Archived News from July 2011
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STAGS SIGN JOHN THOMPSON
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Stags sign inspirational defender
mansfieldtown.net, Sat 16 Jul 2011 (just after midnight) Ex-Notts County captain John Thompson has agreed terms on a two year deal this morning, we are delighted to announce. http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~2394072,00.html The inspirational 29-year-old, who lifted the League Two title with Notts County in the 2009-10 season, was part of the Magpies' defence which kept a record breaking 26 clean sheets out of 46 league games that term. In the early stages of his career, Thompson appeared over 150 times for Nottingham Forest's first team and won the UEFA U17 Championship with Republic of Ireland. He later went on to make his full international debut six years later, and subsequently gained a further two caps. In 2006 he joined Tranmere Rovers in two successful loan periods, before joining Oldham Athletic, where injuries limited his first team chances. Thompson then linked up with Forest's former academy boss Ian McParland at Notts County, where he made his debut in October 2008, subsequently making 110 appearances before leaving this summer. After putting pen to paper on a two year contract, Thompson told http://www.mansfieldtown.net: "It's great to come to a club like this. It's a club that wants to get promoted. The manager sold it well to me and I was happy to sign. "There was interest from clubs in higher leagues and I had to pick between three clubs, but seeing the performance and the stadium tonight 'swung it' for me," he added video interview ---> http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~2394076,00.html? ------------- Stags pull off Thompson coup by Matt Halfpenny, Nottingham Post, Saturday, July 16, 2011 MANSFIELD Town have pulled off one of the non-league signings of the summer by luring former Notts County skipper John Thompson to Field Mill on a two-year deal. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Stags-pull-Thompson-coup/story-12954622-detail/story.html The Stags have beaten off interest from several other clubs to land the 29-year-old, released by the Magpies at the end of last season. A full Republic of Ireland international, Thompson is a central defender who can also play at right-back. After signing for Forest at 17, he went to make over 150 appearances for the Reds under the likes of Joe Kinnear, Gary Megson and Colin Calderwood. After a brief spell on loan at Tranmere and a permanent stint at Oldham, he joined Notts County in 2008, initially on loan. And in 2009-10, Thompson captained the side that kept a record-breaking 26 clean sheets from 46 matches in winning the League Two title. "John is a central defender who has played a number of games in the Championship and he has an excellent pedigree," said delighted manager Paul Cox. "We have had to wait to get him, but that's what you have to do with good players. "He had agreed terms but then his agent wanted him to have a run-out in the MLS in America. "I don't think he enjoyed it, though, and it is a real boost for someone of his quality to sign for us." ---------- Stags new boy Thommo joins a select group Nottingham Post, Tuesday, July 19, 2011 MANSFIELD Town new boy John Thompson will join a select band tonight if, as expected, he makes his debut against Doncaster Rovers. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-12970233-detail/story.html Only a handful of players in recent times have played for all three of the county's three professional clubs in Forest, County and the Stags. But having this summer swapped Meadow Lane for Field Mill after coming through the ranks at the City Ground as a teenager, Thompson joins the likes of Mark Smalley, Colin Calderwood, Darren Ward and Jason Lee in doing the Nottinghamshire rounds. The former Republic of Ireland international signed a two-year deal over the weekend to drop down to non-league level for the first time. Now the 29-year-old is looking forward to the challenge of trying to lead Mansfield back into the Football League. "Nottingham and the county has always been my home from home since I came over here when I was 17," said Thompson. "It's great to be able to carry on playing in the area and stay put where I am with my family. "I played with Darren Ward for a few years while I was at Forest and it's nice to be able to join him in playing for all the major Notts sides. "I had offers from the MLS and the side I went on trial with in Norway but I didn't think moving away for just a year was the right thing to do. It would have been a big upheaval. "I also had other offers from Football League clubs and I had a decision to make but Mansfield really showed huge interest, which made it hard to turn them down. "There is sometimes a stigma with dropping out of the Football League and that did cross my mind because I have played all my football in the League. But there is no doubting the ambition of this club and that it is where they want to be under an up-and-coming manager (Paul Cox) who is passionate about the game. "It's important for this club to get promotion and I want to help them achieve that as soon as possible." Thompson has been drafted in to address Mansfield's issues at the back, which saw them concede 75 league goals in 2010-11. He said: "I would like to think I can do something about that record. That's why I'm here. "Other clubs I have been at have been sound defensively but it's not just down to one person. "I'm sure the manager will be doing lots of work with us in pre-season because if you keep clean sheets the worst you do is draw and it makes life easier." Thompson is poised to make his bow at home against a Doncaster side with a reputation for playing eye-catching, passing football. "I have played against them many times before in my career and they always seem to keep the ball well," he said. "But watching the Notts County game, the Mansfield players showed they could keep the ball themselves. "I don't think we will be too concerned about results in pre-season. The main thing is that a new set of players get to know each other." ---------------- Thompson signing is statement of intent from Stags Nottingham Post, Monday, July 18, 2011 JOHN Thompson's decision to join Mansfield Town could prompt other top transfer targets to put pen to paper at Field Mill, believes Paul Cox. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-12963243-detail/story.html? The Stags boss is delighted to have landed the central defender and former Notts County captain on a two-year deal. Cox is still looking to add 'two or three new faces' to complete his squad ahead of their opening Blue Bet Square Premier game of the season against Bath City on August 13. And he hopes the statement of intent made by bringing in Thompson will encourage other players he is chasing that Mansfield is the right club to join. "I think John Thompson will prove to be a great signing and really shows we mean business," said Cox. "He is an excellent defender and at the age of 29 I think we have got him when he could play some of the best football of his career. "There is no doubting his calibre and what he has done in the past and he is going to strengthen us defensively. "I would like to think that this is a signing that will make other clubs sit up and take notice of what we are trying to do – as well as those players we are still trying to bring in. "They can see the squad is now starting to take shape and that in people like John Thompson we have some excellent players here." Mansfield were beaten 2-1 in their friendly with Notts County on Friday and Cox revealed he is set to have another look at Alan Goodall in tomorrow night's clash with Doncaster Rovers before deciding whether to offer the former Rochdale left-back a contract ---------------- Mansfield Town sign former Notts defender John Thompson http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14133668.stm Mansfield Town have signed former Notts County defender John Thompson. The 29-year-old was released by the Magpies this summer and had trials in Norway and America before signing a two-year contract at Field Mill. Mansfield manager Paul Cox told BBC Radio Nottingham: "He's a player that we had tabs on for a while. "He'll be a great acquisition to this football club, a great defender with great experience and a guy who will put smiles on supporters' faces." Thompson started his career with Nottingham Forest where he played more than a hundred times. During his time at the City Ground he also earned three caps for the Republic of Ireland, meaning he has represented his country at every level. Cox admitted that Thompson's desire to stay in Nottinghamshire was key. He said: "He lives in the Nottingham area and so is settled. We're lucky to have him because if it wasn't about location he'd have had his pick of other clubs." ----------------- |
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