Mr Thompson, who had family associations with York, had been appointed deputy headmaster of the Exeter Deaf and Dumb Institute (which had become the Deaf Academy in Exmouth by the of its 200th anniversary in 2026) at the end of the 1890s. Quickly becoming involved in the local sporting scene, he assumed the role of secretary of Exeter United (founded as recently as 1896) which had quickly emerged as the city's pre-eminent association football club. Mainly playing at St Luke's College on Magdalen Road, the club had reached the Devon Senior Cup final in 1898 before abruptly ending its existence in 1902 after latterly playing at what became St James' Park. 

With St Sidwell's United establishing itself as the new force in local football, the newer club had no need for administrative assistance as Sid Thomas (one of its players) took on the role with apolmb and continued in the same role with the soon-to-be professional Exeter City for many years to come. By this time, for his part, Mr Thompson had beeen appointed superintendent of a similar deaf and dumb institute in Bradford.