Thornton Hibs gaffer Craig Gilbert says son-in-law Garry Thomson 'may quit playing' after horror leg break

Club legend Thomson, 35, who has scored against at least 50 different teams during 17 years and over 400 appearances with Thornton, sustained the nightmare injury after landing awkwardly 37 minutes into a match which his team won thanks to Keir Allan’s goal three minutes earlier.

The game was delayed for seven minutes as Thomson lay in agony, with his boss Gilbert – whose daughter Danielle married the player in August 2024 – saying that there was an expected two hour 20-minute wait for an NHS ambulance so Thomson’s team-mate John Soutar instead drove him to Dunfermline’s Queen Margaret Hospital for treatment almost straight away.

"Garry went up for a jump and I think he has just fallen awkwardly, kind of crumbled,” Gilbert told the Fife Free Press. “It’s very sad. After landing awkwardly, Garry was cold, vulnerable and freezing. We didn't want him to go into shock so we had to get him in a wheelchair.

"We rocked him up, we got him in a car and John took him to the Queen Margaret in Dunfermline right away. We couldn't wait on an ambulance, it would just have taken too long.

"His leg just gave way when he landed, there was no tackle, no malice or anything. It was just a sheer accident I think.

"Garry’s had an ankle injury the last two or three weeks, so his ankle's maybe been pretty weak when he landed, I don't know. But he's hardly ever injured.

"I see Garry most days. I am really gutted for him.

“Garry must be the greatest East Region player of all time. That’s high praise, but it’s not even a question.

"Garry has scored roughly 300 goals and he’s a midfielder, not even a striker. He's been playing him up front just the last few years, but from a midfielder's perspective his record is actually incredible.

"If he goes out on that note, it's not so good. He had been thinking about maybe packing it in this year because he was just going to help his family.

"He's not getting any younger. If we’d got promoted, I maybe could have persuaded him to stay on.”

Gilbert said that the “small bone” injury sustained by Thomson – who is now wearing a moon boot – will see him miss the rest of the season.

The gaffer added: “This is a massive blow. You can never replace a Garry Thompson, he's irreplaceable.

"But look, we've got other players in the team that'll have to step up.

"We've beaten teams before without Garry, it's not a one-man team.

"He has a great attitude, never moans or groans and is professional to the max. Left foot, right foot, header, volley, it doesn't matter, his control is fantastic.

"I’ve spoken to Garry since the incident and he’s all right, he’s just resting.

"You just carry on. I’ve had two leg breaks, my wife’s had a leg break, our dog’s had a leg break. It runs in the family, so it’s life, you just need to get back up.”

Although the injury somewhat overshadowed the match itself, the three points for Thornton have put them in a very strong position as they are in the top four promotion slots as they sit third with 40 points from 21 fixtures, five points ahead of fifth-placed Leith Athletic with two games in hand.

This Saturday sees Hibs get a break from league action as they visit EoS Premier Division leaders Hill of Beath Hawthorn in an RJM Sports League Cup first round tie which kicks off at 2.30pm.