Joey Barton is proud that Bristol Rovers helped put Luke Thomas back on the straight and narrow, even though it could have scuppered their long-term chances of signing the Barnsley winger permanently.
Thomas spent last season at Rovers with his career having seemingly reached a crossroads as he had taken a leave of absence towards the end of the 2020/21 campaign for his “mental and physical health” and there were genuine fears he could drop out of the professional game.
The 23-year-old was then lambasted by Barton in November over his attitude, which had become so toxic the Gas initially wanted to cancel their agreement with the Tykes. However, it proved the wake-up call Thomas needed and although he never commanded a regular role in the starting XI, he still played a significant part in the Gas’ promotion drive, providing five assists in 28 appearances, 10 as a starter.
