Thompson: Robert Atkinson (Bob)

1920-1921 (Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Black Boy Brickworks, Coundon Grange, Co. Durham: 05-09-1890

Debut: Port Vale (a): 28-08-1920

6’0” 12st (1920)

Thompson earned himself a place in United’s record books by scoring the club’s first-ever League hat-trick, on 11th December 1920 against Notts County at Elland Road. He also finished as top scorer in United’s first season. He was the fastest player on Leeds’ books in 1920, having won the famous Powderhall Sprint in Edinburgh in January 1916. After starting with Wingate Albion in the North-Eastern League, he joined and made his League debut with then First Division side, Preston North End, in March 1911. On 1st September 1911 he scored the first ever goal in the newly formed Central League, when he opened the scoring for the Preston North End Reserves, and went on to net the second, for good measure as the Lilywhites defeat Burnley Reserves at Deepdale. He only played one game for the first team in that season in which they were relegated to Division Two and, after scoring two goals in seventeen League games, he left Deepdale to join Goole Town of the Midland League in July 1913. He did not stay long at the East Riding club and he was sold to Southern League side, Bristol Rovers, for £150 on 16th January 1914. He scored twice in ten appearances for the Eastville club before joining Midland League side, Rotherham Town on 4th July 1914. He did not stay with them very long as with the onset of World War One they ceased to play at the end of the 1914-15 season. He stayed in the South Yorkshire area during the war years and guested for Rotherham County in 1915-16 and also played for Sheffield United Reserves. He also guested with Barnsley in the 1916-17 and 1917-1918 season, making his debut for them on 13th January 1917, scoring eight goals in eight games, which included one game in which he scored four goals, but also got sent off. He then missed several games due to suspension and a work accident. He played in a variety of forward positions for the Oakwell side in the 1917-18 season, scoring twice in ten appearances but his season was curtailed when he suffered an injury on 17th November 1917. He returned to the North-East to play for Hartlepools United as a War-time guest. He made his debut for the Monkey-hangers on 11th January 1919 in the Northern Victory League in a 0-0 draw at Newcastle United. He went on to score nine goals in ten appearances in that League, and also scored twice in two games against Darlington Forge Albion in the Durham Senior Cup, and also appeared with Leadgate Park in 1919. He joined North-Eastern League side, Durham City, in August 1919 and spent a season there before being signed by newly elected to the Football League Second Division, Leeds United, in July 1920. He was centre-forward in United’s first-ever game in the Football League at Port Vale on 28th August 1920, but did not play again until October. He then put together a run of consecutive appearances for United at centre forward, but was switched to the outside-right spot after Leeds bought Tommy Howarth from Bristol City. Then Thompson found himself on the sidelines and went to Third Division North side Ashington in May 1921. He played his first game for them in their first Football League game in a 1-0 win over Grimsby Town at Portland Park on 27th August 1921. After two goals in seventeen League games he was transferred to Third Division South team Luton Town in June 1922, where he scored seven goals in seventeen League games. He joined Southern League, Western Division side, Pontypridd in 1923, and scored fifty-one goals for them in the 1923-24 in which they finished third, top of all the Welsh sides in the competition. His contribution was recognised in February 1924 when he represented the Welsh League against the Irish Free State. He moved to Third Division North Accrington Stanley in June 1924 and scored seventeen goals in thirty three games in the 1924-25 season before joining Second Division Bury in May 1925. He made just one League appearance without scoring at Gigg Lane. After a trial with Third Division North team Tranmere Rovers on 18th September 1926, he joined a team he had guested for in the war, another Third Division North side, Hartlepools United, in October 1926. He made a scoring debut on 23rd October 1926 in a 3-0 home win over Doncaster Rovers and he went on to score three goals in four League games. He then dropped into Non-League football with Yorkshire League side, Goole Town in January 1927 and later moved to Midland League side, York City. On retirement he moved back to his native County Durham and died at Ferryhill on 1st June 1969.(Thanks to Neil Roche, Michael Joyce and Barnsley historian, David Wood, for much vital information).