Stan Thompson


Alfred Stanley Thompson was an English professional footballer who played as an outside right in the Football League for Brighton & Hove Albion, Hartlepools United and Exeter City.

Life and career

Thompson was born in Durham in 1908. He played football for Durham City before signing for Brighton & Hove Albion in late 1929. He stayed with the club for nearly six seasons, but was never able to establish himself in the side. He returned to the north-east to join Third Division club Hartlepools United. In the opening match of the season, against Halifax Town, he scored a late winner when his corner kick "completely bamboozled" the opposing goalkeeper who could only succeed in pushing the ball into the net via the post. Thompson continued as a regular at outside right, scoring 11 goals from 34 league appearances, but was given a free transfer at the end of the season. He finished his Football League career with three matches for Exeter City as part of a month's trial. Although he returned to Hartlepools for the 1937–38 season, he played no more first-team football. Thompson died in Scarborough in 1980 at the age of 72.