Interview with Joe Thompson: Beating Cancer Twice and Scoring the Fairytale Goal

I am joined by Rochdale midfielder Joe Thompson.

Thompson has made 255 appearances in his pro career and scored 26 goals in his 13 year career. He's played mostly for Rochdale, Carlisle and Tranmere in League One and Two. Why hasn't he played more?

In October of 2013 at the age of 23 Joe was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form cancer. And then in 2017, he was diagnosed with cancer again. He beat cancer both times. As you would imagine it's a gripping and emotional story.

In this episode he'll also discuss moving from Manchester United's academy to Rochdale's, the financial reality for League 1 or League 2 players, veganism in football and answer the question, do player mixtapes actual get players signed?

If you enjoy the interview and/or feel moved by Joe, please send him a message on Twitter, Twitter handle is @JJL_Thompson or on Instagram, @JJL_Thompson.

If you want to learn more about his story, read his autobiography, Darkness and Light: My Story. I can't recommend it enough. You can buy it here. If you want to see clips of this interview then go to my youtube channel, This Football Life.

Also, I would love to hear your thoughts on Joe or any other episode. You can email me at joshschneiderweiler@gmail.com.

Listen here

Timeline

8:52 Playing at United's Academy

16:50 Going from Manchester United to Rochdale

20:57 Finding out he had cancer

30:17 How football helped him fight cancer

35:53 Re-entering football post-football

42:21 The financial reality of being a League 1 or 2 player

49:14 Demo tapes for coaches

58:35 Being vegan

1:03:30 What cancer taught him about football