Joe Thompson funeral: Dion Dublin and ex-Man United youth stars pay respects to former football who died aged 36 after cancer battle

Dion Dublin was among the figures associated with Manchester United in attendance for former academy player Joe Thompson’s funeral, as his family and loved ones gathered to pay their respects. 

Thompson, who came through Man United’s academy revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer for the third time last year. He was found to have stage four lymphona – a type of blood cancer.

He had previously been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2013 and recovered before the cancer returned four years later. He went on to recover a second time before calling time on his career in 2019.

His funeral in Worsely, Greater Manchester, was attended by a number of former team-mates, friends and figures from the club. 

Dublin was joined by former Red Devils defender and Premier League winner with Leicester City Danny Simpson, as well as former Rochdale player Simon Ramsden and Danny Webber, who came through the ranks at Old Trafford. 

Thompson’s family in fact invited anyone who wanted to pay their respects to attend the service in Worsely, with hundreds arriving on the day, and asked for donations to be made to charities supported by the former player.

Thompson’s playing career included spells at Rochdale, Tranmere, Southport, Bury and Carlisle United, before he retired in 2019.

Fans from clubs that he played for were among those in attendance on Monday, with Rochdale’s co-chairman Simon Gauge also at the service. 

‘He had a real zest for life. Everyone at Rochdale is incredibly sad – he was a wonderful man,’ said Gauge.  

Thompson became a regular pundit on MUTV following his retirement and held an ambassadorial role, along with working as a motivational speaker and life coach.

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