| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Garry Lindsey Thompson[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1959-10-07)7 October 1959 (age 66) | ||
| Place of birth | Kings Heath,Birmingham England[2] | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[3] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1977 | Coventry City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1983 | Coventry City | 134 | (38) |
| 1983–1985 | West Bromwich Albion | 91 | (39) |
| 1985–1986 | Sheffield Wednesday | 36 | (7) |
| 1986–1988 | Aston Villa | 60 | (17) |
| 1988–1990 | Watford | 34 | (8) |
| 1990–1991 | Crystal Palace | 20 | (3) |
| 1991–1993 | Queens Park Rangers | 19 | (1) |
| 1993–1995 | Cardiff City | 43 | (5) |
| 1995–1997 | Northampton Town | 50 | (6) |
| Total | 487 | (124) | |
| International career | |||
| 1981–1982 | England U21 | 6 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2001 | Bristol Rovers (caretaker) | ||
| 2001–2002 | Bristol Rovers | ||
| 2004 | Brentford (caretaker) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Garry Lindsey Thompson (born 7 October 1959) is an English former professionalfootballer andmanager who made over 480 appearances in theFootball League, most notably forCoventry City,West Bromwich Albion andAston Villa. After his retirement as a player, Thompson moved into coaching and management.
Aforward, Thompson had a long playing career and club level, making 487 appearances and scoring 124 goals in thePremier League and throughout theFootball League.[4] His peak years were earlier in his career withCoventry City, for whom he scored 49 goals in 158 appearances andWest Bromwich Albion,[4] for whom he was voted the club's1984–85 Player of the Year.[5] Late in the1989–90 season Thompson joinedCrystal Palace to provide cover for the injuredIan Wright, but wascup-tied for the1990 FA Cup Final.[6] He was a part of the1990–91Full Members' Cup-winning squad.[citation needed] Thompson briefly played in the Premier League forQueens Park Rangers during the1992–93 season and made oneEuropean appearance forCardiff City in September 1993.[7][8] Thompson retired at the end of the1996–97 season and finished his career with 584 appearances and 153 goals.[4]
Thompson began hiscoaching career while still a player atNorthampton Town and later moved toBristol Rovers as a coach andreserve team manager.[9][10] In January 2001, after the sacking of managerIan Holloway,[10] he was named incaretaker charge and managed the first team until the end of the2000–01Second Division season and was unable to prevent the Gas' relegation to theThird Division.[11][12] Thompson became assistant to new managerGerry Francis in June 2001 and after Francis' resignation in December 2001,[13] he took over the role as permanent manager on a2+1⁄2-year contract.[11] By 9 April 2002 and with a double relegation intonon-League football looking likely, Thompson was sacked.[14]
In October 2002, Thompson was named as assistant to managerWally Downes at Second Division clubBrentford.[15] He continued in the role until 15 March 2004, when, with the prospect of relegation looming, Downes was sacked.[16] Thompson was named caretaker manager and his one match in charge resulted in a 1–1 draw withBlackpool the following night.[17] He left the club following the appointment ofMartin Allen on 18 March.[18]
Thompson served as a coach at strugglingConference Premier clubFarnborough Town during the2004–05 season and quit the club on 31 March 2005.[19]
In February 2006, Thompson joinedConference North clubHucknall Town as assistant to managerKevin Wilson.[20] He was released from his contract in December 2006.[20]
Thompson is ofSaint Kitts and Nevis descent.[21] His younger brotherKeith was also a professional footballer and he is the uncle of athleteDaniel Caines.[22] Thompson is an Aston Villa supporter and has worked inPR, as a driver and as asummariser forBBC Radio WM.[2][23][24] He released an autobiography,Don't Believe a Word,[21] in December 2020.[25]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Coventry City | 1977–78[3] | First Division | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 2 | ||
| 1978–79[3] | 20 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 23 | 9 | ||||
| 1979–80[3] | 17 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 6 | ||||
| 1980–81[3] | 35 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 6 | — | — | 46 | 15 | ||||
| 1981–82[3] | 36 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 15 | ||||
| 1982–83[3] | 22 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 134 | 38 | 11 | 4 | 13 | 7 | — | — | 158 | 49 | ||||
| West Bromwich Albion | 1982–83[26] | First Division | 12 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 7 | ||||
| 1983–84[27] | 37 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 45 | 18 | ||||
| 1984–85[28] | 42 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 48 | 22 | ||||
| Total | 91 | 39 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 5 | — | — | 105 | 45 | ||||
| Sheffield Wednesday | 1985–86[4] | First Division | 36 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 44 | 8 | ||
| Aston Villa | 1986–87[3] | First Division | 31 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 38 | 7 | |
| 1987–88[3] | Second Division | 24 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 28 | 12 | ||
| 1988–89[3] | First Division | 5 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 7 | 0 | |||
| Total | 60 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 2 | — | 3 | 0 | 73 | 19 | |||
| Watford | 1988–89[29] | Second Division | 21 | 7 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 27 | 7 | ||
| 1989–90[29] | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | |||
| Total | 34 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 43 | 8 | |||
| Crystal Palace | Total | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 22 | 5 | ||
| Queens Park Rangers | 1991–92[30] | First Division | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 19 | 1 | |
| 1992–93[7] | Premier League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Total | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | — | 1 | 0 | 25 | 1 | |||
| Cardiff City | Total | 43 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 61 | 9 | |
| Northampton Town | 1996–97[31] | Third Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 50 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 53 | 6 | |||
| Career total | 487 | 124 | 40 | 7 | 42 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 584 | 153 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Bristol Rovers (caretaker) | 29 January 2001 | 27 June 2001 | 23 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 030.4 | [32] |
| Bristol Rovers | 24 December 2001 | 9 April 2002 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 029.2 | |
| Brentford (caretaker) | 15 March 2004 | 18 March 2004 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 000.0 | |
| Total | 48 | 14 | 11 | 23 | 029.2 | — | ||
Aston Villa
Crystal Palace
Individual