Why Nottingham Forest and Notts County both have same affection for defender | OneFootball

John Thompson spent the majority of his career on the books of Forest and County, and was equally beloved by both

Only a rare few players can say that they've spent parts of their career playing for both sides of a bitter rivalry and say that they are well-liked among both sets of fans. John Thompson falls into that category.

The defender even spent time on the books at nearby side Mansfield Town, where he was forced to retire at the early age of 31, but it's his time spent playing for the Nottingham clubs where he is most remembered.

The Irish right-back made his name in England at Nottingham Forest, but a year after departing for Oldham Athletic, found his way back to the Robin Hood County, but this time for Forest's bitter rivals.

Despite this, he was able to establish himself as a league-winning captain at Meadow Lane, and achieve the feat of being beloved by two rival sides.

Coming through at the City Ground - John Thompson's beginnings at Nottingham Forest

John Thompson's career began in his native home of Ireland, playing for Home Farm FC. His time there saw him earn caps for his country's youth sides, and a UEFA European U17 Championship in 1998.

But for his career to fully kick off, he needed to make his way over to England, and he signed with then-Premier League side Nottingham Forest as a 17-year-old in 1998, although the Reds would begin their 23-year exodus from the top-flight the following season.

So it was in the old First Division (now the Championship) where Thompson would break into English football. He made his debut in January 2002 in a 0-0 draw with Sheffield United, and was a rotational member of the squad the season after, making 20 appearances and scoring three times in the 2002/03 term.

These performances saw him earn his one and only Ireland senior team cap in November 2003 in a game against Canada, and his importance in the Forest side grew and grew too, being the first-choice right-back up until the 2006/07 season.

Ultimately, changes in the backroom meant that Thompson fell out of the rotation, and after a failed loan move to Tranmere Rovers, he was released from his Forest contract in 2007, bringing an end to a near-decade stint with the side, six years of which came with the first team.

His time at the City Ground saw him pick up 144 appearances, and he'll be remembered as a solid full-back option among Forest supporters.

Leading Notts County to League One - John Thompson's time at Meadow Lane

Thompson's time at Forest's rivals was shorter than his spell at the City Ground, but the Irishman arguably played a bigger role in the Notts County squad.

The right-back's time at Oldham Athletic was mired by injury and inconsistency, and a year later he found himself back in Nottinghamshire on loan at Notts County in October 2008.

The loan spell was made permanent the following January, and by the end of that season, he had been made the club captain, replacing club legend Mike Edwards.

The following season, Notts County won League Two by a comfortable ten points, with Thompson leading by example, making 40 appearances as captain along the way.

The next season would prove to be more difficult, as Notts only just survived an immediate relegation back to the fourth tier, and Thompson played just 25 times in the league, with his contract not being renewed at the end of the season, leaving him to join Conference League side Mansfield Town.

In all, Thompson spent just shy of three seasons at Meadow Lane, but still managed to rack up 114 appearances for Notts, the majority of which came as captain, hence why he'll be remembered fondly by those who wear the famous black and white to games now.

There may have been some grumbles when the loan deal was announced to bring in someone who cut their teeth in England at Nottingham Forest, but when it was all said and done, John Thompson retired with supporters from both sides of the Nottingham Derby.