Everyone at Manchester United is deeply saddened at the passing of our much-loved friend and Academy alumni, Joe Thompson, at the age of 36.
Joe’s wife, Chantelle, and two daughters are firmly in our thoughts at this immensely difficult time.
Born in Bath in 1989, Joe later moved to Rochdale, where his athletic talent helped him find distraction and passion in a turbulent childhood and eventually earn a contract at United’s Academy. Joining in 1998, Thompson honed his craft alongside future graduates like James Chester, Danny Drinkwater and Tom Cleverley. He remembered his time at United’s Academy as having provided a necessary structure and discipline to his life.