 He made over 400 appearances, in a career spanning 18 years, in the Football League with Blackpool, Lincoln City, Leyton Orient, Grimsby Town, Bristol Rovers, Swansea City, Peterborough United, Torquay United, Rochdale and Darlington.Whilst with Blackpool, he also had a loan spell with Northern Irish top-flight club Bangor, and finished his career in non-league football with Fleetwood Town and AFC Fylde.Thorpe was born in Wolverhampton and began his career as a trainee with Blackpool, turning professional in July 1994.