Garry Thompson – SkyBlueArchive

Position

Forward

Nationality

Place Of Birth

Birmingham

Date Of Birth

October 7, 1959

Age

Height (cm)

185

Games Played

158

Per Game

Games Started

150

0.9

Per Game

Minutes

13643

86.3

Per Game

Goals

0.3

Per Game

Assists

0.1

Per Game

A homegrown player who broke through into the first team in 1977-78 season after some outstanding performances for the reserves and he was only the second black player to play for the club. He netted his first goal in his second game, a 4-0 home win over Wolves and he had all the attributes of a top striker – strength, aerial power, pace and exceptional courage.

During the following season he vied with Ferguson for the central striking role, the highlight being the 4-3 home win over Manchester United when his domination of Scotland’s international defender Gordon McQueen was almost embarrassing. Tragically, two weeks later, he broke a leg in training and was out of action almost a year. In his absence competition for the striking places had become heightened with the emergence of Mark Hateley and Tom English but with Wallace sold and Ferguson injured Garry became a regular in 1980-81 and played a key role in the Sky Blues’ success in the League Cup, scoring six goals.

The semi-final first leg, at home to West Ham, enshrined him in City folklore when after scoring a tragic own-goal in the first half, he led a rousing fightback which culminated in him scoring two goals including the winner in the dying seconds.

Thompson, who won six England Under 21 caps under Dave Sexton, was controversially sold to West Brom for £225,000 in early 1983, sparking off a ‘revolution’ at Highfield Road. Just months before, City had allegedly turned down a bid of £750,000 for him from Arsenal. Manager Sexton was not consulted on the deal and as City’s season fell apart it came to light that most of the first team were out of contract. Chairman Jimmy Hill was forced to resign, Sexton went soon afterwards and the cream of the club’s young first team left to join other clubs.

At the Hawthorns Garry teamed up with Cyrille Regis but the pair rarely hit it off and Regis ironically joined the Sky Blues. In two and a half years with the Baggies he scored 39 goals in 91 games before joining Sheffield Wednesday for £450,000. His stay there was brief, a year later he was back in the Midlands with Aston Villa still scoring regularly but unable to stop Villa being relegated in 1987.

Next stop was Watford and later Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers, Cardiff City and Northampton. He made his final league appearance, for the Cobblers, just before his 37th birthday in 1996. He had started his coaching career under Ian Atkins at Northampton and gained his FA coaching qualifications. At Bristol Rovers he worked under Ian Holloway and spent four years as a specialist striker coach helping budding stars such as Nathan Ellington, Bobby Zamora and Jason Roberts. For a brief spell he was caretaker manager after Holloway’s departure but left Rovers in 2002.

Garry subsequently coached at Brentford but left Griffin Park eighteen months ago after Martin Allen arrived. Since then Garry has been scouting and developing business interests outside football from his Birmingham base.

Red cards (2)
1981-82
27 February 1982 v Aston Villa A, violent conduct, kicking out at Allan Evans
1982-83
2 February 1983 v Norwich City A, two bookings

Football League First Division (England)

1982-1983

1714′

4 (0)

1981-1982

3180′

10 (0)

1980-1981

3050′

8 (0)

1979-1980

1447′

6 (0)

1978-1979

1710′

8 (0)

1977-1978

452′

2 (0)

134

127

11553′

38 (0)

FA Cup (England)

1982-1983

185′

1 (0)

1981-1982

270′

2 (0)

1980-1981

360′

1 (0)

1978-1979

180′

995′

4 (0)

League Cup (England)

1982-1983

300′

1981-1982

180′

1980-1981

570′

6 (0)

1978-1979

45′

1 (0)

1095′

7 (0)

Totals:

158

150

13643′

49 (0)