Thornton left the Ambers last September to link up with Worsborough Bridge in a last hurrah with his playing boots on while dipping his toe in the coaching and management side of things with alongside Lee Morris at the Briggers.

He has now hung up his boots and the popular, straight-talking Barnsley man is back at the club alongside manager Russ Eagle and his assistant Aiden Spowage.

Thornton told the club`s website: "It`s good to be back. It`s a club that has been fantastic to me and the family over my two stints as a player I have built a great affinity with the club and the people around it.

“It`s a club that I have made no secret of my passion and admiration for and when I left to join Worsborough last season I said I'd eventually be back and here I am and I can`t wait to get started alongside Russ and Spow.

“There was talk a few months ago about me coming back but that didn’t materialise. However, when I got the call again from Russ, I knew this time it was something a wanted to do.

"I have done bits on the coaching and management side with Mozza at Worsbourgh and while still playing and it’s something that I have really enjoyed and Mozza understood and has wished me the best of luck.

"It’s an opportunity that doesn’t come round every day. The club has a fantastic structure from junior to men’s football, a fantastic vision and led by honest passionate football people, the club has done an unbelievable job with the facility at Oliver’s Mount the new pitch and the surroundings are an absolute class above and somewhere any aspiring footballer would want to play, and I know they are working extremely hard behind the scenes to bring first team football back to their fantastic home.

"People may look and think I am only 31 why are you stopping playing. I feel mentally and could say physically to take the next step. Russ knows what I am about, and I will also be learning on the job as it’s new to me but something I know I will take to and enjoy.

“So, final thing is to thank everybody at Handsworth for giving me this opportunity to take the next step. It’s a journey that will have twist and turns but all I can say is I will give my 100% all and best and then we shall see where this gets us".