YORK City signed former Sheffield United winger Nathan Thomas until January on Thursday to bolster the squad’s attacking midfield options.

Thomas’ last spell in England was with Carlisle United, where he scored 13 goals in 57 appearances for the Sky Bet League Two club across two loan spells in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons.

We spoke to Jon Colman, the Cumbrian sports reporter from the News and Star and a Carlisle United author, to get the lowdown on York’s latest recruit.

How would you describe Thomas’ style of play?

“Very attack-minded, keen to run at and beat players one-on-one, often cutting in from the right and onto his left foot.

“At his best he's a very skilful and elusive player who must be hard to defend against.

“The flipside is the inconsistency which has taken him to the Vanarama National League at this stage, rather than the higher levels where his ability probably belongs, and he was never a particularly defensive player.

“But tap into the X-factor that he can bring, and he can certainly cause damage.”

How do you reflect on his time at Carlisle?

“There were certainly some memorable moments and highlights. A hat-trick at Forest Green Rovers (in 2020) was Thomas' best day for Carlisle and featured a truly special goal from long range.

“You always felt something was possible when he was in their attack but, at the same time, he didn't always deliver consistently.

“Carlisle's team in general struggled during his time there and it would have been interesting to see him in a better-performing side.”

Were you disappointed to see him move on to Hamilton in 2020?

“I expect many fans would have been happy had he stayed, with that Forest Green hat-trick so recent in the memory

“It seemed a sign that he was feeling at home at Carlisle, and there was always a belief that his talent could be an asset.”

Positionally, where did Thomas feature most for Carlisle?

“Usually as a wide attacker, most often on the right of a front three, cutting in.”

Do you expect Thomas to be a success at York and at National League level?

“If his fitness is up to speed, and he has a manager who believes in him, and is willing to put faith in his assets above all else and overlook occasional frustrations, then he certainly has the ability to succeed and even be a star at that level.

“His long time without a club must be a question mark of sorts, and it's possible he is destined to be remembered as someone of whom people said, 'There's definitely a player in there' - at 28, he is long past the potential stage.

“But hopefully his skill and ability comes brightly to the fore again.”