John Thompson

After a bit of a difficult start to your time at the Stags – missing four months following a broken nose and forty stitches – you made your debut against Telford last November. How much of a relief was it to finally get that first game under your belt?

Yeah it was great. Obviously, when you join a new club you're desperate to impress and it was very early on when the accident happened. That wasn't an ideal start to joining a new club but a few months on from there I'm back out there playing. It was a huge relief to get back out there because it was a difficult time and at those early stages we didn't know if I'd get back playing at all, so I was delighted to get on the pitch and play for Mansfield.

 

The clean sheet must have helped show the fans what you can offer the back four…

At that stage of the season, when I was thrown back in, we had been conceding a few goals, so it was important that the defence got a bit stronger. So I'd like to think I played a part in that.

 

Did the pressure of being labelled the 'big summer signing' affect you in any way?

Not at all, because I didn't really get a chance to play at first. It was quite a big thing for Mansfield when I did sign, and a lot was made of that, but for me I didn’t get a chance early on in the season to play. By the time I did play it had been a rough few months, so I think everybody was just looking forward to seeing me out on the pitch.

 

I understand you also had the chance to play in the MLS. What made you choose Mansfield? 

It might seem a bit of a strange decision to a lot of people. I was over in Portland and I really enjoyed my time over there. I only had a couple of weeks but it was just a case of it being a huge move to go across there and the length of contract wasn't really long enough for me to make that move. Then Mansfield came along and offered me a very good contract, so I had to weigh up each option and I decided to go with Mansfield as it was so close to my home in Nottingham and was a two-year deal. They really did pull out all the stops to get me and they offered me a deal similar to what players are getting paid in the leagues above so it was an easy decision in the end.

 

By joining them you've also become one of the few players to represent all three Nottinghamshire teams. Is that something you're proud of?

It is, yeah. It’s something I'm very proud of. I moved to Nottingham when I was 17 years old and I love the city and apart from having a year up in Manchester when I was at Oldham I've always been in Nottingham. I've got a lot of friends and family here. When I signed for Notts County the big thing about it was coming back to Nottingham and obviously that played a big part with the Mansfield move. I know there's only been a few players that have done it and I'm proud to be on that list because they're three great football clubs. 

 

How do you think you'll finish in the league come the end of the season?

I think for us at this stage we'll be looking to get into the play-offs. The teams up at the top of the league, Fleetwood and Wrexham, seem to be really flying away with it at this stage but I don't see any reason why we can't reach the play-offs. From the games that I've seen the lads play, and the last few games I've been involved with myself, I think we've got a very good squad of players and we're very capable of getting out of this league, so I'm hoping that we will finish in the play-offs and get promotion.

 

Mansfield have brought in quite a few new players in recent months as well. How are they settling in?

The manager's been very good and the chairman's backed him to go out and bring in as many players as he wanted. We've got a big squad at the moment, around 25, 26 players, and I think that's necessary really because there's a lot of games. So it's been good to see a few new faces to freshen up the place a little bit. We had the basis of a very good squad before they arrived so it's helped add competition for places and that's a positive thing for the whole club.  

 

You've spent most of your career with Nottinghamshire teams. What are your most memorable moments from your time in the East Midlands?

I've had some great moments playing football in Nottingham since I was a young lad, but I suppose my biggest memory was making my debut for Nottingham Forest. I think I was 19 when I played my first game away to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane and we drew 0-0. It was a great moment for me and my family since I'd travelled all the way from Ireland to get a career as a professional footballer, and then to make my debut for such a big club like Forest was a great occasion for all of us. My other memory at Forest was probably the time we missed out in the play-off semi-finals against Sheffield United, again at Bramall Lane. It was a sad moment [Forest lost 5-4 on aggregate in 2003] but it was the highest point of my time at Forest and the closest that we came to getting in the Premiership. When I look back on the Notts County times, I think being captain of such a great club was a great achievement and I was very proud to do it. And winning League Two and lifting the trophy at Meadow Lane was obviously brilliant as well.

 

Was there a noticeable difference between being a Forest player and a County player?

Not hugely. I think when I went to Notts County at first there probably was, but in my time there I saw the club massively improve, both on and off the pitch. They did get up to a very high level and if you look at them now they're on Forest's tails. Forest have always been the bigger club and it is a great club – you know, I think the difference between the two clubs is gradually getting smaller and that's a great thing for the whole of Nottingham because anyone who's a football fan in Nottingham wants both sides to do well, and I'm certainly one of them.

 

When you came through the ranks at Forest you played with the likes of Jermaine Jenas, Michael Dawson and Andy Reid. Do you still keep in touch with any of the Forest old boys?

Yeah I do. We all do. That group of players won the Under-19 youth league at Forest and we've all stayed in contact. And I think that's a sign of how good the players were – even the lads who didn't go on to make it in professional football – we're still all good pals. It's great to see the lads who've gone on to do brilliant things in football such as Andy, Jermaine and Michael as well. They've probably gone on to do the best. It really was a great bunch and you know Paul Hart's work with the youth team was tremendous and we're all still in debt to him for all his hard work with that squad.  

 

Who was the best player you’ve played with at Forest and/or County?

That's a tough one. I think at Forest the player who had the best career was Des Walker, and I played a lot of games at centre-half with Des when I was there. It was amazing to be playing alongside an absolute legend. We're still mates and still in contact with each other, which is great. I know when I played with him it was at the end of his career but you could still see that class that he had and the way he used to read the game was unbelievable. If I look at my time at Notts County I'd say Lee Hughes was the best player there by far. I'd like to think I played a part in getting him down there from Oldham because Ian McParland wanted me to speak to him before he joined the club and I did all that and when he turned up, from day one, he just banged in the goals. He's another good friend of mine as well and he's another top-class player.    

 

And the best you played against?

God that's another tough one! I'm trying to think now off the top of my head, I'll get back to you on that one.

 

[After some thought, John's answer to the best player he played against…]

 

When I was at Notts County we played against Man City and the difference really showed when Carlos Tévez came on the pitch. He was just unbelievable. He was only on for 10 or 15 minutes but you could just see he was a class above everybody else.

 

And what do you make of his antics this season (allegedly refusing to come off the bench and going AWOL in Argentina)?

His attitude isn't brilliant, which is a pity because as the top-class player that he is, he lets himself down with the way he acts. For some reason he's not all there in the head, and for someone who earns so much money and has such a great life he's a bit disrespectful to the clubs he plays for. Maybe if he does move on from Man City he might just realise how lucky he is.  

 

Obviously you still keep up with how both Forest and County are doing these days. So where do you think they'll finish up at the end of the season?

I know the manager there, Steve Cotterill, from my time at County and I think he's really a top manager, so I think he’ll turn things round at the City Ground. It's not going to be a year where they contend for promotion, unfortunately, but with the right man in place they might be able to do that next season. With Notts, I reckon they can still get in the play-offs and if you look at the teams below them I don't think there's many who could challenge them. But it’s a bit of a lottery when they get in there. Anything could happen. I'd love to see them get in to the Championship.

 

You've played for quite a few managers during your time. Who's been your favourite?

I've had a lot of good managers down the years. Probably I'd say Paul Hart has been the biggest influence on me as a footballer. On and off the pitch, as well. I've never seen a coach who was better than him on the training field and he really is a top-class manager.

 

And your least favourite manager, or the hardest to play for?

I don't really want to name names on that one to be honest with you! I've had a few managers who I didn't get on with. I wouldn't say I've had any particularly bad managers. I just think that sometimes you just don't get on with each other and that's happened on probably two occasions.     

 

Is Martin Allen as eccentric as his reputation suggests? I realize he was the boss that released you, but do you think he’s a good ‘fit’ for Meadow Lane?

Yeah, he is. He's a bit mad alright! But in a good way. He's a lot cleverer than he lets on to people. Part of his personality is he plays up to the cameras a little bit, but behind all that he's a deep thinker really and a good man, even though he was the one who released from Notts County. But I still get on with him. He's a very good man-manager, probably the best I've ever seen in the dressing room for giving motivational speeches and getting teams going before a game. 

 

You mentioned how much you rate Steve Cotterill earlier. Do you think his shoulders are broad enough to cope with the demands and expectations of the Forest faithful?

I think they are. It's a tough job for him and there's always huge expectations at Forest. And rightly so, because it is a massive club and the fans demand success. What he has got going for him this season is he's took over when the team weren't doing very well so he can maybe improve on their position by the end of the season. But the pressure will maybe come next season if the fans start to expect promotion. I think he is capable of doing that but he's got a hard job because he's not going to have the same finances that were available to previous managers. I still want Forest to push for that place in the Premier League and no one would be happier than me if they did. 

What was Sven like? He’s managed at some huge clubs, some big players. Didn’t it seem a bit surreal having him at the Lane, albeit as Director of Football?

It was a crazy time really at Notts County. I was captain of the club and there were probably more things to deal with off the pitch than on it because we were in the tabloids and we were at one stage the ‘richest club in the world’, then the next day we were about to head into administration. So there was a lot to deal with. But Sven was probably the one who got us through it more than anything else, because for somebody who's a top manager and done so much in the game, the lads couldn't believe just how good he was with them. He was always approachable and in the end he didn't take a penny out of the club. He stayed and did as much work as he possibly could do and the players all loved him for that. Even after he left he still keeps in contact with the lads and I don't think you can ask for much more really. It was a sad day when he left the club.

 

What did you make of the whole Sol Campbell episode? How was he as a bloke? Did he seem happy to be there or could you tell he wasn’t enjoying it (after all, he scarpered pretty quickly)?

As I said at that time there was so much going on. Every day we'd go in for training, there was a different story and when we heard a player like him was joining we were obviously very happy. It didn't work out for him; he sort of realised that there was something up with the finances of the club and they weren't going to be able to fulfil his contract and I think that played a big part in him leaving the club. All I can say is, like Sven, the time that he was there, he was brilliant with us and everybody got on great with him, but it was kind of bizarre to see him as he's had such a great career and always played at the top level. But he wasn't in any way arrogant. He was hard working. But it just didn't work out for him.  

 

Playing for Ireland at Lansdowne Road must have been one of the highlights of your career so far. What are your memories of that game?

I was playing for Nottingham Forest at the time in the Championship and I'd been in the Ireland squad a few times and captain of the Under-21's before I played, so it was sort of on the cards that I would be called in. I only played the one game but I was in many squads and travelled away with the team, and it was just great to be around such top players like Roy Keane and Robbie Keane. I remember me and Andy Reid made our debuts on the same night at Landsdowne Road against Canada and it was just an amazing feeling because it’s what you've always dreamed of, to play for your country, and you know no one can really take that away from you once you've done it.

 

How do you rate Ireland's chances at the Euros this year?

I was delighted to see them qualify and they did brilliantly against Estonia in the play-offs [winning 5-1 on aggregate]. It's great for the whole country. Ireland's been hit hard with the whole recession thing and it gives everyone a bit of a boost because we haven't qualified for a major tournament since ten years ago [the 2002 World Cup in Japan/Korea]. Ireland basically comes to a stand still when there's a game on in the big tournaments. I think they could be dark horses when they get there because although we're not a big nation when we go to those tournaments we can do quite well in them.

 

And I'm sure there'll be plenty of Irishmen out there as well cheering them on...

Yeah, and I'll probably be one of them! 

 

What do you think of Nottingham as a city? How do you describe it to your mates back in Ireland?

It's what I've known really for 13 years since moving over. I sort of regard Nottingham as my home now. I've had so many people come over to see me over the years and all my family and friends know it really well now. They always comment on what a nice city it is and how nice people are here. It's a bit smaller than Dublin, where I'm from in Ireland, so I think they like that aspect as well. I met my fiancée here and I get on great with her family as well. Everything is here for me, and all the players I've played with from Nottingham clubs – the majority of them still live here and that says everything about the city. 

 

Do you have any favourite pubs or restaurants in town?

I lived in town for many years and recently I've just moved out to the country, so I'm enjoying the quieter side of Nottingham now. There's a couple of nice pubs in Woodborough. It's a very relaxing part of Nottingham and you're still quite close to the city so I'm very happy to be living out that way.

 

I do remember seeing you in the old Horn In Hand pub in Nottingham playing pool a few years back...

Yeah that used to be a place we used to go to with all the Forest lads for a few drinks. It was a nice quiet pub in town and mine and a lot of the lads' apartments used to be around that area. There's also a very nice pub called The Hawksley and every now and then I'll get together with a few of the ex-Forest and County players and meet up there.

 

Are you sometimes in the middle of some Forest-County banter then?

I've been at both clubs so I'm sort of the link between them and I try and stay in touch with a lot of them. Lads from both clubs always mix but as soon as they've had a few hours in each other's company there's always a bit of banter going alright! Everyone just respects each other as footballers. It doesn't matter what level you're at: footballers in general just get on with each other.

 

Do you follow any other sports? Any interest in Nottingham Rugby, Notts cricket, or Panthers, for instance?

I haven't been to the Rugby or Panthers. I'm more into my snooker and golf; they're my main sports outside of football. I'm looking forward to going to The Crucible in April because one of the lads at Mansfield, Rhys Day, his brother Ryan is a snooker player and he's hopefully going to qualify for the World Championships, so we're going to go down and support him. 

 

Who are your sporting heroes?

In football my sporting hero has always been Roy Keane, and that was why it was such a big moment for me to be in a couple of Ireland squads with him and to see what he was like. An unbelievable footballer for both Ireland and Man United – and I'm a Man United fan – so he ticked both boxes there.

 

Do you think he might end up as Forest manager at some point in the future?

I know his name has been linked with the job a few times, and I think he probably will at some point. At the moment he's looking to get back into management but he has done a good job at the clubs he's been at. Maybe it didn't go so well for him at Ipswich, but I think he's proved that he is a good manager and I'm sure if he got the chance to go back to Forest, he'd jump at it.

 

Who would be your dream defensive partner?

As I'm playing centre-half for Mansfield at the moment, it'd probably be Nemanja Vidic. I'm a bit biased, but I just think that the passion that he shows and how dominant he is in the air – I don't think there's anyone better in the world in that position.

 

What's your general view on Nottingham's football fans? How are they compared to those of the other teams you've played for?

They've always been very good with me. I've always got on with all the fans at the clubs I've been at. I think what fans respond to is somebody who's going to go out there and give 100% every week, and I'd like to think throughout my career I've done that and the fans have responded to me well for that reason. I'd like to think that will continue now with Mansfield. You see some footballers these days and it doesn't look like they're too concerned whether they win or lose, but I think it's important that you show a bit of passion to the fans.

 

And finally, it has to be asked: out of Forest and County, which club is the closest to your heart?

There is no answer to that to be honest. I spent a long time at Nottingham Forest and came through the ranks so it’s a huge part of my life, whereas with County I lifted the only real trophy of my career with them as captain. I've got great memories of both clubs so I can't really pick one over the other, but I'm proud to have played for them both... I dodged that one pretty well didn't I?