After declining terms with Ashington, he signed as an amateur with Carlisle before turning professional three weeks later in September 1928.
[3] He made his Football League debut for Carlisle's first team as an inside forward away to Wigan Borough on 2 February 1929, scoring once in a 2–2 draw; his only other appearance came a week later in a 1–0 home win over Crewe Alexandra.
At the end of the season, Thompson joined Second Division Bristol City, but never made a first-team appearance, instead spending his single season with the club playing in the reserves in both the Western Section of the Southern Football League and the Western Football League First Division.
In March 1938, he was allowed to leave for Third Division North side Gateshead, for whom he scored twice on his debut, a 4–1 win over Halifax Town.
[3] After just over a year with Gateshead, during which time he scored a total of seven goals in 24 league appearances, Thompson joined York City.