Town have confirmed the signing of Barnsley winger Luke Thomas on loan until the end of the season.

Thomas, who will wear the number 27 shirt, trained with his new team-mates this morning before putting pen to paper this afternoon.

The 21-year-old had been on the Blues’ radar for a number of weeks but with the Championship Tykes having given the OK for the former Derby and Cheltenham man, who has been in their matchday squad on a regular basis if not a starter, to depart yesterday.

Thomas has made eight starts and 14 sub appearances for the South Yorkshiremen this season and has been keen to play more regularly.

The Soudley-born wideman, who is left-footed but tends to operate on the right, was with West Brom as a schoolboy before moving on to Cheltenham with whom he made one senior sub appearance.

Thomas left for Derby County in 2016 and spent time on loan at Gloucester City and Coventry while a Rams player.

Although he made only two sub appearances for Derby, his form while on loan with the Sky Blues during 2018/19 persuaded Barnsley to pay £1.2 million for his services in the summer following that campaign.

In total, 5ft 6in tall Thomas has made 34 starts and 30 sub appearances for Barnsley, scoring twice.

Having turned 21 since New Year's Day 2020, Thomas doesn't count as a senior players with regards to the salary cap.

Town are also hoping to Preston’s Josh Harrop on loan today with the 25-year-old having been at the club yesterday to formalise his switch.

The League One salary cap has added to the red tape relating to the move, while the Blues have also been carefully scrutinising Harrop’s medical, the prospective new recruit having suffered cruciate ligament damage in October 2018.

Photos: ITFC

Nobbysnuts added 16:49 - Jan 19 We are now officially bottom feeders.......
2

itfchorry added 16:50 - Jan 19 Looks to have pace and good direct style - Perfect player for 2 up top
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TimmyH added 16:53 - Jan 19 Looks like mini tin of baked beans tonight :)
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Saxonblue74 added 17:07 - Jan 19 We may have "many of this type" on our books, but when have they looked like exciting, ball at the feet and running kind of players? Schemers maybe Phil?!🤣 When do any of us remember being on the edge of our seat when one of our own has possession? If Thomas and/or Harrop can produce that it's a big yes from me!
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RobsonWark added 17:21 - Jan 19 He won't fit in to our team. Judging by the youtube highlights video he looks too fast for the way we play football and is too eager to win the ball back. He looks like he wants the ball and wants to win the game too. If only we had another 10 players on the pitch like him!
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warktheline added 17:26 - Jan 19 Grasping at straws as per ! How pathetic a club of our status having to loan players from Barnsley ! Good luck Luke, sadly you're going to need it, joining a club in free fall with an owner who made it abundantly clear under McCarthy's tenure, surviving in the Championship with no pressure whatsoever to win games, was perfectly acceptable ! That ethos has since transcended into ‘also runs' in league Division 1! Muppets 🙄

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dangerous30 added 17:28 - Jan 19 Welcome and good luck 👍
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DifferentGravy added 17:31 - Jan 19 Some decent footage of him RobsonWark, pacey with a desire to take players on. Might allow us to be a little quicker with our attacks......but controlled rather than just punting it for the lone forward to try and beat four defenders. Hopefully he will be allowed to support Norwood and do more attacking than defending. Give Norwood the chances and he will score goals..........he will also miss his fair share admittedly. Good luck Luke! All depends on Shamberts tactics again

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therein61 added 17:55 - Jan 19 Crikey looking at his bulging jeans i thought Trevor Putney had signed(that's one for older fans!!)
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therein61 added 18:24 - Jan 19 Harrop's cruciate injury being looked at carefully!! we never sign injured players do we? i hope he's ok though if we get both in it would be a lift as they could both be useful additions for the hopeful push, but why 2 players of the same ilk when we are crying out for strength in other positions.
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runaround added 18:58 - Jan 19 Welcome to Portman Road Luke
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BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 19:25 - Jan 19 Welcome to the club. Hope you stay fit and hit the ground running. Put in some effort and you'll soon be popular with the fans. Good luck.
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Town4me added 19:44 - Jan 19 What the hell is snus? 🤷‍♂️
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docsavage52 added 20:13 - Jan 19 Don't really matter who he signs, give it two games and they will be under the lambert trance, and playing in the wrong position
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docsavage52 added 20:13 - Jan 19 Don't really matter who he signs, give it two games and they will be under the lambert trance, and playing in the wrong position
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:18 - Jan 19 looks like he has brought his marbles ,conkers, can of lager and a catapult with him, could come in handy if he is used as a bench warmer. Good luck Luke ,hope you fit in ,and get chance to prove yourself to the doubters.
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:25 - Jan 19 itk92, where do you get your info.? you know someone who knows someone, who knows someone else and his mum told him .
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RobsonWark added 20:33 - Jan 19 BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 19:25 - Jan 19 Welcome to the club. Hope you stay fit and hit the ground running. Put in some effort and you'll soon be popular with the fans." You'll be even more popular with some of these so called Town fans on here if the team loses and you come off the pitch smiling and laughing like the great Wolfenden (has he ever had a good game?) or if you give away goals nearly every game like our Captain Fantastic - Chambers.

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eddiespearitt03 added 23:19 - Jan 19 Another loan player to try and resurrect our season. Good luck Luke Thomas. The only problem i see is that every supporter is so desperate for progress we clutch at anything hopeful these days. We need to win the majority of games now to guarantee a place in the play-offs. I have lost count of the players who have come to this club and nothing much really changed on the pitch. Evans is running this club like a proper lower league club and it will probably remain so.

3

Saxonblue74 added 23:20 - Jan 19 Robsonwark, are you so totally obsessed and blinkered that you don't see anything to contradict your opinion? 3 points on Saturday was as much (maybe more) due to Chambers good work as our winning goal! When arguments become so entirely one dimensional they begin to fall on deaf ears. Your ability to turn every article into an anti-Chambers rant is incredible!
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chepstowblue added 01:36 - Jan 20 Pace,directness and an eye for goal !! How on earth will he fit in. Surely we need to coach that out of him before saturdays comfortable 3-0 defeat to Peterborough. Welcome Luke, though if it's a promotion challenge you're after you may be in for a surprise sadly. Good luck.
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Jewell_in_the_Town added 08:09 - Jan 20 I wonder if that mask is hiding a smile.
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heathen66 added 08:22 - Jan 20 Welcome to ITFC Luke Hopefully you will be encouraged to show what you can do, hopefully along with Harrop. Edwards on one side, Thomas on the other feeding Jackson and Norwood up top with Harrop just off in the No.10. Get the ball to these players that have ability as soon as we can and you never know what may happen, it may even be attractive winning football !!! My fear as what has happened to all our other wide players are the seem to have to play so deep (mainly covering FBs), and have no options when they do get the ball in attacking areas

2

bobble added 09:11 - Jan 20 @AlexGreen ........two testicles , a small penis and a snuff tin ?
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BettyBlue added 10:39 - Jan 20 What kind of squad have we got when these two stragglers are going to get straight in the first team and set our season alight and get us promoted?
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