‘It gives me a great opportunity to give something back to the club,’ says Jack Thomas after returning to Mansfield Town as youth coach

Thomas, a former Stags midfielder and product of the club’s academy, will return to the One Call Stadium in a full-time capacity.

He will work under coach Richard Cooper to aid the development of players in Mansfield’s under-21s and youth teams.

Mansfield Woodhouse born Thomas said: “It’s a club that means a lot to me. I couldn’t turn this chance down.

“The academy nurtured me into a professional footballer and this gives me a great opportunity to give something back to the club.

“It’s a club which is on the up in all areas. The first team under the gaffer (David Flitcroft) are doing unbelievably well and a lot of credit also must go to the chairman (John Radford) for his investment into many different areas of the club to strengthen the set-up.”

Thomas captained Stags’ youth team in 2013/14 and made his professional debut in the club’s first team aged just 17 as a substitute in the 3-0 home win over Rochdale in April 2014.

The now 22-year-old plays for Basford United in the Evo-Stik NPL Premier Division and is excited about his new role.

“It’s an exciting time to be back at Mansfield and I’m really looking forward to help develop the players at the academy,” he added.