Wayne will be hoping for better luck in his second season at Turf Moor after injury robbed him of much of his first campaign with the club.<\/P>
The strong and pacy defender became Steve Cotterill's third signing of the 2005 closed season when his contract expired at Championship rivals Stoke City <\/P>
It took a flying visit by Cotterill to Wayne's holiday base in Florida\u00a0to seal his signature ahead of a clutch of clubs and the player later admitted that shock visit\u00a0persuaded him to agree to join the club.<\/P>
However, disaster struck in August when the central defender suffered a cruciate knee injury at Reading. After initially being ruled out for the season he made a miracle return at Christmas, but needed a second operation to remove a\u00a0piece of troublesome cartilage early in 2006.<\/P>
A foot injury sustained at Stoke in March finally ended a jinxed campaign for the popular stopper, who has previously worked under Cotterill in the Potteries.<\/P>
Born in the west country, Wayne began his career in the south-west with Torquay United before joining Stoke for £200,000 in\u00a0the summer of 2000.<\/P>
He settled into life in the former Second Division and in only his second season at the Britannia Stadium helped the Potters to promotion to the Championship.<\/P>
Since then he has proved to be one of the top performers in the Championship. Capable of playing in the centre of defence or as a right-back, Wayne is renowned for his pace and strength and\u00a0will be praying injury steers well clear in the coming campaign.\u00a0<\/P>","BFA4903D06441BD5032C18CFE9B50683":"","797F91F0051E8E7502912D1DDA7DF5C1":"England","2134628892B06B90":"Wayne Thomas","99B9FE00554E753D0BC6E1E16DA9F791":"Veria FC","60DC9D976694DF52":"1","BDC97245F9A52F8B":"1435","BCB817AACBF8A2A6870B9B82788BC0CB":"2","411CCFA197052F93":"Wayne Thomas","BA50BEB0DB40F3ADF7C4575FF4221F17":"","6A0E980854EFD8AD1B424574AD15DF0D":"","D41F91B0720932DCFCEBDA572EB68D71":"1979-5-17","EABD711929A60B526AB9CD802EC5F0A7":"999","8025E7E497D77CF6":"Tamworth","C403D9D9F071ACF5":"5997","FAF88D97B63B269A":"188cm","4039037DD85D60421E356E7B3EA31BE5":"Veria FC,PAE Atromitos,Doncaster Rovers,Southampton,Burnley,Torquay United","e_index":9};