Ryan Thompson (footballer)

Ryan Thompson
Personal information
Full name	Ryan Thompson
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Shamrock Rovers
Number	16
Youth career
2002–2003	Harbour View
Senior career*
Years	Team
2003–2006	Harbour View
2006–2009	Tampa Spartans
2010	Portland Phoenix FC
2011–	Shamrock Rovers
International career‡
2004–2005	Jamaica U20
2007	Jamaica U23
2004–	Jamaica
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 September 2011; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 August 2010

Ryan Thompson (born 7 January 1985) is an Jamaican international football player who plays as a goalkeeper for Shamrock Rovers in Ireland. He has also won several caps at the youth international level.

Career

Club career

Harbour View

Ryan was the starting keeper at Harbour View until he accepted a soccer scholarship to the University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida

University of Tampa

Thompson was an All-American during his time at the University of Tampa.^[1] He played 57 times for the Tampa Spartans whilst at the University.^[2]

Portland Phoenix FC

After graduating from the University of Tampa, Thompson signed with Portland Phoenix FC in Maine for the 2010 PDL season. Thompson's Portland team finished runners-up in the Eastern Conference Northeast Division. Portland were beaten 2–1 against Reading United in the Conference Semi-Finals and were eliminated. Thompson played 13 games for the Phoenix in his one season with the Maine club.

Shamrock Rovers

After a two week trial in September 2010, Thompson signed with Shamrock Rovers in December 2010. The deal was finalized in February 2011 after he received his international clearance.^[3] Thompson spent much of the first half of the season on the bench as he was Rovers second choice Goalkeeper behind Alan Mannus. In March 2011, Thompson played in both legs of the Quarter-Finals of the 2011 Setanta Sports Cup for Rovers against Lisburn Distillery, Rovers went on to win the competition. Thompson played his first league game for Shamrock Rovers in a 1–0 win away against Dorgheda United on 15 July 2011. On 21 July, Alan Mannus signed for Scottish Premier League club St. Johnstone which meant Thompson became Rovers new first choice goalkeeper. On 27 July 2011, he became the first Jamaican to play in the Champions League, when Shamrock Rovers played FC Copenhagen in the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League Third qualifying round, Rovers were beaten 1–0 in the first-leg in Copenhagen and lost 2–0 in the second-leg in Tallaght on 2 August. Thompson and Rovers advanced to the 2011–12 Europa League play-off round where they faced Serbian SuperLiga Champions FK Partizan. The first leg in Dublin finished 1–1. The second leg in Serbia finished 1–1 and the tie went to extra time. Rovers scored a penalty in the 113 minute of the game and advanced to the 2011–12 Europa League group stage.

International career

Thompson was a part of the Jamaica under-20 squad in 2004-2005. He traveled internationally to Europe, Central America and the Caribbean for youth national teams. He made his full international debut on 26 November 2004 in a Copa Caribe qualifier in an 11–1 victory over the US Virgin Islands.^[4]