Matt Thornhill

{{short description|English footballer}} {{Use British English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Matt Thornhill | image = Thornhill, Matt.jpg | image_size = 140 | caption = Thornhill playing for Nottingham Forest | fullname = Matthew Mark Thornhill | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|10|11|df=y}} | birth_place = Nottingham, England | height = | currentclub = Ilkeston Town | clubnumber = | position = Attacking midfielder<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2011/01/21/nottingham-forest-midfielder-matt-thornhill-agrees-terms-with-hibs-86908-22865631/|date=21 January 2011|work=Daily Record|title=Nottingham Forest midfielder Matt Thornhill agrees Partner: Jennifer terms with Hibs|location=Glasgow}}</ref> | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Nottingham Forest | years1 = 2006–2011 | caps1 = 38 | goals1 = 5 | clubs1 = Nottingham Forest | years2 = 2009 | caps2 = 7 | goals2 = 0 | clubs2 = → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | years3 = 2010 | caps3 = 17 | goals3 = 3 | clubs3 = → Cheltenham Town (loan) | years4 = 2011–2012 | caps4 = 14 | goals4 = 0 | clubs4 = Hibernian | years5 = 2012–2014 | caps5 = 27 | goals5 = 7 | clubs5 = Buxton | years6 = 2014–2016 | caps6 = | goals6 = | clubs6 = Shaw Lane Aquaforce | years7 = 2016–2017 | caps7 = 5 | goals7 = 1 | clubs7 = Gainsborough Trinity | years8 = 2017–2025 | caps8 = | goals8 = | clubs8 = Basford United | years9 = 2025– | caps9 = 0 | goals9 = 0 | clubs9 = Ilkeston Town | club-update = 15:12, 19 May 2025 (UTC) }} '''Matthew Mark Thornhill''' (born 11 October 1988) is an English footballer who plays for {{English football updater|IlkestoT}} club Ilkeston Town. He has previously played for Nottingham Forest, Brighton & Hove Albion, Cheltenham Town, Hibernian, Buxton, Shaw Lane Aquaforce and Gainsborough Trinity. His career has been disrupted by a medial knee ligament injury.

==Career== ===Nottingham Forest=== Thornhill made his professional debut for Nottingham Forest as a substitute at Chester City in the first round of the League Cup, which Forest won 4–2 on penalties after the game finished goalless after normal and extra time.<ref>{{cite news|title=Chester 0 – 0 (aet) Nottingham Forest|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/6941840.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=14 August 2007|access-date=17 August 2015}}</ref> He made his League debut five days later, coming on as a second-half substitute for Kris Commons against Swansea City.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/6941785.stm |title=Swansea 0-0 Nottm Forest |publisher=BBC Sport |date=18 August 2007 |access-date=31 October 2020}}</ref> On 12 January 2008, the youngster came on as a late substitute against Leyton Orient to score his first professional goal for The Reds, the last of Forest's goals in a 4–0 victory.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/7172846.stm |title=Nottm Forest 4-0 Leyton Orient |publisher=BBC Sport |date=11 January 2008 |access-date=31 October 2020}}</ref>

Thornhill started his first Forest game when he stepped in at the last minute to replace Chris Cohen in the heart of midfield. He scored his second goal of the season in a 1–1 draw at Southend. He helped The Reds finish second in the 2007–08 season in League One, gaining promotion to the Championship. With The Reds gaining promotion, manager Colin Calderwood commented that Thornhill would be given the chance to impress the following season.<ref>[http://www.nottinghamforest.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10308~1323900,00.html CC's Pledge To Youngsters | Nottingham Forest | News | Latest News | Latest News] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023231631/http://www.nottinghamforest.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10308~1323900%2C00.html |date=23 October 2008 }}</ref>

On 21 July 2009, Thornhill joined League One side Brighton & Hove Albion on loan as part of the transfer deal which saw Joel Lynch join Nottingham Forest.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/8161636.stm|title=Forest Set to Clinch Lynch Deal|publisher=BBC Sport|date=21 July 2009|access-date=21 July 2009}}</ref> After making seven appearances for Brighton, Thornhill returned to Nottingham Forest in December.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/argusgeneralsportsnews/4770843.Forest_duo_leave_Albion/|title=Forest duo leave Albion|work=The Argus|date=2 December 2009|accessdate=2 December 2009}}</ref> Thornhill then joined League Two side Cheltenham Town on a one-month loan deal in January 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ctfc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10434~1939361,00.html |title=Forest midfielder joins Cheltenham Town |publisher=Cheltenham Town F.C. |work=ctfc.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100124092427/http://www.ctfc.com/page/LatestNews/0%2C%2C10434~1939361%2C00.html |archivedate=24 January 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His debut for Cheltenham came against Rochdale, and shortly after that his loan deal was extended to the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news|date=1 February 2010|title=Matt Thornhill of Nottingham Forest stays at Cheltenham|access-date=11 June 2016|publisher=BBC Sport|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cheltenham_town/8492309.stm}}</ref>

Thornhill was released by Forest in January 2011, with manager Billy Davies alluding to "good young players here who need to move on; who need to go and have a fresh start".<ref name = "Post">{{cite news|title=Matt Thornhill – Nottingham Forest's rising star who never fulfilled his potential|first=Paul|last=Taylor|accessdate=11 June 2016|date=8 June 2016|url=http://www.nottinghampost.com/Matt-Thornhill-Nottingham-Forest-s-rising-star/story-29375427-detail/story.html|work=Nottingham Post}}</ref>

===Hibernian=== On 21 January 2011, Thornhill agreed a deal to sign for Scottish Premier League club Hibernian until the summer of 2013, subject to a medical.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/9369624.stm|title=Hibs agree deal with Nottingham Forest's Matt Thornhill|publisher=BBC Sport|date=21 January 2011|access-date=21 January 2011}}</ref> Hibernian confirmed the transfer a few days later, assigning the player squad number 26.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20110125/irish-defender-signs-on-loan_2262950_2276355|title=Irish Defender Signs on Loan|work=hibernianfc.co.uk|publisher=Hibernian F.C.|date=25 January 2011|accessdate=25 January 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128225207/http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20110125/irish-defender-signs-on-loan_2262950_2276355|archivedate=28 January 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> His 2010–11 season was ended prematurely by a medial knee ligament injury.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/13086574|title=Matt Thornhill misses run-in with Hibs through injury|first=Brian|last=McLauchlin|publisher=BBC Sport|date=14 April 2011|access-date=14 April 2011}}</ref> Thornhill was released from his contract in January 2012.<ref name = "hibs release"/> He had made just 15 appearances for Hibs in his year with the club.<ref name = "hibs release">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/16499168|title=Hibernian part company with Matt Thornhill and Victor Palsson|publisher=BBC Sport|date=12 January 2012|access-date=12 January 2012}}</ref>

===Into the National League System=== Thornhill signed for Northern Premier League club Buxton in November 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://evostikleague.pitchero.com/bucks-lifeline-for-hibs-star-11609/ |first=David |last=Watters |date=16 November 2012 |accessdate=16 November 2012 |title=Bucks lifeline for Hibs star |work=evostikleague.pitchero.com |publisher=Northern Premier League |archive-date=19 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119063939/http://evostikleague.pitchero.com/bucks-lifeline-for-hibs-star-11609/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

He signed for Shaw Lane Aquaforce, then of the Northern Counties East Football League, in July 2014.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nonleagueyorkshire.com/2014/07/02/shaw-lane-aquaforce-sign-former-football-league-midfielder/ |first=James |last=Grayson |date=2 July 2014 |accessdate=2 July 2014 |title=Shaw Lane Aquaforce sign former Football League midfielder |work=nonleagueyorkshire.com |publisher=Non League Yorkshire}}</ref> He won promotion with the team to the Northern Premier League Division One South at the end of the 2014–15 season. Thornhill was club captain at Aquaforce the following season as they reached the play-off final, which the Barnsley club lost to Coalville Town.<ref name="Post" />

On 6 June 2016 Thornhill signed a one-year contract with National League North side Gainsborough Trinity.

On 11 March 2017 Thornhill signed for Northern Premier League side Basford United.

In May 2025, Thornhill joined Northern Premier League Premier Division side Ilkeston Town.<ref> {{cite web|url=https://ilkestontownfc.co.uk/matt-thornhill-becomes-first-summer-signing/|title=Matt Thornhill Becomes First Summer Signing|website=ilkestontownfc.co.uk|date=17 May 2025|accessdate=19 May 2025}}</ref>

==Career statistics== <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10308~41115,00.html|title = Nottingham Forest FC}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! colspan=3 | Club performance ! colspan=2 | League ! colspan=2 | Cup ! colspan=2 | League Cup

! colspan=2 | Total |- ! Season !! Club !! League ! Apps !! Goals ! Apps !! Goals ! Apps !! Goals

! colspan=2 | Total |- |2007–08||rowspan=2|Nottingham Forest||League One||14||2||1||0||1||0||16||2 |- |2008–09||Championship||24||3||2||0||2||0||28||3 |- |rowspan="2"|2009–10||Brighton & Hove Albion (loan)||League One||7||0||0||0||1||0||8||0 |- |Cheltenham Town (loan)||League Two||17||3||0||0||0||0||17||3 |- |2010–11||Nottingham Forest||Championship||0||0||0||0||1||1||1||1 |- |- ! rowspan=1 | Total ! colspan=2 | England !62||8||3||0||5||1||70||9 |- ! colspan=3 | Scotland ! colspan=2 | League ! colspan=2 | Scottish Cup ! colspan=2 | League Cup

! colspan=2 | Total |- |2010–11||rowspan=2|Hibernian||rowspan=2|SPL||8||0||0||0||0||0||8||0 |- |2011–12||6||0||0||0||1||0||7||0 |- ! rowspan=1 | Total ! colspan=2 | Scotland !14||0||0||0||1||0||15||0 |- ! colspan=3 | Career total !76||8||3||0||6||1||85||9 |}

==Honours== ;Nottingham Forest: *League One Runner-up: 2008

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{soccerbase|id=47062|name=Matt Thornhill}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thornhill, Matt}} Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Nottingham Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. players Category:Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players Category:Cheltenham Town F.C. players Category:Hibernian F.C. players Category:Buxton F.C. players Category:Shaw Lane A.F.C. players Category:Gainsborough Trinity F.C. players Category:Basford United F.C. players Category:Ilkeston Town F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Scottish Premier League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:Northern Premier League players Category:21st-century English sportsmen