Former footballer ‘helped so many people’ before death

The family of former Rochdale footballer Joe Thompson have said they were “overwhelmed” by thousands of messages after his death from people whose lives he had touched.

Thompson, 36, who had been diagnosed with lymphoma three times in 12 years, died on 17 April after it spread to his lungs.

He had twice recovered from the disease, a form of blood cancer, during his playing career.

His wife Chantelle said she and their 12-year-old daughter Thailula had spent as much time as possible with him to prioritise “creating memories”.

Together they told BBC Radio Manchester that Thompson’s struggles with the disease had brought them closer as a family over the years, and “made us view life differently”.

Thailula said: “You think ‘oh shoot, life is short’, you’ve got to spend as much time as we can together.

She said: “If Dad wasn’t diagnosed with cancer, maybe that wouldn’t have brought us together as a family as much as it did.”

The midfielder, originally from Bath, started his footballing career with Rochdale after coming through Manchester United’s academy system.

He finished his career in Rochdale after a third stint there five years before his death, having also played for Tranmere Rovers, Carlisle United, Southport and Bury.

Chantelle said the public response to his death, both from within the football world and beyond, had been “incredible”.

“I think it really helps, especially in those first few days,” she said.

“Just reading people’s little stories and little memories that they have of Joe and even reaching out and telling the stories of things that we didn’t even know, how he helped and how he supported people.

“When I say hundreds, I mean thousands of messages, a lot of them are talking about how he’s helped them in some way.

“It’s quite overwhelming to think how many people he’s touched over a short period.”

Thailula spoke of how her dad always tried to help other people, and said he “impacted so many people in that short time”.

She said: “I feel like he would rather had a short life but impacted more people than have a long life and impacted fewer people that make sense.

“I am very proud of him.”

After hanging up his boots, Thompson worked in the media as a pundit as well as mentoring and appearing as a motivational speaker.

In October 2024, after his third diagnosis, he took part in a 21-mile fundraising walk to raise awareness of cancer treatments.

About 300 people took part in the journey, from Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium to Rochdale’s Crown Oil Arena ground.

Chantelle revealed that Joe had kept journals “full of ideas” about charity work and plans for the future.

“We’ve got pages and pages full of his ideas, his wishes his things that he wanted to accomplish,” she said.

“We’d love to continue and carry on his legacy.”