LFE is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former apprentice, Joe Thompson, aged 36.
Thompson’s early years were spent at Manchester United before joining Rochdale in 2005. He made his first team debut for the Dale in May 2006 aged just 17, and the following year went onto pick up the LFE League Two Apprentice of the Year Award.
The midfielder spent six years at Rochdale before signing for Tranmere Rovers in the summer of 2012. It was during his time at Prenton Park that Thompson was diagnosed with cancer for the first time. He completed remission in June 2014 and set his sights on a return to professional football as soon as possible.
Joe successfully returned to the pitch with a short stint at Bury, before moving to Carlisle United for the 2015/16 campaign. After a season of rebuilding himself in Cumbria, Thompson made a return to Rochdale, the place he called “home.” However, three years after his first diagnosis, Joe was diagnosed with cancer once again, requiring life-threatening stem cell treatment. True to his strength and character, Joe defied the odds by beating cancer for a second time and returning to professional football again. He played a starring role in Rochdale’s fight to avoid relegation in the 2017/18 season and on the final day of the campaign scored the winning goal against Charlton Athletic to keep the Club in League One.
Thompson retired in 2019 and received the prestigious Sir Tom Finney Award for his contribution to the EFL. After collecting the award, Joe told LFE: “For me to receive the recognition for the Sir Tom Finney Award is amazing. I’m truly blessed and to win it in front of so many of my peers and so many of the guys from Rochdale, as well as my wife, it’s a moment I will always savour.“
Thompson would go onto pursue a career in motivational speaking and delivered on the LFE Life Skills programme for four years, turning his book ‘Darkness and Light’ into a workshop, teaching young apprentices about resilience and the importance of being authentic.
In April of last year, Thompson was diagnosed with cancer for a third time and despite battling courageously over the past 12 months, passed away on Thursday morning.
Joe impacted so many people’s lives and will always be remembered as an incredible person, someone who radiated positivity and strength in abundance.
The thoughts of everyone at LFE are with Joe’s wife Chantelle, his two children, and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Rest in peace, Joe.
