Bristol Rovers have completed the permanent signing of Luke Thomas on a three-year deal after the former loanee rejected Barnsley’s offer of a new contract.
Rovers have been working on a deal to bring Thomas back to the Mem from virtually the moment he left north Bristol following his temporary stint during the 2021/22 promotion campaign and having missed out last summer following Michael Duff's intervention, with the 24-year-old out of contract at the end of this month, have seized the opportunity.
Thomas was offered renewed terms at Oakwell but the Gas have provided greater assurance with an extra year. The Forest of Dean-born winger was also keen to return to the West Country, having left Cheltenham Town when he was 16 to sign for Derby County, and is said to be excited by the prospect of working with Joey Barton again.
Rovers have also benefited by Duff’s move to take over at Swansea City as Barton’s former Burnley teammate was one of the few reasons why Thomas was considering remaining in Yorkshire.
He made 31 appearances under Duff, and played some of his best football in a Barnsley shirt in the early stages of last season before sustaining a knee injury which kept him out for four months. The Tykes finished fourth in League One, eventually reached the play-off final before losing to Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley where Thomas played 48 minutes.
"We are happy to be reunited with Luke," Barton said. "He tasted promotion with us two seasons ago and we tried to get him back in for last season.
"As it turned out, he had a trip to Wembley and almost got Barnsley up. However, he's back at Rovers now and will be a key part of our dressing room. The three-year deal reflects how highly we rate his potential and what he could bring to the team."
His return should gives the Gas some of the x-factor they missed at times last season when they were heavily reliant on the goals and creativity of Aaron Collins. Barton bemoaned his lack of options out wide which were, due to Harry Anderson’s injury issues and Sylvester Jasper’s failed loan, essentially limited to veteran Scott Sinclair and moving Collins from a central role.
Barton and his squad are due back for pre-season on Monday at The Quarters and Thomas will join them in training alongside fellow new arrival James Wilson with their opening pre-season friendly against Melksham Town on Friday.
Thomas’ loan during the 2021/22 campaign was far from a complete success as Rovers signed him from Barnsley as he battled personal issues and had taken a break from the game prior to the move due to personal health concerns.
Barton had questioned the former Derby County forward’s professionalism in a heated blast in November 2021 admitting the Gas had tried to cancel his loan prematurely after the player had stormed out of the training ground after not being selected in the starting XI.
Barton warned he was in “last chance saloon”, and while blunt at the time, Thomas has since confessed the tough love approach is what he needed as he was noticeably more productive in the second half of the season. The two have also kept in contact since his return to Oakwell with Barton playing an influential role in tempting him back down to the Mem.
"It's great to be back at Rovers," Thomas said. "I'm here for three years and it's time to push on and enjoy more success here."
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