Thorley makes his Rangers return

The teenage midfielder confirmed his future with a starting spot in midfield in the 3-2 defeat by Worcester at Marston Road last night.

Playing against a team that he had turned down just days earlier, Thorley put in another strong performance in the pre-season friendly.

Now the 19-year-old is looking to the season opener at Hyde on August 8 and beyond to become a permanent fixture in the Rangers side.

He said: "I am looking to have a good season, get a lot of games under my belt and hopefully help the team to do well.

"Our manager has got a lot of faith in me, so I have no hesitation in committing my future to the club for next season.

"I had to choose between Stafford and Worcester in the end, now I have made my choice."

Thorley was released this summer by Premier League side Stoke at the end of his one-year professional contract, and has put his dreams of the full-time game on hold.

Now the youngster will undertake a three-year degree course in Sports Science at the University of Worcester in September, which City manager Richard Dryden had hoped would lure him to the club.

But the lure of starring for his hometown club, where he spent five months on loan last season, was too much for the player to resist.

Rangers boss Chris Brindley hailed his permanent arrival as a real coup for the club.

The manager has long been a fan of Thorley, and made signing him on loan for the rest of the season a priority as soon as he took charge last December.

That chase was successful in January – now it has been again.

And the Marston Road chief said: "It's a great signing for the club, he is the right age and a good player. I think a lot of him and he will play here.

"He is a clever lad, doing the right thing education wise, but he is still a footballer."