Born in
Kendal, Cumbria, Thompson scored
Morecambe's first goal in the Conference play-off Final against
Exeter City in May 2007. In January 2008, Morecambe turned down a £10,000 offer from
Bradford City for Thompson. Thompson signed a one-year contract with
Bradford City on 4 July 2012. He made his debut on 11 August in the
League Cup during a 1–0 win against
Notts County. He then made his league debut a week later against
Gillingham. He made his home debut on 21 August in a 1–0 win against
Fleetwood Town, coming on as a substitute for
Zavon Hines. On 28 August, he scored his first goal for the club, scoring an injury-time winner in a 2–1 win in the League Cup against
Watford. On 11 December, he helped Bradford to the semi-finals of the
League Cup by scoring against
Arsenal. He scored his first league goal for the club on 26 December in a 2–1 win at home to
Accrington Stanley. On 2 May 2013, he scored in the first leg of the play-off semi-final against
Burton Albion. In the
final, he assisted goals from both
Nahki Wells and
James Hanson as Bradford beat
Northampton Town 3–0 and secured promotion to
League One. On 23 July 2014, Garry Thompson signed for
Notts County. After one season with County, he joined
Wycombe Wanderers on a two-year deal. He scored in the 83rd minute of Wycombe's
FA Cup fourth round match against
Tottenham Hotspur on 28 January 2017 after heading in
Myles Weston's cross to give Wycombe a 3–2 lead, although Wycombe went on to lose the match 4–3. At the end of the 2016–17 season, Thompson left Wycombe Wanderers after his contract was not renewed. Thompson re-signed for Morecambe on 28 June 2017, after 9 years away from the club. He had remained in close contact with his former teammate
Jim Bentley, who is the manager of Morecambe. Thompson made his second competitive debut in the opening game of the new season, a 2–1 win over Cheltenham Town. Thompson scored both goals to complete the comeback, including a last minute winner. In January 2019, he was released by Morecambe and joined
Northern Premier League club
Workington. After a short spell with
Penrith FC, 39-year old Thompson decided to hangs up his boots on 9 December 2019. ==Coaching career==