Alan Thompson

Who is Alan Thompson?

Alan Thompson is a former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby League competition. He primarily played at five-eighth.

Thompson was selected to represent New South Wales as five-eighth on ten occasions, seven of which were Origin matches. He played in the inaugural 1980 game, the complete 1982 series, games I and II of the 1983 series and game I of the 1984 series, the final year of his playing career.

At the time of his retirement in 1984, Thompson held the record for the most Manly club games: 261 with 62 tries and two field goals.

Thompson moved into coaching and took the Manly reserve grade side to the Grand Final in 1987, before winning the Reserve Grade Grand Final in 1988. In 1989, following Bob Fulton's appointment as Australian coach, Thompson was appointed as first grade coach but a turbulent and unsettled year within the club led to a disappointing season for Thompson and he was replaced at the end of the season by former New Zealand and Wigan coach Graham Lowe.