Category Sports News

Former Rochdale midfielder Joe Thompson has died at the age of 36.

He was diagnosed with cancer for a third time in April last year, five years after he retired from playing.

Thompson was found to have stage four lymphoma – a type of blood cancer – which had spread to his lungs after twice recovering from the disease during his playing career.

The Bath-born player began and finished his career with Rochdale, and had three spells with the club.

Rochdale said they were “devastated” and that he had passed away peacefully at home on Thursday with his family by his side.

“We first knew Joe primarily as a talented footballer, but we would soon grow to adore his loving, infectious personality,” Rochdale said.

“He faced every battle head-on, both on and off the pitch. His journey and indomitable spirit have been an inspiration for everyone who has been touched by his story.

“Above all of that, Joe was a loving husband to Chantelle and an incredible father to Thailula and Athena Rae.

Thompson was first diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2013 and again in 2017.

But, after twice being given the all-clear, he notably went on to score the goal which saw Rochdale avoid relegation from League One in 2018.

Thompson came through Manchester United’s academy from the age of nine before going on to join Dale, where he spent the majority of his 13-year career.

He also played for Tranmere Rovers, Carlisle United, Southport and Bury.

He was first diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma while at Tranmere in 2013 and was given the all-clear the following year.

After being diagnosed with cancer again in March 2017 during his third spell with Dale, he was able to return to football during the 2017-18 season after being told he was in “complete remission”.

In his finest moment for Rochdale, Thompson scored against Charlton Athletic to secure their place in League One for another season, describing his goal as “written in the stars, fate, destiny”.

Following the end of his playing career, Thompson worked in the media as a pundit as well as mentoring and as a motivational speaker.

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

Tributes to Thompson poured in following news of his passing.

Manchester United described him as “a man who epitomised our club’s values,” before adding: “We are saddened to share that Joe Thompson has passed away.

“A warm personality who had a deep connection with our club from a young age, our thoughts are with Joe’s family and friends at this difficult time.”

Tranmere said: “The club sends its condolences to his wife Chantelle, children Thailula-Lily and Athena Rae, his family and friends.

“Joe was an inspiration to all those who knew him. The Club asks supporters to join in a minute’s applause starting on seven minutes of today’s home game against Doncaster Rovers.”

A statement from Carlisle said: “Everybody at Carlisle United is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former player Joe Thompson. Joe was an inspiration to all those who knew him.

Bury said: “We are saddened to hear the passing of former Shaker Joe Thompson. Joe made four appearances for the club during the 2014/15 season. Our thoughts are with Joe’s family and friends at this sad time. RIP Joe – Once A Shaker Always A Shaker.”

Southport said: “We are devastated to learn of the passing of former player Joe Thompson. We send our deepest condolences to all of Joe’s friends and family at this tough time.”

In 2019, Thompson received The Sir Tom Finney Award at the annual EFL Awards ceremony, an honour presented to a player who has had an outstanding career and contributed an exception amount to The Football League and game in general.

The EFL described Thompson as “an inspiration to so many” and added: “The EFL is deeply saddened by the passing of Joe Thompson. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and former clubs at this very difficult time.”

A British cricket team that could play at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games is being discussed.

As the sport prepares to make its Olympic debut, negotiations between the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Scotland have already begun.

Trudy Lindblade, the head of cricket for Scotland, stated to BBC Radio 4: “We have been in discussions with the ECB and are currently looking to form a Team GB cricket team.”

The British Olympic Association (BOA) mandates that a British team must meet the requirements for Olympic Games participation.

BBC Sport received confirmation from the ECB regarding those discussions.

The International Olympic Committee announced last week that LA 2028 will host six-team T20 competitions for both men and women.

“The six teams for us would have an opportunity through the GB concept,” Lindblade said. “So it’s really interesting.

Up to 15 players can be placed in squads that are participating teams, but the qualification procedure has not yet been confirmed.

There are many things to learn about how qualification happens, not just for those six teams, but how a GB team would be selected, “Lindblade added.

We’re in for exciting times, and we’ll keep in touch with LA 2028 and ICC colleagues. It will be fascinating.

Cricket’s only previous Olympic appearance was in Paris in 1900.

After the Netherlands and Belgium withdrew, Great Britain won the one-off final by 158 runs against France.

The 2028 Games will feature a men’s football team, according to the BOA, which will bring together the England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Football Associations for the first time since London 2012, with a men’s team being formed there since then.

Manchester United produced a stunning late fightback to beat Lyon and reach the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday.

They came back from being 4-2 down and scored twice in the final minute of extra time to achieve an extraordinary 5-4 victory at Old Trafford and 7-6 aggregate win.

It is arguably up there with one of the best fightbacks in European compeition.

Tottenham travelled to Ajax for the second leg of their semi-final trailing 1-0, and things went from bad to worse in Amsterdam when Matthijs de Ligt and Hakim Ziyech put Ajax 3-0 ahead on aggregate before the break.

Spurs needed to score three times without reply to progress, and were given a glimmer of hope 10 minutes into the second half through Lucas Moura – and it was game on just four minutes later.

Moura pounced on a loose ball in the box after Fernando Llorente’s shot was saved and he curled home to put the hosts on the ropes.

Just 24 hours before Tottenham’s heroics in Amsterdam, Liverpool had become just the third club in the history of the Champions League to overturn a three-goal first-leg deficit.

The Reds’ hopes of forcing their way back into the semi-final after a 3-0 loss to Barcelona at the Nou Camp looked slim, especially with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino unavailable due to injury.

But Divock Origi got the ball rolling on seven minutes, before the tie really turned in the space of 166 seconds after half-time when substitute Georginio Wijnaldum scored twice.

Fulham welcomed Juventus to Craven Cottage having lost the first leg 3-1 and it did not take long for the tie to look out of their grasp.

After just two minutes, David Trezeguet netted an early goal for the Italian side.

However, Bobby Zamora scored seven minutes later and ignited a comeback which proved pivotal in a season where they reached the Europa League final.

Fabio Cannavaro’s sending off for a professional foul on Zoltan Gera helped swing the game in Fulham’s favour before the Hungarian’s neat finish put them ahead.

Trailing 4-2 from the first leg in Italy, Salzburg’s challenge looked to have been ended when Ciro Immobile extended Lazio’s lead in Austria 10 minutes into the second half – his 39th goal of the season.

But Moanes Dabour pulled a goal back a minute later with a deflected strike to stir the home side back to life.

Amadou Haidara’s 72nd-minute stunner from 30 yards sparked an amazing four-minute period, in which Hwang Hee-chan put the Austrian champions ahead on away goals before Stefan Lainer headed an aggregate winner.

Arguably the greatest comeback of all, this one is so iconic that it has its very own title in France and Spain – La Remontada (the comeback).

PSG were clinical at home, winning 4-0, but the Nou Camp sensed something special when Luis Suarez scored after just three minutes in the second leg.

Barcelona were two goals to the good at the break courtesy of a Layvin Kurzawa own goal, but still trailed by two goals on aggregate.

Lionel Messi scored a penalty soon after the restart but Edinson Cavani hit back to silence the home faithful, although it wasn’t the pendulum-swinging moment PSG hoped for.

Barcelona, now trailing 5-3, needed three goals in fewer than 30 minutes to achieve a miracle. Neymar scored a free-kick in the 88th minute to offer further hope, before the Brazilian stroked home a 91st-minute penalty to level the tie at 5-5 on aggregate.

But PSG were still heading through on away goals.

Moving away from two-legged ties, the 2005 Champions League final was an unforgettable night of football.

AC Milan thought they had their hands on the trophy after racing into a 3-0 half-time time, but seven second-half minutes altered the course of history.

Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso scored to level the game for Liverpool and that is how it remained after 120 minutes, with Reds keeper Jerzy Dudek making a stunning double save from Andriy Shevchenko in extra-time.

In a memorable year for English comebacks in the Champions League, it all started with Manchester United seeing off Paris St-Germain in the last 16.

Interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer suffered the first defeat of his tenure in the first leg when a 2-0 loss at Old Trafford halted an 11-game unbeaten run.

None of the previous 107 clubs to lose a Champions League or European Cup first leg by two goals or more at home had managed to advance and few expected United to buck that trend.

But Romelu Lukaku got United off to the perfect start after two minutes only for Juan Bernat to hit back 11 minutes later, restoring PSG’s two-goal aggregate lead.

It was almost scripted that Manchester United would seal the final piece of their historic Treble in ‘Fergie Time’.

With the Premier League and FA Cup already secured, United had the small matter of German giants Bayern Munich standing in their way in the 1999 Champions League final, at the Nou Camp.

With Roy Keane and Paul Scholes both suspended, United’s hopes had already been dealt a blow, and their mission grew even tougher when Mario Basler put Bayern ahead on six minutes.

But ultimately the final proved to be a tale of two substitutes – Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.