Thorogood played for Melbourne, including three premiership teams. In 1963, he went to the Waverley Football Club in the Victorian Football Association, and he coached the club to its sole Division 1 premiership in 1965. He was also responsible for giving the club its nickname, the Panthers.[2] He moved on to become assistant coach of South Melbourne in 1970.
He joined the Carlton Football Club as assistant coach in 1976, but took over the senior coaching position when John Nicholls resigned at the beginning of the season. He coached the club for the 1976 and 1977 seasons.
^Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2002). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (4th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Crown Content. p. 642. ISBN1-74095-001-1.
^Scot Palmer (10 May 1963). "Panthers are snarling". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. p. 45.