Saturday, May 5, 2016: Rochdale are staring relegation in the face on the final day of the season. They need to better the result of Oldham Athletic to retain their spot in League One. After 67 minutes, the game was goalless and Rochdale brought on Joe Thompson, only 6 months on from being cleared of cancer. By the 69th minute, Thompson had won another battle as he smashed home a goal for Rochdale. They were staying up.
He had his first heartbreak at 16 after he was released from Manchester United. Filled with determination, he made a name for himself in the Football League. At 24, he faced a threatening blow. A cancer diagnosis. After an inspirational return, he battled it all over again four years later as his cancer had returned. Despite two bouts with cancer, he became a local hero at his first club, Rochdale. This is the story of Joe Thompson.
Thompson’s first interaction with football was at a young age as it helped him integrate into a new community after moving to Greater Manchester from down South.
He joined a local team at eight years old and his talent was quickly recognised. A top team’s scout saw him at a small five-a-side tournament.
Thompson explained: “Manchester United's scout was there, a gentleman called John Cook. And he's still a scout now. That's how it came about. And I remember he approached my mum and the coach and said, we’d really like him to come down and have a six-week trial at Manchester United.”
He praised his time at United, saying ‘it gave me structure, it gave me a purpose’. However, the darker side of academy football is that only one percent of players in UK academies go on to sign a professional contract.
At 16, Joe discovered that he would be released from Manchester United. He looked back on it as ‘a crushing blow but one of the biggest and best learning curves’.
There are often headlines when a young academy prospect makes the first team, but no one knows what happens after a talent gets released. I asked Joe for his perspective on being released and what support the club offered him.
He said: “They obviously put in a good word for you wherever you go and give you a good reference. But at that point, you're a little bit, I say bitter because you've been released.
“Ultimately you've been told you're not good enough for whatever reason that may be.”
Thompson got released as he was seen as not being physically developed enough, which he laughs off now standing at six-foot-one.
Despite initial feelings of bitterness, he described his praise for the club: “They did it with an element of class. They sat my mum down, my auntie, who would always take me there and they tried to explain it the best they could.
“The support was definitely there, but whether, you as a young hormonal adolescent, will want that support is another thing altogether.”
After several trials, Thompson’s first professional contract came at Rochdale, at the age of 17. He reminisced on the feeling of signing the first contract of his career: “So I felt like I was at the first point where I can start to give back. It was almost like I justified all my mum's sacrifices.”
His successful stint at Rochdale saw him accumulate 157 appearances for the club, scoring 17 goals across seven seasons. This was enough to earn him his first-ever transfer.
He joined Tranmere Rovers in August 2012 and played 32 games before hitting the biggest barrier of his career and life. Joe was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare form of cancer.
He looked back to that difficult time in his life: “It was gutting because to be told you've got something fundamentally wrong with your body, which is your prized asset, which you use every day, it’s a tough one to take.
“You have an air of invincibility when you're playing professional football, but it was a humbling experience. Eye-opening. Definitely changed my perspective and outlook on life.”
At one of his lowest points, the support he received from Tranmere was ‘poor’.
“The support wasn't very good from the club. We've had conversations since and it's got different ownership and different structure now. And they were very, very apologetic for what went on previously.”
After an incredible recovery from cancer, Joe discovered that his return to football had been halted by Tranmere Rovers.
“I got released. A letter came through the door reading ‘We thank Joe for his services’. And this was just about two weeks after I'd been put into remission.”
Powering on, he ventured across the Football League, playing for the likes of Bury, Wrexham, Southport and Carlisle.
Then, four years after his initial departure, he returned to his first club – Rochdale. Only a few months later, he received the devastating news that his cancer had returned.
“It was crushing the second time; it really was because you know all about it. Adrenaline probably got me through the first time. Whereas the second time, you think you're out of the woods, and have a family now. Then yeah, it was heartbreaking.”
The structure of support for Joe’s second battle was cancer was nothing short of special. He described the support from across the footballing world as ‘quite overwhelming’.
“I was with my brother, and he asked, ‘What's that shirt there?’, and it's a shirt from Wayne Rooney, signed to me. You know, best wishes. Now I've probably got every shirt from across the country, which is incredible.”
To beat cancer a second time was an incredible feat for Thompson. He described his feelings stepping back onto the pitch for the first time as ‘quite emotional’.
“I just felt free again. The football pitch for me has always been a sanctuary in a way. Throughout my life, there have always been issues going on. But for 90 minutes, it doesn't matter.”
Thompson’s incredible career deserved a brilliant sendoff when he ultimately hung up his boots. He retired in 2019 and his career was commemorated with a guard of honour, a testimonial and several awards.
I asked Joe for one piece of advice for the 99 percent of academy players out there who may be struggling after their first release. He told me: “Be more proactive. Ask more questions. Go within. Everything is in you.
“Football can’t be your all. You're a son, you're a brother, you're a friend, you're a teammate before all of that. Enjoy it. Embrace the highs and lows.”
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