Thomas Ernst (born 23 December 1967) is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.[1][2]

Thomas Ernst
Personal information
Date of birth (1967-12-23) 23 December 1967 (age 56)
Place of birth Wiesbaden, West Germany
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1974–1981 FV Biebrich
1981–1986 Eintracht Frankfurt
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1991 Eintracht Frankfurt II 126 (0)
1987–1994 Eintracht Frankfurt 5 (0)
1994–1995 FSV Frankfurt 27 (0)
1995–2000 VfL Bochum 71 (0)
2001–2003 VfB Stuttgart 19 (0)
2003–2006 1. FC Kaiserslautern 30 (0)
2004–20051. FC Kaiserslautern II 1 (0)
Total 279 (0)
Managerial career
2007–2008 FSV Frankfurt
Medal record
Eintracht Frankfurt
Winner DFB-Pokal 1987–88
VfL Bochum
Winner 2. Bundesliga 1995–96
Runner-up 2. Bundesliga 1999–00
VfB Stuttgart
Runner-up Bundesliga 2002–03
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

edit

Ernst was born in Wiesbaden, Hesse. He started playing professionally with Eintracht Frankfurt. At the Hessian club, he could only amass five Bundesliga appearances in seven years combined, being barred by legendary Uli Stein. In 1994, he moved clubs but stayed in the city, joining FSV Frankfurt in the second division.

After one season, Ernst joined VfL Bochum also in level two, only appearing twice in his first two seasons combined. His best individual year happened in 1998–99, when he appeared in 32 league games, but the North Rhine-Westphalia side suffered top flight relegation, as second from bottom.

From 2000 to 2006, Ernst remained in the top division, with VfB Stuttgart and 1. FC Kaiserslautern, but again appeared almost exclusively as a backup, until his retirement at the age of 38. In 19 professional seasons, he appeared in 152 league games, 106 of those in the first division.

Ernst moved into managing immediately after retiring, working as a goalkeeper coach with Germany women's national team. The following year, he had his first head coach experience, with former club FSV Frankfurt, and returned to Bochum in 2008, as director of football.

Personal life

edit

Ernst's wife, Kerstin Pohlmann, was also a professional footballer. His son Tjark is currently a football goalkeeper with the German club Hertha BSC.[3]

Career statistics

edit
Club Season League DFB-Pokal Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Eintracht Frankfurt II 1986–87 Oberliga Hessen 5 0 5 0
1987–88 30 0 30 0
1988–89 33 0 33 0
1989–90 30 0 30 0
1990–91 28 0 28 0
Total 126 0 0 0 0 0 126 0
Eintracht Frankfurt 1987–88 Bundesliga 1 0 0 0 1 0
1988–89 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1989–90 0 0 0 0 0 0
1990–91 0 0 0 0 0 0
1991–92 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1992–93 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1993–94 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
FSV Frankfurt 1994–95 2. Bundesliga 27 0 0 0 27 0
VfL Bochum 1995–96 2. Bundesliga 1 0 0 0 1 0
1996–97 Bundesliga 1 0 0 0 1 0
1997–98 18 0 0 0 1 0 19 0
1998–99 32 0 2 0 34 0
1999–00 2. Bundesliga 18 0 3 0 21 0
2000–01 Bundesliga 1 0 0 0 1 0
Total 71 0 5 0 1 0 77 0
Stuttgart 2000–01 Bundesliga 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2001–02 3 0 0 0 3 0
2002–03 14 0 1 0 4 0 19 0
Total 19 0 1 0 4 0 24 0
Kaiserslautern 2003–04 Bundesliga 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
2004–05 21 0 2 0 23 0
2005–06 3 0 1 0 4 0
Total 30 0 3 0 0 0 33 0
Kaiserslautern II 2004–05 Oberliga Südwest 1 0 1 0
Career total 279 0 9 0 5 0 293 0

Honours

edit

VfB Stuttgart

References

edit
  1. ^ "Thomas Ernst" (in German). fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  2. ^ "Ernst, Thomas" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  3. ^ "Torwart Tjark Ernst von Hertha BSC im Interview: „Von Anfang an war klar, ich will ins Tor"" – via Tagesspiegel.
  4. ^ "Stuttgart 2-0 Lille (Aggregate: 2 - 1)". uefa.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2002. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
edit