Max Thompson (footballer, born 1956)

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Max Thompson
Personal information
Full name Maxwell Stuart Thompson[1]
Date of birth (1956-12-31)31 December 1956[1]
Place of birth Liverpool, England[1]
Date of death 27 June 2023(2023-06-27) (aged 66)
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
Position(s) Central defender
Youth career
Liverpool
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1977 Liverpool 1 (0)
1977–1981 Blackpool 99 (6)
1977 → Dallas Tornado (loan) 21 (2)
1978 → Dallas Tornado (loan) 22 (2)
1980 → Seattle Sounders (loan) 5 (0)
1981–1983 Swansea City 26 (2)
1983 AFC Bournemouth 9 (0)
1983 → Port Vale (loan) 2 (0)
1983–1985 Baltimore Blast 39 (6)
1985–1986 Académica de Coimbra
1986 Northwich Victoria
1987 Caernarfon Town
1988 Fleetwood
1988–1989 Newport County 15 (1)
1989 Kramfors
1989–1992 Southport 7 (0)
Total 246+ (20+)
Managerial career
Knowsley United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Maxwell Stuart Thompson (31 December 1956 – 27 June 2023) was an English footballer. A central defender, he scored eight goals in 137 league games in a ten-year career in the Football League. At age 17 years and 128 days, he became Liverpool's youngest ever player (his record has since been broken) when he made his debut in May 1974. He joined Blackpool three years later, and went on to play 99 league games for the club in a four-year spell, and was also loaned out to the Dallas Tornado and Seattle Sounders. He then spent the 1980s with various clubs across the world: AFC Bournemouth, Port Vale, Baltimore Blast (USA), Académica de Coimbra (Portugal), Northwich Victoria, Caernarfon Town, Fleetwood, Newport County, Kramfors (Sweden), and Southport. He later worked at Anfield as a physiotherapist.

Career[edit]

Thompson started his career with Liverpool and broke the club record for being the youngest player to appear for Liverpool, when Bill Shankly handed him his First Division debut at the end of the 1973–74 season against Tottenham Hotspur on 8 May 1974, at the age of 17 years and 128 days.[3] His record was broken by Jack Robinson, who made his debut for Liverpool at the age of 16.[3] Thompson was on the substitutes bench at Wembley in the 1974 FA Charity Shield victory over Leeds United. He never made it onto the pitch though for another league appearance under Bob Paisley in the 1974–75, 1975–76, and 1976–77 campaigns.

Thompson was sold on to Allan Brown's Blackpool for a £80,000 fee in December 1977. The "Tangerines" were relegated out of the Second Division at the end of the 1977–78 season. New boss Bob Stokoe took them to 12th in the Third Division in 1978–79, before they ended the 1979–80 season in 18th place under Alan Ball's stewardship. The club in turmoil, Allan Brown returned to the hot-seat and took them down to the Fourth Division in 1980–81. Thompson scored six goals in 99 league games during his time at Bloomfield Road. During his time at the club he also spent the 1977 and 1978 summers in the North American Soccer League with Dallas Tornado, and also spent the summer of 1980 with the Seattle Sounders.[4]

Thompson signed with Swansea City, and helped John Toshack's "Swans" defy expectations with a sixth-place finish in the top-flight in 1981–82.[5] However, they did suffer relegation at the end of the 1982–83 campaign. Thompson scored twice in 26 league games at Vetch Field. He then played nine Third Division games for AFC Bournemouth in a brief stay at Dean Court. He joined John McGrath's Port Vale on loan in November 1983, but played just two Third Division games for the "Valiants".[1]

Thompson later played for American Major Indoor Soccer League side Baltimore Blast, Portuguese Académica de Coimbra, Conference club Northwich Victoria, Northern Premier League side Caernarfon Town, Fleetwood, Newport County, Swedish Kramfors, and Southport.[1]

Later life[edit]

Thompson became the manager of Knowsley United before becoming the physiotherapist at Liverpool and then Southport.[1]

Thompson died on 27 June 2023, at the age of 66.[6]

Career statistics[edit]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[7][8]
Club Season League National cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Liverpool 1973–74 First Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
1974–75 First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1975–76 First Division 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
1976–77 First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0
Blackpool 1977–78 Second Division 12 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
1978–79 Third Division 39 2 1 0 3 0 43 2
1979–80 Third Division 24 0 1 0 7 0 32 0
1980–81 Third Division 24 5 1 0 1 1 26 6
1981–82 Fourth Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 99 7 3 0 12 1 114 8
Dallas Tornado (loan) 1977 NASL 21 2 – – – – 21 2
1978 NASL 22 2 – – – – 22 2
Seattle Sounders (loan) 1980 NASL 5 0 – – – – 5 0
Swansea City 1981–82 First Division 23 1 1 0 1 0 25 1
1982–83 First Division 3 1 0 0 3 0 6 1
Total 26 2 1 0 4 0 31 2
AFC Bournemouth 1983–84 Third Division 9 0 0 0 2 0 11 0
Port Vale (loan) 1983–84 Third Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Baltimore Blast 1983–84 MISL 4 2 – – – – 4 2
1984–85 MISL 35 4 – – – – 35 4
Total 39 6 0 0 0 0 39 6
Newport County 1989–90[3] Football Conference 15 1 0 0 0 0 15 1
Southport 1989–90[9] Northern Premier League 7 0 3 0 1 0 11 0
1991–92[10] Northern Premier League 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 0
Total 7 0 3 0 4 0 14 0
Career total 246 20 7 0 23 1 276 21

Honours[edit]

Liverpool

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 290. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ^ Rollin, Jack (1980). Rothmans football yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 70. ISBN 0362020175. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Liverpool career stats for Max Thompson - LFChistory - Stats galore for Liverpool FC!". www.lfchistory.net. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Max Thompson". nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  5. ^ Coleman, Tom (27 June 2023). "Swansea City hero and Liverpool record-breaker Max Thompson dies aged 66". WalesOnline. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Liverpool FC — Liverpool FC saddened by passing of Max Thompson". www.liverpoolfc.com. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  7. ^ Max Thompson at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  8. ^ Max Thompson at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
  9. ^ "Player Details". Port Online. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  10. ^ "Player Details". Port Online. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
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