Joey Barton has revealed he hopes to keep Barnsley loanee Luke Thomas at Bristol Rovers beyond this season, but the manager admits the situation is out of his hands.
Thomas is coming to the end of a season-long loan at the Mem and his time in BS7 has been turbulent. The Rovers manager criticised his professionalism and the 23-year-old has had to spend much of the season out of starting contention after admitting he had "let people down".
But behind the scenes, he has kept plugging away and the former Derby County and Coventry City winger was rewarded with a chance off the bench with Rovers chasing a goal against Salford City on Good Friday. Thomas paid Barton back with an impactful cameo, assisting Elliot Anderson for the winner in a crucial victory for the Gas in their promotion bid.
Thomas has endured personal and professional issues in the past year and Barton says the player is not yet in the clear, but he made clear his appreciation and desire to work with him in the long-term.
"You can see if you look at him, go and dig out a photo from his first six or seven games for us and look at him from today’s match," Barton said. "He’s lean, he’s disciplined, he’s eating right, he’s sleeping right, he’s got his life back on track and that has allowed him to come and make an impact.
"For me, I love him. I’d take him beyond this season, but he’s another team's property. The work that we’ve done to get him back and more importantly the work he’s done, we can only lead the horse to water. The penny has got to drop. It hasn’t been a linear progression, where he gets better and better. As there is with all young men, there are setbacks on the road but he’s kept turning up.
"I think the trust he’s got now from the group because of the hard work and yards he’s done, staying in and doing extra sessions. Sometimes getting dragged in the gym by Paul Coutts and Glenn Whelan, but going in the gym and getting the work done – the extra work needed to close the gap on players.
"He’s a super kid and an incredibly talented young man and I’d take him because I believe in what he’s about. He’s not out of the woods yet, he’s got to keep paying his dues and working hard but today will do his confidence no end of good."
Thomas arrived at the Mem last summer amid high expectations with dozens of Championship games under his belt, but he struggled for momentum early in the season before Barton slammed him in a post-match press conference at Salford in November, saying Thomas was in the "last-chance saloon" at Rovers.
The former England youth international has responded impressively since, but playing chances have remained limited. On Friday he made his 25th appearance of the season – his 16th as a substitute – and registered his fifth assist by driving at the Salford defence and picking out Elliot Anderson with 15 minutes to play.
Thomas is due to return to Oakwell in the summer, with a full year left on his Barnsley contract.
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