Following in your fathers footsteps is always hard but to follow somebody so committed to Dundee United as Eddie Thompson was is near impossible.
| Mr Thompson junior admits it is difficult to hear Dundee United's staff calling him "chairman". Stephen Thompson has the top job at Tannadice following the death of his father. Eddie. It has been a hard for the Thompson family to cope with two family tragedies,the passing of club owner Eddie and the untimely death of son-in-law Ken in an motorcycle accident within days of each other. However, Stephen was taught that things must move on and he was appointed chairman last Friday. He has revealed the pressure of stepping up to become the head of the family and also his pride at assuming the role as United's new figurehead. Thompson, who worked with his father for over 20 years building their grocery business, is also likely to make two new appointments to the board early next year. He said: "Everyone is starting to call me chairman and I must admit to finding that quite hard. I find it very strange, to be honest, because I'm so used to the staff calling my dad that. I had discussions with umpteen people about what I should be called. I'm very informal and in a lot of ways I'm not that kind of person, but they all said they felt it was right I should be called chairman now. I've got a hard act to follow. I'm very proud to be chairman of Dundee United and if I can do half as well as my father then I'll be very happy. I would love to have got it under different circumstances but it's something I will enjoy. Looking back, I never thought that one day I would be sitting here as chairman of United. I always thought my dad might but never thought of myself having that honour. I haven't just lost my dad. I feel as though I've lost a friend as well. It has been a very hard time for the family, with my brother in law also passing away, so I've got to be there for my mother and sister. But business has to move on as well so the responsibility has passed onto my shoulders. Some people might think I don't have the same passion for the club as my father did. But what I would say is that we all show our emotions differently. I've been all over Europe as a fan and I even remember as a young kid old being at a midweek game at Easter Road in torrential rain. All the away fans were huddled under one floodlight and ever since I've been with them everywhere. You don't carry on doing that because you've been dragged along by your father. You do it for the love of the club." Thompson has not exactly been thrown in at the deep end as he has been working as the club's chief executive for the past two years alongside his father. Although his title may have changed, a lot of things have not, like his commitment to the club. Like his father, Stephen admits to finding it hard to switch off at the end of the day. He said: "Even when I leave Tannadice at night, I'm still thinking of the job and all its demands." | |
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