Paul Thompson is a British ice hockey
head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
and
general manager
A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
. He was head coach of the
Great Britain men's national ice hockey team
The Great Britain men's national ice hockey team (also known as Team GB) is the national ice hockey team that represents the United Kingdom. A founding member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in 1908, the team is control ...
from 2006 to 2011. As of 2018, he is the winningest coach in the
Elite Ice Hockey League
The Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), sometimes referred to as the British Elite League or, for sponsorship reasons, the Viaplay Elite League, is an ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Formed in 2003 following the demise of the Ice Hockey ...
, and has received nine Coach of the Year trophies in his career. His teams have won three
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involves am ...
s, two British Knockout Cups, and he is the first coach to win five Elite League titles. In the 2004–2005 season, Thompson completed the British Hockey Grand Slam; winning the Challenge Cup, the EIHL title, and the EIHL playoff championship. He served as the general manager and head coach of the
Sheffield Steelers
The Sheffield Steelers are a professional ice hockey team located in Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 (see 1991 in sport) and play their home games at the Utilita Arena. They are currently a member of the Elite Ice Hockey League. ...
from 2015 to 2018, and previously coached 19 seasons with the
Coventry Blaze
Coventry Blaze are an ice hockey team based in Coventry, England. They currently compete in the British Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) and play their home games at SkyDome Arena. The club was founded in 1965 as the ''Solihull Barons'' and rena ...
organisation. He has coached professional teams in Denmark, Germany, Italy and Sweden; and has been the head coach of the
Odense Bulldogs
The Odense Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team based in Odense, Denmark. They currently play in Ret&Råd Fyn Arena in the Bolbro area, as a part of the best Danish league Metal Ligaen, and they are furthermore the only hockey team from Fu ...
since 2021. He is known by the nickname "Thommo".
Professional coaching career
Beginnings in Solihull
Thompson began coaching a youth team in
Solihull
Solihull (, or ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands County, England. The town had a population of 126,577 at the 2021 Census. Solihull is situated on the River Blythe i ...
, then its reserve team, and then the Solihull Barons, which were renamed the Blaze in the following season.
In his partial season coaching in Division 1, the Barons finished twelfth place.
His first chance at coaching in the
English Premier Ice Hockey League
The English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL) was an ice hockey league of 10 teams, all of which were based in England. Headquartered in Blackpool, the EPIHL was one of two professional ice hockey leagues in the United Kingdom (the other being th ...
came in 1996–1997, with the Solihull Blaze. Thompson guided the team to a second-place finish in the season, but financial problems prevented the team from continuing into the playoffs.
The team voluntarily dropped down to Division 1 in the
NIHL for the 1997–1998 season, and then won the division, the league, and the playoffs, earning Thompson his first title as a coach.
The Blaze returned to the EPIHL for the 1998–1999 season, and won the EPIHL championship and the playoffs.
Solihull moved up to the
British National League for the 1999–2000 season, placed seventh, and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Thompson won BNL Coach of the Year, his first of many awards.
Coventry years
In the 2000–2001 season, Solihull became the Coventry Blaze. Thompson improved the team to 4th in the league, but lost in the playoff round-robin.
Thompson won the
Coach of the Year Trophy awarded by the
Ice Hockey Journalists UK
Ice Hockey Journalists UK, abbreviated to IHJUK, is an organisation which was set up in 1984 to promote the interests of ice hockey and its writers, photographers and broadcasters. Originally called the British Ice Hockey Writers Association, abbre ...
.
In the 2001–2002 season, Thompson again improved the team to a second-place finish, and reached the finals of the BNL playoffs.
In the 2002–2003 season, Thompson coached Coventry to both the BNL season championship, and the playoff championship,
and won another Coach of the Year Trophy.
Coventry was a founding member of the
Elite Ice Hockey League
The Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), sometimes referred to as the British Elite League or, for sponsorship reasons, the Viaplay Elite League, is an ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Formed in 2003 following the demise of the Ice Hockey ...
for the 2003–2004 season. In the new league, Thompson led the team to third place, but lost in the playoff round robin.
The 2004–2005 season, was Thompson's most successful with the Blaze. He led Coventry to the EIHL championship, the EIHL playoff championship, and the EIHL Challenge Cup championship.
Thompson also won another Coach of the Year Trophy.
Thompson repeated the EIHL Challenge Cup championship in the 2005–2006 season, but finished fourth place in the league, and lost in the playoff round robin.
In the 2006–2007 season, Thompson led Coventry to a third consecutive EIHL Challenge Cup championship, won the EIHL championship, and lost in the playoff semifinals to miss out on another grand slam, however the Blaze won the British Knockout Cup.
Thompson was awarded another IHJUK Coach of the Year for his efforts.
In the 2007–2008 season, Thompson led Coventry to the EIHL Charity Shield finals, won the EIHL championship, lost in the playoff finals, and won a second British Knockout Cup.
Thompson was named both the IHJUK Coach of the Year,
and the EIHL Coach of the Year.
In the 2008–2009 season, he led Coventry to the EIHL Charity Shield championship, finished 2nd place in the league, and a loss in the playoff semifinals.
Thompson and Coventry won the EIHL championship in the 2009–2010 season, but lost in the playoff semifinals, and in the Hocktoberfest finals
He won his eighth Coach of The Year award.
In the 2010–2011 season, Thompson's team dropped to 6th place in the league, and a loss in the first round of the playoffs, but were finalists in the EIHL Charity Shield.
He improved the team to 5th place in the 2011–2012 season, but still lost in the first round of the playoffs.
In the 2012–2013 season, he again improved the team to 4th in the league, and reached the second round of the playoffs.
Abroad in Europe
Thompson was the longest tenured head coach in British ice hockey when he announced his intentions to coach abroad in Europe for a new experience.
Thompson joined
Troja-Ljungby of the
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan (; en, the All-Swedish, also known as Fotbollsallsvenskan, en, the Football All-Swedish) is a Swedish professional league for men's association football clubs. It was founded in 1924 and is the top tier of the Swedish football lea ...
league in Sweden for the 2013–2014 season.
He was an assistant coach to Gunnar Leidborg, but with 12 games remaining he was promoted to head coach upon Leidborg's departure. The team was ultimately relegated to
Hockeyettan
Hockeyettan is the third tier of ice hockey in Sweden. As of the 2015–16 Hockeyettan season, 2015–16 season, the league consists of 46 teams divided geographically into four groups. Hockeyettan operates a system of promotion and relegation w ...
after finished 13th in the season, and missing the top two spots in the qualifiers.
Thompson stated he could have remained in Sweden, but wanted to move onto something else.
Thompson moved to
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
for the 2014–15 season, coaching the
Aalborg Pirates
Aalborg Pirates is a professional ice hockey team (previously known as Aalborg Ishockey and AaB Ice Hockey) playing in the Danish ice hockey league, Metal Ligaen. The ice hockey team first appeared in 1967 as AaB Ice Hockey organized under Aalbor ...
of the
Metal Ligaen
Metal Ligaen is the premier league in Danish ice hockey. The league consists of 9 professional teams. The name of the league has changed many times, but is being sponsored by Dansk Metal and therefore got the name Metalligaen.
History
It is a ...
. His team was primarily made of younger, local players.
Aalborg finished eighth place in the season, and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
After two years in Europe, Thompson returned to Great Britain, feeling that he learned a lot about hockey while abroad.
Sheffield years
On 30 April 2015, Thompson signed a two-year contract to be general manager and head coach of the
Sheffield Steelers
The Sheffield Steelers are a professional ice hockey team located in Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 (see 1991 in sport) and play their home games at the Utilita Arena. They are currently a member of the Elite Ice Hockey League. ...
, and oversee the Under 20 programme.
In the 2015–2016 season, Thompson led Sheffield to the EIHL championship, but were upset in the first round of the playoffs, by his old team Coventry.
Thompson was awarded a ninth Coach of the Year Trophy, in his return to the EIHL.
In the 2016–2017 season, he led the Steelers to third place in the league, won the EIHL playoff championship, and a spot in the EIHL Challenge Cup finals.
On 12 April 2017, Thompson signed a two-year contract extension. In the 2017–2018 season, he led Sheffield to a third-place finish in the league, and reached the finals of the playoffs losing to the Cardiff Devils.
Thompson resigned from his positions on 1 October 2018, citing personal reasons.
Schwenningen years
On 8 November 2018, Thompson signed a one-year contract as head coach of the
Schwenninger Wild Wings
The Schwenninger Wild Wings are a professional German ice hockey team from Schwenningen am Neckar in Baden-Wuerttemberg that was founded on 31 July 1904 and currently plays in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). The greatest success of the associ ...
in the
Deutsche Eishockey Liga
The Deutsche Eishockey Liga (for sponsorship reasons called "PENNY Deutsche Eishockey Liga") (; English: ''German Ice Hockey League'') or DEL, is a German professional ice hockey league and the highest division in German ice hockey. Founded in ...
, with a club option for a second year.
In the 2018–2019 season, he led the Wild Wings to 49 points but placed 14th and last overall.
In his second season with the Wild Wings, Thompson was fired on 16 December 2019, with the team in 14th place and last overall with only six wins in 26 games.
Move to Italy
In October 2020, Thompson became head coach of the Unterland Cavaliers in
Serie B
The Serie B (), currently named Serie Balkrishna Industries, BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 ...
of the Italian Hockey League.
Return to Denmark
Thompson was appointed as the head coach of the
Odense Bulldogs
The Odense Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team based in Odense, Denmark. They currently play in Ret&Råd Fyn Arena in the Bolbro area, as a part of the best Danish league Metal Ligaen, and they are furthermore the only hockey team from Fu ...
in the Metal Ligaen in March 2021, on a contract until the end of the 2022–23 season.
Results and honours
As of 2018, Thompson is the winningest coach in the
Elite Ice Hockey League
The Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), sometimes referred to as the British Elite League or, for sponsorship reasons, the Viaplay Elite League, is an ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Formed in 2003 following the demise of the Ice Hockey ...
, and has received nine Coach of the Year trophies in his career.
His teams have won three
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involves am ...
s, two British Knockout Cups, and he is the first coach to win five Elite League titles.
In the 2004–2005 season, Thompson completed the British Hockey Grand Slam; winning the Challenge Cup, the EIHL title, and the EIHL playoff championship.
International duties
Thompson was an assistant coach for the men's national ice hockey team in 2001, and 2002, and later became head coach of the men's national team from 2006 to 2011.
In his fifth season as head coach of Team Great Britain, the Lions almost earned promotion to the top tier of the
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annua ...
. Great Britain won its final game against
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
to move into first place in Group B,
but earned a silver medal, when
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
scored a late goal against the host team
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
.
Thompson planned on returning in 2012, but later resigned, and was replaced with Tony Hand.
Thompson headed a development forum for
Ice Hockey UK
Ice Hockey UK (IHUK) is the national governing body of ice hockey in the United Kingdom. Affiliated to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), IHUK is the internationally recognised umbrella body in the United Kingdom. IHUK was created ...
, and led a proposal to create a domestic
Under-20 League to develop the national talent pool.
He believes that league structure used by the
Danish Ice Hockey Union
('The Danish Ice Hockey Union') or DIU is the governing body of ice hockey in Denmark. It is a member of the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The associati ...
can be used for the Elite League, based on his experience coaching in the Metal Ligean.
Thompson has stated a desire to give back to the
English Ice Hockey Association
The English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) is the governing body of ice hockey in England and Wales. It was formed in 1982 and featured around 60 teams. EIHA is one of several bodies regulating ice hockey in the United Kingdom, along with Scott ...
, and was the
keynote
A keynote in public speaking is a talk that establishes a main underlying theme. In corporate or commercial settings, greater importance is attached to the delivery of a keynote speech or keynote address. The keynote establishes the framework fo ...
speaker, at the 2017 coaches conference hosted by the Junior League Management Committee, and the England National Team Programme.
International results
Personal life
Thompson was born on 5 April 1965, in
Singapore, Malaysia.
He had a brief playing career as a
defenceman
Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the la ...
from 1987 to 1994, with the
Solihull Barons
The Solihull Barons are an English ice hockey team from the town of Solihull who play at Solihull Ice Rink on Hobs Moat Road. The current team, which is the third incarnation of the Barons, was formed in 2005; they are named after the original te ...
, and the
Sheffield Steelers
The Sheffield Steelers are a professional ice hockey team located in Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 (see 1991 in sport) and play their home games at the Utilita Arena. They are currently a member of the Elite Ice Hockey League. ...
.
In 84 games, he scored 2 goals, and 17 assists.
Thompson is married, and has a son who played
junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
.
In 2004, Thompson coauthored the book ''Benched: Blazing a Trail Through British Ice Hockey'', a biography about his life in ice hockey.
In 2008, he received a
Lifetime Achievement Award
Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions.
Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include:
A
* A.C. ...
from
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...
,
Solihull
Solihull (, or ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands County, England. The town had a population of 126,577 at the 2021 Census. Solihull is situated on the River Blythe i ...
&
Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon an ...
sports, and an honorary
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science ( la, links=no, Scientiae Doctor), usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D., or D.S., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, "Doctor of Science" is the degree used f ...
by
Coventry University
, mottoeng = By Art and Industry
, established =
, type = Public
, endowment = £28 million (2015)
, budget = £787.5 million
, chancellor = Margaret Casely-Hayford
, vice_chancellor = John Latham
, students = ()
, undergr ...
.
See also
*
Ice hockey in the United Kingdom
Ice hockey has been played in the United Kingdom since the beginning of the twentieth century, and it was a game between English Army veterans played in Canada that is the first recorded use of a sawed-off ball, which led to the use of the puck in ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Paul
1965 births
Living people
British ice hockey coaches
British people of Singaporean descent
Deutsche Eishockey Liga coaches
English ice hockey defencemen
Great Britain men's national ice hockey team coaches
Sheffield Steelers players
Sportspeople from Singapore