Position: Central Defender
DoB: 22nd March 1977
Birthplace: Swindon
City Career
Transfer Details: Rosenior's first signing for City in March '96
on a free transfer from Swindon where he was a first year
professional.
City Debut: Vs. Atherstone United(a) BHLPD, 23rd March 1996, Lost
2-1.
1995/6: 11 Apps, 0 Goals
1996/7: 51(2) Apps, 0 Goals
1997/8: 59 Apps, 3 Goals
1998/9: 47(2) Apps, 2 Goals
1999/0: 35 Apps, 2 Goals
Totals: 203(4) Apps, 7 Goals
Previous Clubs: Swindon Town (2(1)),
Gloucester City, Newport County, Bath City, Merthyr Tydfil, Chippenham
Town, Weston-super-Mare Town, Mangotsfield United
Honours: FA Trophy Semi's 96/7,
City PoY 1997/8, Bath City PoY 02/3, Merthyr Tydfil
PoY 03/4
Pen Pic:
Thorney was a consistent and reliable performer in
the City side with his game typified by immaculate awareness and a self-styled cool approach to the
game. Rarely rattled, his calm distribution and well timed
interceptions add a little class to the hurly-burly of DML
football. Thorney is playing well below the standard he deserves
and it is to the surprise of fans that despite trials at Bristol
Rovers and Chelsea, no professional side bought him, although
Bradford apparently had a bid refused.
Highly cultured right foot and a steadying influence at
the back, able to hold the line well and always had enough pace to get back to
cover most forwards. Passed a
century of City games at the tender age of 20 in January 98 ( certainly a record
of recent times and quite probably an example of youth torture), and played with such a cool head it
was easy to forget he was still so young. Has
little of his game to improve, although a few more goals would always be nice -
took several seasons to break his goal scoring duck and his main
attacking asset remained a powerful long throw.
His excellent form saw him pick
up both the Supporter's and Player's Player of the Year award for
1997/8, and was joined at the club by his younger brother Wayne in the summer of
1998. Proved to be a versatile player, having briefly reverted to his
original position of central midfield, and found himself playing as right and even
left back as player shortages forced Hughes to patch and mend with his
squad.
Eventually the inevitable happened and when Hughes got sacked at the end of
February 2000 Thorne followed Kemp to Newport County where they continued
their solid central defensive partnership. What really stuck in the throat was
to have again lost a top class player on a free transfer, especially as only
months previously Forest Green had been offering a transfer fee for him.
