Thompson was born and raised in Bath, Somerset before moving to Manchester to live with his aunt when his mother was admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
I think he has spent 12 of the last 20 years behind bars and missed out seeing me and my brother achieve some great things in life.
"[7][8] He had a "turbulent" childhood, "witnessing his father abusing his mother physically and verbally, his younger brother Reuben being struck by a hit-and-run driver – he remembers the tyre mark on the face of Reuben, who made a full recovery from his injuries – and his mother suffering a breakdown when he was eight.
[7] In 1998, he joined Manchester United's youth team and played alongside James Chester, Danny Drinkwater and Tom Cleverley.
[7][5][6] At school, Thompson said "that football slowly turned him from an outsider into one of the gang" and that he had an air of arrogance and confidence in any situation, as he was good at something but his teachers warned him that he still needed to concentrate on his studies in case he "might not make it"; it did not stop him from "practising his signature on scraps of paper at the back of the classroom".
[7][12][8] Thompson said his release was difficult to take that he did not tell any of his friends for at least two weeks, stating: "I'd always been a winner – the best at football, athletics and basketball – but now I was a loser.
[7] Initially reluctant as "he thought he was better than that", Thompson ended up relenting and joined the club, as he realised it did not matter what team he played for in the past, as long as, everyone were all in the same boat".
[32] Since returning from injury, this proved to be Thompson's breakthrough season under the management of Keith Hill, as he received more playing time.
[44] His next goal came on 7 November 2009 when he scored a vital late brace against Luton Town in the first round of the FA Cup to take the fixture to a replay.
[52] Manchester Evening News described the player as the "most improved member of the squad displaying great maturity in his performances, offering defensive cover and an outlet going forward.
[61] After being sidelined for a month due to his fitness concern, he made his return to the first team against Aldershot Town in the third round of the League Cup on 20 September 2011, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute, in a 2–1 loss.
[63] It was not until on 31 December 2011 when he made his return from injury, starting a match and played 69 minutes before being substituted, in a 0–0 draw against Walsall.
[68] Having yet to reach his decision after two months, he featured in the pre-season friendly match against Blackburn Rovers and scored the only goal of the game.
[69] However, Thompson then announced his intention to play abroad, but because he was under 24, he could not leave the club on a free transfer, and was soon linked with a move to Tranmere Rovers.
[73] Thompson made his debut for the club in the first round of the League Cup, starting and playing 120 minutes in a 2–1 win over Chesterfield on 14 August 2012.
[74] Four days later on 18 August 2012, he made his league debut for Tranmere Rovers, starting the whole game, in a 3–1 win over Leyton Orient.
[75] In a follow–up match against Carlisle United, he set the opening goal of the game for Andy Robinson, who scored a hat–trick, in a 3–0 win.
[76] However, Thompson found himself out of the starting line–up, due to his own injury concerns and his playing time coming from the substitute bench.
[78] Thompson scored his second goal of the season, in the first round of the FA Cup, in a 3–0 win over Braintree Town on 13 November 2012.
[91] Upon joining Bury, he later criticised Tranmere Rovers for the way they handled the contract negotiations during his absence, and was released by the club.
[91] He made his Bury debut in the first round of the League Cup, against Bolton Wanderers, coming on as an 85th-minute substitute, in a 3–2 loss.
"[114] Thompson made his third debut for Rochdale, coming on as an 80th-minute substitute, in a 2–1 win against Chesterfield in the first round of the League Cup.
[117] After being sidelined for three weeks, he made his return to the first team from injury, coming on as a 68th-minute substitute, in a 1–0 win against Oldham Athletic on 29 October 2016.
[121] After missing one match, Thompson made his return to the first team against Shrewsbury Town on 30 December 2016, coming on as a 56th-minute substitute, in a 2–1 win.
[124] It was not until on 11 February 2017 when he made his return from injury, starting a match and playing 45 minutes before being substituted, in a 0–0 draw against Fleetwood Town.
After being in remission following his battle with cancer for a second time, manager Keith Hill said he was not rushing Thompson back to the first team: "We will be led by the medics and Joe.
[130] But Thompson made his return to the first team from injury, coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute and was given a standing ovation by both supporters, in a 1–1 draw against Walsall on 23 December 2017.
[146] In April 2021, Thompson was announced as the co-presenter of BBC Squad Goals[147] with Sanny Rudravajhala and Lucy Oliva.
"[154] On 1 November 2013, it emerged that Thompson had been diagnosed with nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare form of cancer, and that he would immediately begin chemotherapy as treatment for the disease.
[94][157] On 16 June 2014, Thompson announced on his Twitter that he had completed remission after months of chemotherapy and "couldn't wait" to get back out on the football pitch.