Jack Thompson (1920s footballer)

John George Thompson[lower-alpha 1] (active 1919–1927) was an English professional footballer who made 120 Football League appearances playing as a right back for Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion.[2]

This article is about the Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion right back. For the Sheffield United and Bristol City outside right, see Jack Thompson (footballer, born 1892). For other footballers named Jack Thompson, see Jack Thompson.

Jack Thompson
Personal information
Full name John George Thompson[lower-alpha 1]
Place of birth Cramlington,[lower-alpha 1] England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Position(s) Right back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
191?–1919 Ashington
1919–1921 Aston Villa 26 (0)
1921–1925 Brighton & Hove Albion 94 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Thompson was born in Cramlington, Northumberland.[lower-alpha 1] He played football for Ashington of the North-Eastern League before signing for Aston Villa in November 1919 for a fee reported as £300.[3] He went straight into their team for the Football League First Division match against West Bromwich Albion: asked if he was nervous, he is reported to have replied "Why no, I fought against the Germans!"[4] He made 17 appearances in what remained of the season, but played only 11 times in 1920–21[5] after losing his place to Tommy Smart.[6]

Thompson signed for Brighton & Hove Albion of the Third Division South in August 1921. He was a first-team regular for three seasons, part of a defence that in 1922–23 set a club record for fewest goals conceded in a Football League season, of 34, that stood for more than 60 years. His professional career was ended by an ankle injury sustained during a match away against Norwich City in April 1924, and he went on to work as a bus driver in Brighton.[6]

Notes
  1. There are multiple inconsistencies in reliable sources for Thompson's birth details, such that it appears that two different people might have been confused. Joyce's Football League Players' Records lists his given names as James Gilbert,[lower-alpha 2] where Carder & Harris's Albion A–Z and the Aston Villa Player Database (AVDB) have John George.[lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4] Both Joyce and the AVDB have the same birth date and place, of July 1900 in Crewe, despite listing different birth names. Carder & Harris have no birth date, but list Cramlington as his birthplace, as does the Athletic News in its 1924–25 season preview.[lower-alpha 5] This article follows the contemporary Athletic News source and Carder & Harris.
  4. "Thompson, John". Aston Villa Player Database. Jörn Mårtensson. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  5. "Brighton & Hove Albion". Athletic News. Manchester. 1 August 1924. p. 3. J. Thompson (R.B.) Cramlington 5 10 12 7

References
  2. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 258. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  3. "North-Eastern League". Lancashire Evening Post. 8 November 1919. p. 5.
  4. "Trained out of 'em". Star Green 'Un. Sheffield. 15 November 1919. p. 2.
  6. Carder, Tim; Harris, Roger (1997). Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Hove: Goldstone Books. p. 240. ISBN 978-0-9521337-1-1.


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