Frank Thompson (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Frank Thompson

|image =

|image_size =

|caption =

|fullname = Francis William Thompson

|birth_date = {{birth date|1885|10|2|df=y}}

|birth_place = Ballynahinch, Ireland

|death_date = {{death date and age|1950|10|4|1885|10|2|df=y}}

|death_place = Ayr, Scotland

|height = 5 ft 7 in{{cite web |url=https://nifootball.blogspot.com/2008/01/frank-thompson.html |title=Frank Thompson |website=Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats (NIFG) |publisher=Jonny Dewart |access-date=20 September 2024}}

|position = Outside-left

|years1 = 1905–1910

|clubs1 = Cliftonville

|caps1 =

|goals1 =

|years2 = 1910

|clubs2 = Black Diamonds

|caps2 =

|goals2 =

|years3 = 1910

|clubs3 = Linfield

|caps3 =

|goals3 =

|years4 = 1910–1913

|clubs4 = Bradford City

|caps4 = 51

|goals4 = 11

|years5 = 1913–1924

|clubs5 = Clyde

|caps5 = 158

|goals5 = 29

|nationalyears1 = 1910–1914

|nationalteam1 = Ireland

|nationalcaps1 = 12

|nationalgoals1 = 2

| manageryears1 = 1922–1934

| managerclubs1 = Clyde

| manageryears2 = 1935–1939

| managerclubs2 = Ayr United

| manageryears3 = 1945–1947

| managerclubs3 = Glentoran

}}

Francis William Thompson (2 October 1885 – 4 October 1950) was an Irish international football player and manager who played professionally in Ireland, England and Scotland.

Career

While playing with Cliftonville, Thompson won the Irish League once and the Irish Cup twice. He then played briefly with Black Diamonds and Linfield before moving to England to play with Bradford City in December 1910.{{ENFA}} In his three years with the Bantams, he won the 1911 FA Cup Final and earned seven international caps for Ireland.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/18491736.city-team-mates-maverick-winger-bond-missed-1911-cup-final/|title=City Team-mates: Maverick winger Bond missed 1911 cup final |website=Bradford Telegraph and Argus|date=3 June 2020}} (he collected twelve in total between 1910 and 1914). He then moved to Scotland with Clyde,{{cite journal|title=A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players|author=John Litster|publisher=Scottish Football Historian magazine|date=October 2012}} eventually becoming their player-manager, and also spent time as manager of Ayr United, before returning to Ireland to become manager of Glentoran.

His 1911 FA Cup Final winners medal sold for £19,000 at a London auction for sporting memorabilia in 2003.{{ cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/2778027.stm | title = Cup medal sold for £19,000|website= BBC Sport | date = 18 February 2003 }}

Honours

= Player =

Clyde

Glasgow Cup: 1914–15{{cite web | url=https://playupliverpool.com/1914/10/13/clyde-v-partick-thistle-1-0-glasgow-cup-final-october-13-1914/ | title=CLYDE V PARTICK THISTLE 1–0 (GLASGOW CUP FINAL: OCTOBER 13, 1914) | date=13 October 1914 | publisher=Play up Liverpool | access-date=31 March 2021}}

Bradford City