'I wanted to quit football after disgusting urine prank'

It started like all the other matchdays before it for goalkeeper Tony Thompson.

Beans on toast for breakfast, a 40-minute drive to Warrington Town's Cantilever Park, a laugh and a catch-up with team-mates in the home dressing room before the nitty-gritty on the pitch.

Warrington were hosting Northern Premier League Premier Division rivals Guiseley in the second round of the FA Trophy.

A big game for both part-time clubs, with the winning team inching a step closer to the final at Wembley.

By the end of the day, Thompson - who was on Liverpool's books growing up - was ready to walk away from the game he loved after an incident that "knocked me sick".

Early in the second half, with the tie goalless, Thompson reached for the drinks bottle by his net and took a gulp of what he thought was water.

Unbeknown to him, a Guiseley fan behind his goal had climbed over the pitchside barrier and swapped bottles while Thompson was concentrating on the game.

Instead of water, the keeper said the bottle he had drank from was filled with urine.

The incident was filmed by other fans and viewed more than two million times on social media.

"At first I wanted to be sick," says Thompson, 30.

"I turned round to confront whoever had done it and there was a lad stood there who said 'it's me, what are you going to do about it?'

"My head was completely gone. It got a bit heated.

"I gripped the lad and emptied the bottle near him or on him. I threw the bottle away in anger and told him 'that's disgusting'."

Thompson was sent off for his reaction and Warrington lost the tie 1-0, with the goalkeeper receiving a three-match ban, later reduced to one., external

After driving home from the match, Thompson wrote on social media:, external "Today I fell out of love with the game. To be told I wasn't allowed to react because I'm a player is outrageous. That person has put me [and] my family's health at risk, and knocked me sick."

The post went viral, receiving 41,000 likes.

"It was mad for a few days afterwards," he adds. "I was getting requests for interviews but I want to be known for being a good goalkeeper - not famous because someone urinated in my bottle!"

Three years on, Thompson is able to talk about the incident that almost made him quit.

Thompson's career includes a spell at Rotherham United when Emiliano Martinez, now at Aston Villa, was on loan there from Arsenal.

While Martinez has gone on to win the World Cup with Argentina, Thompson has fallen back in love with football.

He has moved on from Warrington, and on Saturday will have his usual pre-match beans on toast before playing in the FA Cup first qualifying round for Bootle at Yorkshire side Silsden.

Thompson says it took a lot of soul-searching and persuasion from family, friends and team-mates to continue playing after that grim experience in 2022.

A message of support from former Liverpool and England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, who was attacked on the pitch by a fan while playing for Sheffield Wednesday in 2012, also helped him decide to carry on.

"Immediately after the game, I was ready to quit," says Thompson, who was part of the Altrincham team that won six ties to reach the FA Cup second round in 2019.

"No player steps on to the football pitch to be treated that way. I love a bit of interaction with fans. Most of the time it ends up with me shaking hands with opposition supporters at the end of the game.

"What happened against Guiseley wasn't banter. I don't play football for things like that.

"In the end I decided I wanted to carry on playing because something like that shouldn't make me stop. The only way I'll stop is if I can't physically play any more."

Several weeks after the incident, Thompson received a letter.

It was from the fan who switched the bottles.

Three days after the FA Trophy match, Guiseley said the supporter in question had been tracked down and banned indefinitely., external

Thompson was asked by Cheshire Police if he wanted to press charges but decided against it.

"He was a young lad and we all make mistakes," he says.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not soft and what he did was disgusting. But I didn't want one incident to hinder his future.

"He sent me a letter saying sorry. I did read it but at the time I was still angry because it was so raw."

Thompson has moved on with his life, and wants to carry on playing football for as long as possible.

He left Rotherham without making a senior appearance and most of his playing career has been spent in non-league.

His former clubs include Chelmsford City (loan), Southport (loan), Chester and AFC Fylde, while his one and only Football League appearance came at Morecambe in 2015-16.

"I love the community feel, the family feel of non-league football," he adds.

"During my five years at Altrincham, I knew everyone's name and they all knew my name.

"At Bootle, there's a massive family feel around the club. The chairman, the supporters... they're all in it for the same reason. It's for the love of the game."

Thompson's partner, Samantha, gave birth to their baby boy Vincent last month - and he is a source of inspiration for his dad.

"I'm 100% glad I decided not to quit playing in the end," says Thompson.

"One of my dreams is to walk out on to the pitch before a game with my son. That's a memory I'll cherish for the rest of my life."