Thornton Hibs: Ankle ligament damage delays Garry Thomson's retirement decision
Thornton Hibs manager Craig Gilbert says he’ll give star striker and son-in-law Garry Thomson “as long as he needs” to decide if he wants to continue playing next season or hang up his boots and retire.
Veteran attacker Thomson, 36, who has scored 287 goals in 450 appearances for Thornton since 2009 after being freed by Raith Rovers, has been out of football action since sustaining a horror leg break in Hibs’ 1-0 league victory at Edinburgh South in February.
But there is still a chance the player could return for the 2026-2027 campaign, with the carrot of representing Hibs in the East of Scotland Football League Premier Division following Hibs’ promotion from the first division last season.
“We’re still waiting on Garry,” gaffer Gilbert said. “We don’t know if he’s going to retire or going to come back and play.
"His leg break is fine, although he’s still off work.
"He’s got slight problems in his ankle because he’s got ligament damage which is obviously taking longer to heal.
"Garry’s 36. If he thinks he’s going to get another injury, will he come back? I don’t know. It’s a big decision for him.
"I haven’t set a deadline for Garry to come back to me with a definitive answer about whether he’s going to carry on playing or not.
"He’s got all the time in the world, it’s up to him. He’s given us 17 years of his life, he’s played at Thornton half his life basically so he can take as long as he likes."
When asked if he would prefer that Diageo whisky factory worker Thomson – who is married to Gilbert’s daughter Danielle – would keep on playing for the Memorial Park outfit, the boss added: “He would enhance anybody’s team. Everybody wants Garry Thomson in their side.
"Of course, you want him there, you want him back.
"Especially playing in this league, it would just be a massive help.
"The fact we are now playing in the premier league could sway Garry’s decision.
"I don’t think anybody wants to retire on an injury.
"But he has to weigh up the pros and cons, his age, his work.
"If he is injured again will he get pay like he is just now? That might topple it.
"He’s got two kids that are growing up. It will be his decision.”