ALAN THOMPSON earned his one and only England cap in a friendly against Sweden.
And now nearly 20 years on, his cousin is lighting up English football.
PA:Press AssociationAlan Thompson, centre, made his one and only England appearance in 2004 – in the same game as Jermain Defoe’s debut[/caption]
GettyHis cousin David is the dad of Matty and Sean Longstaff[/caption]
But very few people realise that Sean Longstaff – and brother Matty – are related to the former Bolton, Aston Villa and Celtic star.
Thompson, 49, came through the youth academy at boyhood club Newcastle, going professional in 1991.
But after two seasons in the first team and 20 appearances, he moved to Bolton where he scored in the 1995 League Cup final defeat to Liverpool.
He twice helped the Trotters win promotion into the Premier League at Burnden Park but had his longest spell with Celtic from 2000 to 2007.
During his time north of the border, Thompson won eight trophies including four league titles.
He also helped the club reach the Uefa Cup final in 2003 and even scored the winner to knock Barcelona out in the following season.
And it was in the same month that the former youth international earned his solo Three Lions cap, becoming the first Celtic player to represent England.
Sven-Goran Eriksson called up the midfielder and started him alongside Steven Gerrard, Owen Hargreaves and Nicky Butt in England’s 1-0 friendly defeat to Sweden in March 2004.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the only goal of the game on 54 minutes, six minutes before Thompson was subbed off.
The game was also Jermain Defoe’s first cap – and Gareth Southgate’s last.
But while Thompson’s team-mates that day – including John Terry and Wayne Rooney – would go on to represent England at multiple World Cups and Euros, that was the end of his international career.
He finished his playing days with spells at Leeds and Hartlepool, retiring in 2008.
Thompson worked as an academy coach at Newcastle then linked up with former team-mate Neil Lennon as an assistant at Celtic – before the pair fell out in a bitter spat.
The former Birmingham, Blackpool and Bury coach is back on speaking terms with Lennon again now – but has not stepped back into football since 2017.
But the family still has plenty of interest in the beautiful game, thanks to Thompson’s relatives.
The ex-England man is cousins with David Longstaff, a former British ice hockey star who is the dad of Sean and Matty.
Sean, 25, scored for his boyhood club Newcastle in the Champions League while younger brother Matty is currently a free agent after his release in the summer.
GettyThompson came through the Newcastle academy[/caption]
PA:Press AssociationThompson enjoyed seven successful years at Celtic and later returned as a coach[/caption]
ReutersThe Three Lions lost 1-0 away to Sweden in his only cap[/caption]
GettyLongstaff scored against PSG in the Champions League at St James’ Park[/caption]