Players - David Thompson

David Thompson
Birthdate: 12 September 1977
Birthplace: Birkenhead, England
Other clubs: Swindon Town (loan 1997-98), Coventry City (2000-02), Blackburn Rovers (2002-06), Wigan Athletic (2006), Portsmouth (2006-07), Bolton Wanderers (2007)
Signed from: Local
Signed for LFC: 1992 - Professional 8 November 1994
International caps: England u-21 7 caps
Liverpool debut: 19.08.1996
Last appearance: 07.05.2000
Debut goal: 13.04.1998
Last goal: 15.01.2000
Contract expiry: 03.08.2000
Win ratio: 50% W:28 D:10 L:18
Games/assists ratio: 7
Total games/goals opposite LFC: 6 / 1
League games / goals / assists: 48 / 5 / 5
Total games / goals / assists: 56 / 5 / 8

Player Profile

Tommo was a favourite among the Liverpool crowd as he was a local boy always willing to give 100% although his fierce attitude sometimes got the better of him. After featuring mostly as a substitute the diminutive terrier made two starts in a row in November 1998 as Roy Evans departed Liverpool leaving Houllier in sole charge. In January 1999 Thompson was sent off in a reserve game against Blackburn and following a row with Houllier was sent to train with the kids at the Academy for two weeks. Three months later Fowler's six-game suspension forced Houllier's hand and as Steve McManaman was pushed up front to fill the void, Thompson made three consecutive starts on the right wing. He said he had learnt his lesson. "Maybe I was a bit reckless," Thompson admitted, "but my time training at the academy did change me. I had to bite my lip a few times and learn to keep my head down and get on with it." Houllier made wholesale changes to the squad in the summer of 1999 but thankfully for Thompson he was very much involved and enjoyed his best run in the side. He also contributed to the scoring, netting the winner against Chelsea in October and in the 4-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday, mostly noted for Steven Gerrard's debut goal, Thompson rounded off a brilliant solo run with a left-foot shot which floated into the far corner. The 22-year-old seemed to have finally established himself at his boyhood club. 

More trouble was, however, around the corner. In January 2000 Thompson was sent off again while playing for the reserves for punching Leeds United's David Hopkin in an off the ball incident. His suspension came at a very inopportune time as Houllier explained to the Liverpool Daily Post. "If he is a tennis player and argues with the referee or whatever then he is the only one to suffer, but football is a team game and it is the club and his teammates who are suffering from his silly behaviour. At a time when we are competing for Europe we don't need that. We need him to be available. We need as many people as possible because we are a little short on personnel. I think players can confuse commitment with a selfish attitude sometimes and if he wants to make it at the top he has got to control himself. I am very angry." A couple of months later the pair seemed to have made amends as Thompson returned to starting line-up. In fact, Thompson was sold to Coventry City before the start of the 2000/01 season as Houllier's revolution continued apace. When Markus Babbel was loaned to Blackburn Rovers in 2003 Thompson quipped: "Once you fall out with the Liverpool manager, you're finished at the club," to which Houllier replied: "I'm glad David Thompson is not at the club any more." Ironically the Liverpool team was crying out for years following McManaman's and Thompson's departure for a player similar to their style who was able to run the length of the field.

Thompson spent two years with the Sky Blues becoming one of their key players scoring a creditable 15 goals in 66 League games. Despite Coventry's relegation from the Premier League in 2001, Thompson stayed and continued to perform well as the club attempted to make an immediate return to the top league. In August, 2002 the player was given the opportunity to re-establish himself in the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers. Thompson even earned himself a call-up to the England squad in October 2002 but unfortunately had to withdraw through injury. Severely affected by different injuries, Thompson struggled to make the big breakthrough at Blackburn and Rovers eventually let him move to Wigan Athletic in January 2006. However, at the end of the season Wigan also released him and he signed a one-year contract with Portsmouth. But frustrated at not being given much of a chance on the south coast, Thompson returned to the north-west to sign for Bolton Wanderers in January 2007. He played only eight League games for Bolton before they too released him and towards the end of the same year he started a trial with Sheffield United. Only days later Thompson announced that he would be retiring as an active footballer because of his constant injury problems, particularly to his cartilage.
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 48 1 5 2 0 56
1996-1997 2 0 0 0 0 2
1997-1998 5 0 0 0 0 5
1998-1999 14 0 2 2 0 18
1999-2000 27 1 3 0 0 31
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
6 345 Tottenham
4 162 Southampton
3 231 Leicester City
3 190 Aston Villa
3 171 Sheffield Wednesday
3 121 Newcastle United
2 180 Leeds United
2 180 Hull City
2 146 West Ham United
2 137 Celta Vigo
2 126 Coventry City
2 123 Blackburn Rovers
2 123 Watford
2 113 Derby
2 104 Chelsea
2 82 Middlesbrough
2 79 Wimbledon
2 74 Arsenal
2 57 Manchester United
2 13 Sunderland
1 90 Fulham
1 78 Bradford City
1 55 Everton
1 16 Crystal Palace
1 12 Nottingham Forest
1 5 Charlton Athletic
Total Started/substitutions
31 Started
22 On the bench
25 Substitute
18 Substituted
Total Venue
33 Home
23 Away
Total Competition
48 Premier League
5 League Cup
2 UEFA Cup
1 FA Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
43 22 7 14 51.2% Gérard Houllier
7 3 2 2 42.9% Roy Evans
6 3 1 2 50% Evans / Houllier
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 5 0 0 0 0 5
1996-1997 0 0 0 0 0 0
1997-1998 1 0 0 0 0 1
1998-1999 1 0 0 0 0 1
1999-2000 3 0 0 0 0 3
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Total Started/substitutions
3 Started
2 Substitute
Total Competition
5 Premier League
Total Goal minute period
1 31-45 minutes
1 46-60 minutes
1 61-75 minutes
2 76-90 minutes
Total Goal origin
5 Open play
Assists per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 5 0 2 1 0 8
1996-1997 0 0 0 0 0 0
1997-1998 1 0 0 0 0 1
1998-1999 1 0 0 1 0 2
1999-2000 3 0 2 0 0 5
A more detailed look at the player's assists
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 19.08.1996 Arsenal Anfield League
50 25.03.2000 Newcastle United Anfield League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 85 13.04.1998 Crystal Palace Anfield League
Related Articles
David Thompson Talks to This Is Anfield

Published on Oct 9, 2014.

The Independent report

The Independent report on Liverpool - Crystal Palace on 13.04.1998.

Irate Houllier gives Thompson warning

An article from Liverpool Daily Post on 13th January 2000

Related Quotes

"Once you fall out with the Liverpool manager, you're finished at the club."

David Thompson was asked about Babbel's arrival at Ewood Park

"I'm glad David Thompson is not at the club any more."

Houllier in retaliation to Thompson’s comments about Blackburn's capture of Babbel that "Once you fall out with the Liverpool manager, you're finished at the club."

Scrapbook
David thinks his Swindon loan will pay big dividends - 1997/98
David thinks his Swindon loan will pay big dividends - 1997/98
David's a rising star - LFC match programme 1995
David's a rising star - LFC match programme 1995
Reds in the wings - David's Red Ambition
Reds in the wings - David's Red Ambition
Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Swindon Town 1997-1998 England First Division 10 0 10 0
Coventry City 2000-2001 England Premier League 25 3 28 3
Coventry City 2001-2002 England First Division 37 12 40 13
Coventry City 2002-2003 England First Division 4 0 4 0
Blackburn Rovers 2002-2003 England Premier League 23 4 32 6
Blackburn Rovers 2003-2004 England Premier League 11 1 14 1
Blackburn Rovers 2004-2005 England Premier League 24 0 30 2
Wigan Athletic 2005-2006 England Premier League 10 2 10 2
Portsmouth 2006-2007 England Premier League 12 0 15 0
Bolton Wanderers 2006-2007 England Premier League 8 0 8 0
Total 164 22 191 27