MELKSHAM TOWN | END OF AN ERA

Dave Thompson plays his last game for hometown club

After almost 400 appearances for his hometown club, Dave Thompson played his final game for Melksham Town last weekend.

It was rather fitting that there were over 1,000 people there to see it as Wimborne Town claimed the Pitching In Southern League Division One title with a hard-earned win, but nothing could take away the reception that the player-coach received from the home faithful following years of sterling service to the club over several spells.

“I’ve never felt like more of a right time to stop playing,” he admitted to us. “Although I feel 21 when I cross the line at training and on match days, I soon after remember I’m not when my body is in bits for the next few days!

“My feeling is that I’ve been very fortunate to have met some unbelievable people and that I’ve been lucky to have such amazing support from my family through the good and bad times of the game.

“As a boy, I lived just a stone’s throw away from the old ground. I always wanted to play there, so when the opportunity came up, I grabbed it and the games soon started to rack up.

“I went on to captain the team, winning to County Cups, a Toolstation Western League Premier Division title and promotion as well as a run to the quarter-final of the FA Vase.

“I have some great memories but the time is right to call it a day. It was a nice occasion to finish on; seeing my wife and kids was special and there was a nice atmosphere. I take my hat off to Wimborne Town, they have always been a top side to play against and a well-run club, so they deserve their title and I wish them well at the higher level.”

Combining playing with a coaching role, we asked him for his reflections on his final season and thoughts on the future for the club and football in general.

“This season couldn’t have started much better,” he said. “But with a thin squad and the loss of some key players, it unfortunately got away from us.

“On a personal note, I probably played more games than I wanted to but enjoyed every minute of it. Given that the core of the squad is as strong as I’ve seen at the club, and with others coming of age now around them, if they can be kept together with a couple additions in certain areas, will be a serious threat to any team in the League.

“Having played for a number of years at this level and also a few seasons at the level above, I ‘ve seen a big change in football.

“It’s much more tactical-based these days; the addition of tools such as VEO allow teams to set up specifically for opponents.

“I’d like to see more games played earlier in the season to avoid the need to cram so many in at the end, but I appreciate that we don’t want to run the risk of seasons finishing in March.

“As for my future, I see it as certainly being a football-based on. I’ll be sitting down with a few people over the summer to discuss things but before then I’ll get away with the lads to wind down.”

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