Eddie Thompson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eddie Thompson
Born	Edward Henry Thompson (1940-07-16)16 July 1940 Glasgow, Scotland
Died	15 October 2008(2008-10-15) (aged 68) Dundee, Scotland, UK
Occupation	Businessman, accountant
Years active	1991–2008
Net worth	£30 million (est.)
Title	chairman of Dundee United F.C.
Spouse(s)	Cath Thompson (m. ?–2008, his death)
Children	2

Edward Henry Thompson (born July 16, 1940 – died October 15, 2008) was a Scottish businessman. He was well-known in Scotland for his work in the retail business. He started his own chain of convenience stores called Morning, Noon and Night in 1991. He later sold this company for a lot of money in 2004.

In 2005, he received an award called the OBE. This award was given to him for his important contributions to the Scottish grocery industry. Eddie Thompson was also a big fan of Dundee United F.C.. He bought the club in 2002 and was its chairman until he passed away in 2008.

Eddie Thompson's Business Journey

Eddie Thompson was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He went to Hyndland Secondary School. After school, he became an accountant. He worked in management for a company in Dundee called Watson & Philip. This company owned a chain of convenience stores.

In 1991, Eddie decided to start his own business. He created a similar chain of stores called Morning, Noon & Night. He ran this company for many years. In 2004, he sold it to another company called Scotmid for £30 million.

In June 2005, Eddie Thompson was given the OBE award. This was for his great work in the Scottish grocery industry. He also served as the chairman of the Scottish Retail Consortium. He was part of other important business groups too. He even received a special award for his lifetime achievements in the Scottish grocery business.

His Time in Football

You can change your wife, your house, your car, but you can never change your team. Chairmen come and go, boards come and go, but the fans remain. They are the one true constant. I've just been a custodian of the Club.

Fans paid tribute to Eddie Thompson at Tannadice Park after his death.

Eddie Thompson first supported Motherwell F.C.. But when he moved to Dundee, he became a big fan of Dundee United F.C.. He had a long connection with the club. In the 1980s, he helped them get their first ever shirt sponsorship deal.

He was first an honorary business consultant for the club. However, he later had disagreements with the manager and chairman, Jim McLean. For many years, Eddie tried to invest in the club. He was often turned away. Finally, in September 2002, he bought McLean's shares and took control of Dundee United.

After taking over, he invested a lot of money into the team. At first, the team didn't have much success. Eddie Thompson became known as a very determined chairman. He changed managers quite often in his first four years. He continued to manage the club's affairs himself. This was even after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2003. Eddie also served on the management board of the Scottish Premier League.

The club's performance started to get better in October 2006. This was after Craig Levein became the manager. Craig became a close friend of Eddie. In the 2007–08 season, Dundee United reached the Scottish League Cup Final. By this time, people knew that Eddie was very ill. Many supporters wore T-shirts that said "One Eddie Thompson" during the final against Rangers. This was to show their respect for all he had done for the club.

In March 2008, it was announced that the East Stand at United's Tannadice Park stadium would be renamed after Thompson. This idea came from the fans.

During this time, Eddie made plans for the club's future. He wanted to make sure things would continue smoothly after he was gone. His son, Stephen, was already a director. He was made chief executive and took over many of his father's duties. Craig Levein also joined the board as director of football, in addition to being the manager.

Eddie Thompson passed away from prostate cancer on October 15, 2008. Dundee United announced his death with great sadness. They said he had faced his long illness with great strength and bravery. He had worked hard for the club for as long as he could.

His Family

Eddie Thompson was survived by his wife, Cath. He also had a daughter, a son, and four grandchildren. Sadly, his son-in-law passed away in a road accident shortly before Eddie. His son, Stephen, took over his role as Chairman of Dundee United Football Club.

Images for kids

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  Fans paid tribute to Eddie Thompson at Tannadice Park after his death.

See also

In Spanish: Edward Thompson para niños