This exact thing happened to me today. The thermostat plug sheared off clean. Even though I had the thermostat out while trying to get the remaining plug out, some of it still went down into the head. I have air-con on my disco, so the pump (compressor) needed to come off to get access to the lower left (as you look at the engine) bolt on the thermostat housing. Once I figured this out it all went swimingly.