Rochdale Hornets head coach Gary Thornton signs new contract

Gary Thornton

Rochdale Hornets head coach Gary Thornton has agreed a new deal which will keep him at the club until at least the end of the 2025 season.

Thornton first arrived at the Crown Oil Arena as an assistant coach in December 2021 before stepping up as head coach on an interim basis in August 2022 following the departure of Matt Calland.

He was subsequently offered the position of head coach on a permanent basis, steering the Hornets to a seventh-placed finish in League One during his first full season in charge.

The Hornets have kicked on in 2024, winning eight of their opening 12 matches - including the last five in a row - to leave themselves third in the league table.

Discussing the new deal, Thornton said: “I’m really pleased to be staying, and to have the opportunity to build on the good things we’ve done over the past couple of seasons.

“We are growing and progressing as a club year after year. We have a great group of people running the club, led by Andy [Mazey], that are doing all they can to progress the club off the field, and I’m working really hard with the players to make sure we produce a good product on it.

“We have a very loyal support that is much appreciated and much needed, and a supporters association in All Hornets that works tirelessly with a group of fantastic volunteers. I think it’s a very bright future for Rochdale hornets, and it’s an honour to be a part of it.

“Together, we can move our club forward in the right direction.”

Rochdale Hornets chairman Andy Mazey said: “We are delighted to announce Gary's contract extension until at least the end of 2025.

“The chairman-head coach relationship is always an important one at any club, and since his appointment in August 2022, Gary has been a breath of fresh air for me personally.

“He has completely transformed the culture at Rochdale Hornets and is a thoroughly decent bloke, as well as being a highly experienced and excellent coach.

“Most importantly, he buys into the ethos of our club and is very honest and transparent in his approach. He understands where we are, and he shares the board’s ambition of where we want to be in terms of continued sustainable development on and off the field, year-on-year.”