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Thornley's spell at
Huddersfield brought mixed fortunes. In his first season they finished 10th in the First Division and in his second they finished eighth (being in contention for a play-off place right up to the last match of the season), but in his final campaign they suffered relegation to the
522:. Although he did make nine league appearances for United, serious injury and increasing competition for places prevented him from making the expected impact at first-team level. The most notable injury came in April 1994, when he suffered knee ligament damage in a reserve match against
530:; the injury kept him out of action for over a year. This came days before the FA Cup semi-final against Oldham Athletic, for which Alex Ferguson was reportedly considering selecting Thornley (at least for a place on the bench) in case
573:, Thornley finally left United on a free transfer in May 1998 and went on to make 127 appearances for Huddersfield Town, scoring 8 goals and helping them come close to a First Division play-off place – and the chance of a place in the
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In 1997, Thornley sued Marker and
Blackburn Rovers for millions over the tackle, claiming a loss of earnings that resulted from him being kept out of the Manchester United first team because of the injury.
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His younger brother, Rod
Thornley, also a former academy player at Manchester United, used to be a sports therapist at the club.
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in
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on non-contract terms in March 2004, ending his professional career just before his 29th birthday to play in the
542:(one of the players who went on to eclipse him in the first team), as well as club legend and former youth coach
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on an 18-month contract in
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1292:"From better than Giggs to 'drinking and drinking': How Ben Thornley battled back | David Hytner"
914:"From better than Giggs to 'drinking and drinking': How Ben Thornley battled back | David Hytner"
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605:. In 30 appearances for Aberdeen, he scored three goals – the opening goal in a 4–2 victory against
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position from 1991 to 1998 (becoming a professional in 1992 after helping United win the
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484:. He is most widely known for his career as a youth and reserve team player at
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Thornley made his debut for United on 26 February 1994 as a substitute in the
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A quick and tricky right-footed left winger, he was highly regarded by
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was not fully fit. Thornley was not fit again until the start of the
678:
Alongside his younger brother, Rod, a striker, Thornley played for
546:, as one of the finest young players at the club during that era.
518:
and at one point was expected to become a regular player at
459:
Thornley now works in media and is a sports commentator for
637:
He returned to
England and signed for Second Division club
436:. He finished his playing days in non-league football with
694:
Thornley now works as a television commentator for MUTV.
667:
where he was joined by former
Manchester United teammate
1090:. Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust. 8 January 2002
1068:. Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust. 8 January 2002
389:(born 21 April 1975) is an English former professional
1088:"AFC Match Report – Queen of the South 1–2 Aberdeen"
585:, who had left United before Thornley joined them.
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1267:"Hodgson pays tribute to Strudwick and Thornley"
1042:. Aberdeen F.C. 8 September 2001. Archived from
1066:"AFC Match Report – St. Johnstone 0–2 Aberdeen"
1016:. Aberdeen F.C. 18 August 2001. Archived from
526:due to a reckless tackle by opposing defender
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597:In August 2001 he signed a two-year deal at
21:
538:. He was rated by contemporaries including
380:*Club domestic league appearances and goals
1454:National League (English football) players
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553:In 1996, he won three caps for England at
496:) but was occasionally used as a striker.
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20:
1364:Footballers from Bury, Greater Manchester
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609:, and both goals in a 2–0 victory over
7:
121:
1265:Froggatt, Mark (14 November 2014).
452:. He was capped three times by the
1379:Men's association football wingers
988:"Thornley wins deal with Aberdeen"
14:
84:5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
1394:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players
27:
1449:Scottish Premier League players
1444:English Football League players
872:Bate, Adam (28 November 2013).
1384:Manchester United F.C. players
933:White, Peter (22 April 1997).
838:Poole, Dan (15 October 2018).
1:
1389:Stockport County F.C. players
1239:Girvin, Ron (20 March 2006).
962:"Rovers facing damages claim"
896:"Fledgling Ben hoping to fly"
894:Spencer, Pete (5 July 2003).
507:which ended in a 2–2 draw at
1429:Wilmslow Albion F.C. players
960:Nixon, Alan (3 April 1997).
939:Lancashire Evening Telegraph
1414:Halifax Town A.F.C. players
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1434:Witton Albion F.C. players
1419:Bacup Borough F.C. players
1163:"Shakers snap up Thornley"
748:Barry Hugman's Footballers
675:at the beginning of 2006.
478:Fairfield General Hospital
400:who notably played in the
1424:Salford City F.C. players
1369:English men's footballers
1312:"Charity remains at home"
1040:"Aberdeen 2 Kilmarnock 0"
1014:"Aberdeen 4 Motherwell 2"
488:, where he played in the
387:Benjamin Lindsay Thornley
379:
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47:Benjamin Lindsay Thornley
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1318:. Dublin. 4 August 1997.
1214:"Thornley joins Halifax"
1136:"Blackpool release nine"
1110:"Blackpool bag Thornley"
791:"Ben Thornley: Overview"
769:"Ben Thornley: Overview"
613:. He also scored in the
482:Bury, Greater Manchester
393:and sports commentator.
1269:. Manchester United F.C
1245:Manchester Evening News
935:"Rovers: Thornley sues"
900:Manchester Evening News
813:"Ben Thornley: Profile"
686:between 2008 and 2010.
684:Northern Premier League
603:Scottish Premier League
430:Scottish Premier League
1439:Premier League players
1404:Blackpool F.C. players
1189:"Thornley leaves Bury"
448:, Wilmslow Albion and
396:As a player, he was a
1399:Aberdeen F.C. players
844:. eBook Partnership.
841:Ben Thornley: Tackled
565:After loan spells at
476:Thornley was born at
1241:"RL: BARLA round up"
644:Thornley signed for
357:International career
39:Personal information
690:Post-playing career
659:He then joined the
623:Scottish League Cup
410:the Football League
23:
1300:. 10 October 2018.
1116:. 28 November 2002
1046:on 3 December 2013
1020:on 3 December 2013
922:. 10 October 2018.
627:Queen of the South
16:English footballer
1409:Bury F.C. players
1161:O'Rourke, Peter.
874:"Our best player"
851:978-1-78531-481-0
817:worldfootball.net
717:FA Charity Shield
711:Manchester United
589:Second Division.
575:FA Premier League
571:Huddersfield Town
561:Huddersfield Town
486:Manchester United
472:Manchester United
418:Huddersfield Town
406:Manchester United
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194:Huddersfield Town
175:Huddersfield Town
136:Manchester United
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33:Thornley in 2024
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1327:External links
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1220:. 1 March 2004
1205:
1187:Fudge, Simon.
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64:(age 49)
62:21 April 1975
52:Date of birth
50:
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1333:Ben Thornley
1315:
1306:
1295:
1271:. Retrieved
1260:
1248:. Retrieved
1244:
1234:
1222:. Retrieved
1217:
1208:
1196:. Retrieved
1192:
1182:
1170:. Retrieved
1166:
1156:
1144:. Retrieved
1142:. 2 May 2003
1139:
1130:
1118:. Retrieved
1113:
1104:
1092:. Retrieved
1082:
1070:. Retrieved
1060:
1048:. Retrieved
1044:the original
1034:
1022:. Retrieved
1018:the original
1008:
996:. Retrieved
991:
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970:. Retrieved
965:
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943:. Retrieved
938:
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821:. Retrieved
819:. HEIM:SPIEL
816:
807:
795:. Retrieved
785:
773:. Retrieved
763:
751:. Retrieved
747:
710:
709:
701:
693:
677:
673:Salford City
671:. He joined
658:
650:Halifax Town
643:
636:
633:Later career
619:St Johnstone
615:Scottish Cup
596:
587:
564:
552:
548:
544:Nobby Stiles
528:Nicky Marker
520:Old Trafford
513:
498:
494:FA Youth Cup
475:
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446:Salford City
438:Halifax Town
395:
386:
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350:
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300:Salford City
266:Halifax Town
119:
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22:Ben Thornley
18:
1354:1975 births
1273:14 November
1198:28 November
1172:28 November
1094:28 November
1072:28 November
1050:28 November
1024:28 November
941:. Blackburn
663:scene with
579:Steve Bruce
454:England U21
368:England U21
89:Position(s)
1348:Categories
1193:Sky Sports
1167:Sky Sports
878:Sky Sports
727:References
661:non-League
654:Conference
611:Kilmarnock
607:Motherwell
583:Lou Macari
555:U-21 level
532:Ryan Giggs
391:footballer
58:1975-04-21
1218:BBC Sport
1140:BBC Sport
1114:BBC Sport
992:BBC Sport
669:David May
639:Blackpool
490:left wing
422:Blackpool
325:2008–2010
311:2007–2008
295:2006–2007
279:2005–2006
243:2003–2004
230:Blackpool
225:2002–2003
207:2001–2002
189:1998–2001
131:1993–1998
76:, England
44:Full name
1250:12 March
1224:12 March
1146:12 March
1120:12 March
998:12 March
968:. London
625:against
617:against
599:Aberdeen
593:Aberdeen
434:Aberdeen
212:Aberdeen
972:27 June
945:27 June
706:Honours
682:in the
848:
771:. ESPN
456:team.
398:winger
177:(loan)
157:(loan)
93:Winger
81:Height
823:4 May
797:4 May
775:4 May
753:4 May
340:Total
104:Years
1275:2014
1252:2008
1226:2008
1200:2013
1174:2013
1148:2008
1122:2008
1096:2013
1074:2013
1052:2013
1026:2013
1000:2008
974:2009
947:2009
846:ISBN
825:2020
799:2020
777:2020
755:2020
721:1997
646:Bury
569:and
461:MUTV
432:for
426:Bury
424:and
412:for
404:for
363:1996
351:(11)
261:2004
248:Bury
169:1996
149:1995
114:Apps
108:Team
74:Bury
480:in
375:(0)
346:180
273:(0)
255:(0)
237:(0)
219:(3)
201:(5)
183:(2)
163:(1)
143:(0)
122:Gls
1350::
1314:.
1294:.
1283:^
1243:.
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