William Gordon Thompson (10 August 1921 – 1988)[2] was a Scottish footballer who played in the Football League as a wing half for Portsmouth and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.[3][4] He went on to manage clubs in England and the Netherlands.
![]() Thompson arguing with Dutch referee Brouwer (1966) | |||
Personal information | |||
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Full name | William Gordon Thompson[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1921-08-10)10 August 1921 | ||
Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
Date of death | 1988 (aged 66–67) | ||
Position(s) | Wing half | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
– | Carnoustie Panmure | ||
1948–1952 | Portsmouth | 20 | (2) |
1952–1954 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 45 | (0) |
– | Guildford City | ||
Teams managed | |||
1956–1957 | Guildford City | ||
1957–1958 | Exeter City | ||
1958–1962 | Worcester City | ||
1963–1966 | Sparta Rotterdam | ||
1970–1971 | HFC Haarlem | ||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only |
Born in Glasgow,[2] Thompson played for Scottish junior club Carnoustie Panmure before joining Portsmouth.[3] He was a member of Portsmouth's championship-winning team of 1949 and 1950.[2] His only goals for the club came on the last day of the 1949–50 season, playing as an emergency centre-forward. Needing to beat Aston Villa to ensure they stayed ahead of Wolverhampton Wanderers on goal average, Thompson scored twice in a 5–1 win.[5] He went on to play in the League for Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic and in non-league football for Guildford City.[4]
Thompson took over as manager of Guildford City towards the end of the 1955–56 Southern League season, in which they won the title.[6] In May 1957, he was the pick of more than thirty applicants for the post of manager at Third Division South club Exeter City,[7] but lasted only until January 1958, when the club announced his departure by mutual agreement, though Thompson himself said he had been sacked.[8] A few days later, he was appointed manager of Southern League Worcester City, leading them to victory against Liverpool in the 1958–59 FA Cup and remaining in post until 1962.[9][10]
He went on to coach abroad, including in the Netherlands with Sparta Rotterdam from 1963 to 1966[11][12] and HFC Haarlem from 1970 to 1971.[13][14]
Bill Thompson knew he was SACKED by Exeter three days before the official announcement on Friday that he was leaving 'by mutual agreement.'
Managerial positions | |||||||||||||||||
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