David Thompson (footballer, born 1977)

Born in Birkenhead, Merseyside, Thompson's Liverpool debut came on 19 August 1996, as an 87th-minute substitute in a 2–0 victory against Arsenal. He only played one more game before being loaned to Swindon Town for two and a half months in November 1997. His good form at Swindon led him to be selected more frequently for Liverpool, these performances paying off as he scored the winning goal against Crystal Palace later in the season. His 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons were steady, and the 1999–00 season would see him back into the team on a regular basis.

In the summer of 2000 he moved to Coventry City for a fee of 3.5 million pounds his first game a 3–1 defeat to Middlesbrough in which he was sent off in the 71st minute. Coventry were relegated during the 2000–01 season, and he sought a move back to the Premiership. However, he stayed at Coventry throughout the 2001–02 season scoring 17 goals and assisting many more collecting the player of the year and fans player of the year award and also leading goal scorer award.

In August 2002 Blackburn Rovers signed Thompson for a. Initial fee £1.5 million. His rise in division as well as form gave him international recognition, as Sven-Göran Eriksson named him in the England squads against Slovakia and Macedonia.,[1] though ultimately he was never capped for the senior side.

After having surgery with the World renowned Colorado knee specialist DR Richard Steadman it was decided after 6 operations and loss of form, a cartilage problem and further surgery in 2003–04 led him to suffer a breakdown in form. His recovery was aided by visits to the Bayern Munich doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrtit was decided that Thompson should retire in 2007.[2]

Injuries and subsequent failure to return to form meant that Blackburn allowed him to leave on a free transfer to Wigan Athletic on 19 January on a six month deal Thompson form was excellent for Wigan scoring 2 goals and 5 assists in 10 games helping them in the highest ever premier league finish.He left Wigan to join Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth.

Thompson made a successful start at Portsmouth and made 14 appearances before joining Bolton Wanderers and Sam Allardyce who were in 3rd spot in the Premier League at the time. Bolton signed him just two hours before the transfer window shut on 31 January 2007 on a short-term deal. Thompson made his debut for Bolton as a substitute in the 2–1 victory against Fulham on 11 February, and subsequently made his first start for the club against his former employer Wigan Athletic on 7 April. He played six more matches for the rest of the 2006–07 season,Thompson rejected a pay as you play deal at Bolton.

In November 2007 he started a successful trial with Sheffield United.[3]

After discussing terms with manager Bryan Robson, Thompson decided to retire as he didn’t feel he could fulfil the contract after his injuries .

On 28 November 2007, he announced his retirement as a result of the chronic cartilage problem in his knee – an injury that first appeared whilst at Blackburn.