Thomas Cairney (born 20 January 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and captains Premier League club Fulham. Born in England, he represented the Scotland national team.
Thomas Cairney was born in Nottingham Nottinghamshire, but moved to and was raised in the town of Selby in North Yorkshire after his family relocated there during his time in the Leeds United Academy. He was raised by a Scottish father, who worked as a miner and then as a taxi driver and postman. He also revealed that his father would take him to Scotland and watch Celtic as a youngster. When he was about 15 or 16, he worked for Barclays Bank for work experience for two weeks. He described this as the "worst two weeks of [his] life!".
Cairney started his football career at Nottingham Forest. At the age of 7, he was signed by Leeds United. Cairney was released from the Leeds United youth system at the age of 16 after being told he was too small. Reflecting on his time at Leeds United, he said: "To be honest it crushed me, it crushed me a lot, I was with Leeds from when I was seven to 16 so it was a big part of my life. I owe a lot to (then Hull manager) Phil Brown as he believed in me."
Hull City gave Cairney a chance when they signed him to a youth contract in 2007. Cairney was named as Hull's Young Player of the Year for the 2008–09 season. For this, he signed a two-year contract with the club in June 2009.
He played for Hull against Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the pre-season Premier League Asia Trophy in Beijing on 31 July 2009. His first-team debut came against Southend United in the League Cup on 25 August 2009, when he opened the scoring with a curling long-range effort as Hull won 3–1. He went on to make his Premier League debut on 30 January 2010 in a 2–2 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers. On 7 March 2010, Cairney scored his first league goal for Hull in a 5–1 defeat against Everton, an impressive volley from outside the area. Cairney signed a new three-year contract with the club on 31 March 2010. Having been given a first team opportunity later in the season, he made the total of 14 appearances and scoring once for the side.
Following Hull's relegation, Cairney began to establish himself in the first team in the 2010–11 season. He scored one goal, a curling free kick against Norwich City that helped Hull to their first away victory in 30 games. In January 2011, he signed a contract extension with the club, keeping him until 2013. Despite suffering an injury, Cairney made the total of 23 appearances during the 2010–11 season.
In the 2011–12 season, Cairney continued to feature in the first team and then set up a double assists, in a 3–2 win over Watford on 22 October 2011. He then scored his first goal of the season on 7 January 2012, in a 3–1 win over Ipswich Town in the third round of the FA Cup. Despite suffering a foot injury, Cairney made a total of 29 appearances for Hull in the 2011–12 season.
At the start of the 2012–13 season, Cairney played the vital role, in a 3–2 loss against Doncaster Rovers in the second round of the League Cup on 28 August 2012, when he set up two Hull City's goals in the match. However, during the match, he sustained a serious knee injury, following a reckless tackle by Doncaster's James Husband in a League Cup tie. Steve Bruce later described the challenge as a "horror tackle". After over three months out injured, Cairney returned to fitness on 8 December 2012, appearing on the bench for Hull's away victory over Watford. Cairney made his return the following week at home to Huddersfield coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute for teammate Corry Evans.
In the third round of the FA Cup against Leyton Orient on 5 January 2013, Cairney set up a goal for Nick Proschwitz, in a 1–1 draw to lead to a third round replay. In the third round replay, he scored a winning goal, in a 2–1 win to send them through to the next round. Although he appeared less and remained on the substitute bench for the rest of the season, Cairney went on to make a total of 14 appearances and scoring once for the side, as Hull City were promoted to the Premier League.
On 1 August 2013, Cairney joined Blackburn Rovers on loan until January.
He made his debut in a 1–1 draw against Derby County, as a 77th-minute substitute for Alex Marrow. Two days later, Cairney made his full debut for the club in an eventful League Cup clash with Carlisle United, scoring one and providing one assist, before being sent off for the first time in his career after two bookable offences. Cairney equalised for Blackburn in a 5–2 victory over Barnsley on 24 August, opening his Championship account for the club. Since joining Blackburn Rovers, Cairney established himself in the first team there, having quickly made an impact. He then set up two goals on 1 January 2014, in a 2–1 win over Leeds United.
On 2 January 2014, his move to Blackburn was made permanent after a successful first half of the season on loan. Cairney said: "I'm very pleased to sign permanently – that was a goal of mine when I came on loan in August." After completing this permanent deal, Cairney scored his second league goal for Blackburn Rovers, both of them coming against Barnsley on 28 January 2014. The local newspaper Lancashire Telegraph named him as the top performer for January. However, after being sidelined with ankle injury, which he sustained against Reading, he scored on his return from ankle injury against Brighton & Hove Albion on 1 April 2014, as well as, assisting a goal, in a 3–3 draw. Despite suffering from another injury, Cairney returned to the first team, scoring two more goals against Charlton Athletic and Wigan Athletic. Cairney rounded off his successful season when fans voted him Player of the Year 2013–14. At the end of the 2013–14 season, Cairney scored 6 times in total of 40 appearances.
In the 2014–15 season, Cairney started the season well when he scored two goals by the end of the first month of the season against Cardiff City and Norwich City (for this, he won the club's Goal of the Season). He continued to play in the central–midfield role for the side and for that, he was nominated for August's Player of the Month, but lost out to Charlton's Igor Vetokele. However, in a 2–1 win over Leeds United on 22 November 2014, Cairney was sent–off for a second bookable. Shortly after serving his suspension, he then suffered ankle injury. It was not until on 26 December 2014 when he returned from the first team, where he played 69 minutes, in a 2–1 loss against Bolton Wanderers. Following his return to the first team, Cairney regained his place for the rest of the season, but struggled to score goals, as he acknowledged his second season at the club had become difficult. On 4 April 2015 he scored his third goal of the season, in a 3–3 draw against Leeds United. Despite being sidelined on 3 occasions in the 2014–15 season, Cairney scored 3 times in the total of 45 appearances this season. During his time at Blackburn Rovers, he was a fan favourite among the club's supporters.
Cairney signed for Fulham on 26 June 2015 for an undisclosed fee, signing a four-year contract. The move for Cairney reportedly cost £3 million. Cairney was given the number 10 shirt for the new season, succeeding Bryan Ruiz, who departed the club in the summer transfer window.
Cairney made his Fulham debut, where he started and played the whole game, in a 1–1 draw against Cardiff City. In a follow-up match on 15 August 2015, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on 15 August 2015 and then scored again in a 2–1 loss against Hull City four days later on 19 August 2015. Despite the defeat, he was named the club's Man of the Match. His goal against Brighton & Hove Albion earned him August's Goal of the Month. He then scored again on 19 September 2015, in a 3–2 loss against Sheffield Wednesday. However, in a 3–0 loss against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 29 September 2015, Cairney was sent–off for "a two-footed tackle" on Adam Le Fondre in the 35th minute. After serving a three match suspension, he regained his first team place since returning and played most of the season in the right-hand side of midfield. Cairney then ended his four months goal drought when he scored and set up a goal, in a 3–1 win over rivals, Queens Park Rangers on 13 February 2016. Following the match, he was named Man of the Match. After scoring three more goals, including a brace with a 3–0 win over Charlton Athletic on 20 February 2016, his performance throughout February earned him a Championship Player of the Month.