# Thomas Ernst

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

## Career

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

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

## Career statistics

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

## Honours

VfB Stuttgart
* UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2002