It's official: Roger Thompson is the York United FC captain for the 2021 season.

The centre-back, who is beginning his third season with the club, wore the armband for the first time in the team's narrow 2-1 defeat to Cavalry FC last Sunday.

"To be able to represent your hometown club and be able to lead the boys on the pitch...that's the best feeling," he said.

"One of the main roles as a captain is to lead the boys, to motivate them, to push the team through bad times and good times and get the best results when we're on the field. It's time to take the next step with York United now and start a new chapter."

A commanding but elegant centre-half, Thompson has been with the club since its inception.

Born in Clarendon in Jamaica, he moved to Brampton, ON at the age of 10 and began playing with Brampton East Soccer Club the following year. The 29-year-old has extensive experience of playing professionally in Europe, beginning with Finnish side IFK Mariehamn in 2013, with whom he tasted UEFA Europa League action. Following a brief spell in Germany, he moved to Sweden and played for Trelleborgs FF before a two-year stint with Ljungskile. He enjoyed a particularly impressive 2020 and was a standout performer at The Island Games in PEI, playing every single minute of the team’s seven games there.

For Head Coach Jimmy Brennan, the decision was relatively straightforward: Thompson just ticked so many boxes.

"He's been around the club for a while and well respected," says The Gaffer.

"The young guys look up to him, they listen to him. He's got a very good bond with everybody within the organization. I felt it was time for Roger to be the captain, be the leader. And I think he's the right guy to wear that armband."

Hear from Thompson and Brennan in the premiere episode of our documentary series, The Nine Stripes (and keep an eye out for a familiar face too).

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