Paul Thompson

Paul Thompson was born on September 19, 1932, in Albertville to Web and Mattie Thompson. Web was a house builder by trade, and Paul started working with him and other family members during junior high school in what was then called Thompson Construction Company. Paul had an older brother, J. W., and three sisters, Zenobia, Nadine and Vivian. Paul did not play organized sports until he started high school. His first coach was Marshall County Sports Hall of Fame Charter Class Inductee Thomas "Scoop" Howard in 1947 and 1948. When "Scoop" retired from coaching after the 1948 season, he made a call to the University of Southern Mississippi, where he was an outstanding player, and asked them to send a coach to replace him at AHS. A new coach from Southern Miss arrived in town shortly thereafter and brought with him a new offense, the T-formation. That coach was future Charter Class Hall of Fame Inductee Vernon Wells, who gave an undersized, scrappy youngster named Paul Thompson the opportunity to go under center and become a modern-day quarterback who could run, hand off, pitch or pass the football. Paul became the first T-formation QB in the area, running an offense that gave Coach Wells his start to becoming one of the best high school coaches in Alabama history, winning 214 games and being selected to three Halls of Fame in the state.

The Aggies finished 8-2 both years with Paul as their QB. During Thompson's high school career, the Aggies compiled an overall four-year record of 31-9 and never lost to another Marshall County team. Paul was selected All-County in both his Junior and Senior seasons and was sought after as a college player. Coach Don Salls of Jacksonville State Teacher's College, now Jacksonville State University, offered Thompson a football grant-in-aid following his senior year at AHS. However, Paul decided to play for the Copiah-Lincoln Junior College Wolfpack in Wesson, Mississippi. After a short time in Mississippi, Paul decided that was not the place for him and hitch-hiked back to Alabama, stopping in Jacksonville. He asked Coach Salls if there was still a scholarship for him there. When the legendary coach answered in the affirmative, the young quarterback enrolled at JSTC. Paul won his first "J" letter that year as a freshman. He was a four-year letterman and a two-year starter at QB in the 1953 and 1954 seasons. Paul was voted Co-Captain of the Gamecocks in 1954 alongside fellow Marshall County native and future Hall of Fame inductee H.T. "Pistol" Bentley. He also played with 2011 Hall of Fame inductee, Joe Wayne "Tubby" Roberts of Albertville, and was coached at JSTC by Hall of Fame Coach Raymond "Dirty" Wedgeworth. Paul said that one of the toughest players ever was fellow Albertville Aggie Junior Holder.

Thompson was also selected as "Who's Who in American Colleges" and was a two-year President of the "J" Club. He graduated in 1955 with a major in Business and a minor in Economics. He returned to Albertville after graduation and coached for a year, but gave that up to work with his father in the building business. In 1958, Thompson started his own business, Thompson Builders, which he operated until 1993 when he became the City of Albertville Building Inspector. Paul retired from that job in 2011. Paul has also raised cattle since 1960. He was a member of the Marshall County Cattleman's Board for five years and President for two years. Paul was also a member of the Senepol Cattleman's Board for three years and Vice President for two years. He is also an active member and past Deacon of the New Heights Baptist Church in Albertville. Paul has been married to his high school sweetheart, Edna Earl, for the past 60 years. The Thompsons have two children, Mark Thompson and Pam Gafford, both of Albertville.