Gary Thornton

Gary Thornton
Personal information
Full nameGary Thornton
Born (1963-03-09) 9 March 1963 (age 61)
Playing information
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1986–90 Wakefield Trinity 18 3 0 0 12
1988(loan) → Batley 0 0
1990–02 Batley 215 79 0 0 316
Total 233 82 0 0 328
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
2003–09 Batley Bulldogs 0 0 0 0
2012–14 York City Knights 0 0 0 0
2015–17 Doncaster RLFC 0 0 0 0
2018–21 Hunslet RLFC 48 25 3 20 52
2023– Rochdale Hornets 51 25 1 25 49
Total 99 50 4 45 51
Source: [1][2]
As of 29 Sep 2024

Gary Thornton is an English rugby league coach, and currently head coach of Rochdale Hornets. He has previously coached at Hunslet RLFC and Castleford Tigers[3] U20s academy side from 2009 to 2012.

in September 2022, he was announced as head-coach of Rochdale Hornets.

Playing career

As a player, he spent 4 seasons at Wakefield Trinity before joining Batley in 1990, after initially having a loan spell at 'The Mount' in the 1988–89 season. He went on to make 215 appearances for the club scoring 79 tries.

Coaching career

Gary spent five and a half years as head coach at Batley from October 2003-April 2009(the longest serving Championship coach at the time), and also spent time as U21s coach at Wakefield Trinity.[4]

Gary was Head Coach at York between 2012 and 2014, and Doncaster R.L.F.C. from June 2015 to May 2017.[5]

Has won the coach of the year award in respective Championship divisions:

  • 2006 – National League 1 (Now the Championship) Coach of the Year – Batley
  • 2014 – Championship 1 Coach of the Year – York

References

  1. ^ "Player Summary: Gary Thornton". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Gary Thornton - Coaching Career". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Thornton joins Castleford staff". BBC Sport. 9 September 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
  4. ^ "Thornton accepts Wakefield post". BBC Sport. 27 May 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
  5. ^ "Thornton Moves On". Doncaster Rugby League. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.