Rod’s record, there is an astonishing fact that many of you may have missed. Throughout his long career, Rod scored goals for every English club he played for. Yet for all the Welsh clubs he represented—and across 50 international caps for Wales—he never scored once. Sadly, it is now too late to ask him why, though I’m sure it was not for the want of trying.
Following our initial encounter, I was fortunate to meet Rod on many occasions at football matches after his retirement, and at functions where we had both been invited by a mutual friend, Ken Boulton. Rod’s friendship with Ken dated back to his Swindon days, and to Ken’s involvement through KB Coaches with away‑match travel arrangements.
I stand here today at the request of many of Rod’s football colleagues—men who were not just teammates, but close friends. On their behalf, they are pleased that so many of you are able to join in this collective tribute.
We must not forget that Rod came from a generation of footballers when there was nowhere near the money that exists in the game today—but none of them look back with jealousy. As if!
Fifty years ago, they lived to play the game and to enjoy it, revelling in the camaraderie that came with it. They loved socialising in all its forms: following the horses, and the obligatory round of golf on days off.
I am sure that after today’s service, many more personal memories will be shared of friendships formed more than half a century ago. And, as befits the passage of time, those memories can be forgiven for being peppered with the occasional embellishment—that is why memories endure.
We have already heard about Rod’s time at Swindon Town, and about that unforgettable day at Wembley in 1969 when Don Rogers scored the goal that defeated Arsenal. Don—another famous Welshman—often says, “I know, because I was there.” Yet Don would be the first to agree: there is no ‘I’ in team. Football is, and always will be, a team game, and those memories belong to everyone involved.
Rod went on to create even more memories at Derby County—not many players can boast a Football League Championship medal on their CV. Sadly, many of those teammates are no longer with us, including his great friend Franny Lee.
Football friendships only truly end when we are no longer able to be in one another’s company—but they are wonderful while they last. Rod had friendships in abundance, forged through his good‑natured style, dry wit, cheeky smile, and his willingness to offer free, honest advice.
From that 1974/75 team, we are pleased to have Roger Davies, Henry Newton, and Colin Boulton with us today.
Don Rogers, like many who wished to pay tribute to Rod, asked me to pass on this personal message: “Rod was a true character—the joker of the squad, always teasing and ribbing the other players.He loved socialising and enjoyed a drink or two.
“Fitter than most, hard to beat defensively and good on the ball, he complemented the other defenders at Swindon in the late 60s.
“He was more like the modern wing‑backs we see in today’s game.
“Part of the 1969 League Cup‑winning team, Rod was one of the best full‑backs to play at the County Ground.
A great player and a great friend to us all.”
Among those representing Swindon from that squad today are John Trollope and Joe Butler. Ray Bishop and his wife Julie also hold very special memories of Rod. Ray and Rod were almost ever‑present together on the Cardiff City team sheet.
Ray recalls: “I’d like to share a few memories of Rod—someone I was lucky enough to call not just a teammate, but one of the best friends a man could have. Rod was also a very special friend in my personal life. He was my best man when I married Julie, and he was fantastic that day—and ever since.
“Before the wedding, I asked him whether he was going to say a few nice things about me in his speech. Typical Rod just looked at me with that cheeky grin and said, ‘Don’t worry, Bish—I’ve got it all written down on my little fingernail.’ That was him all over—sharp, funny, and effortless.”
People will always remember Rod for what he achieved on the pitch: a proud Welsh international and a club legend who wore every shirt with pride. Had he not moved to Derby, he might well have rivalled John Trollope’s playing record at the County Ground—and it is wonderful to see John here today.
As we all know, football thrives on the spectacle of match days, but John Turner is a perfect example of the unseen work that goes on behind the scenes. John often speaks highly of Rod, recalling how—unlike many senior internationals—Rod always took time to talk to the 16‑ and 17‑year‑old lads, joking with them, giving them confidence, and making them feel part of the club. John loved him for that, as did many of the apprentices.
Over the years, Rod, Ray, and John continued to share memories on golfing days—and, unashamedly, in a pub run by John in Torquay.
Ray also wanted to recount that while he and Rod were both at Cardiff, Ray was refurbishing a property in Dyfed Powys. Through Ray’s uncle, he managed to acquire plenty of sand, cement—and even a spare wheelbarrow. With Rod labouring, they loaded the truck so high that the front wheels barely touched the road, but they got there, offloaded it all, and that was the start of the property development business Ray is still actively involved in today.
So Ray has much to thank Rod for. Where was Rod’s agent in all of that?
If it’s any consolation, Rod enjoyed a well‑earned lunch and a pint afterwards. Pure mischief. Pure fun. Pure Rod.
It would be remiss not to mention that Rod was also a selfless teammate—though I suspect many of the seasoned players here will already have worked this out for themselves.
The late Keith Pontin, the big centre‑half at Cardiff, was once told by Rod: “You go and win them, and I’ll pick everything else up.” That partnership helped Keith become a Welsh international—something Rod was immensely proud of. Having a club teammate at international level not only strengthened their bond, but undoubtedly helped prolong Rod’s playing days.
Rod was kind, loyal, funny, and one of those rare people who made life brighter simply by being in it.
His friends will miss him dearly—but more importantly, they will take pride in being able to say that they knew him. Not just as the player who represented his clubs and his country, but as a man who made every day better.
Rest easy, Rod. Thank you for every memory.
