GARY THORNTON will be York City Knights’ head coach next season, The Press can reveal.

The Castleford Under-20s chief and former Batley Bulldogs boss will take over the reigns from Chris Thorman at the beginning of November when the current player-coach takes up a new assistant-coaching post at Huddersfield Giants.

Assistant-coach Mick Ramsden had urged Knights club chiefs to name a new man “as soon as possible” after Thorman announced he had accepted his Huddersfield offer – and they have responded.

It was previously thought any appointment would only be made once chairman John Guildford returned from holiday next week, but long-distance negotiations have been ongoing and Thornton has now agreed a two-year part-time contract.

The Press understands Thornton will now be heavily involved in the Knights’ player recruitment plans for 2013, with talks having already taken place about potential targets.

Knights general manager Ian Wilson said: “When Chris announced he was going, myself and John straight away had conversations about what kind of person we wanted to take the job.

“The main characteristics were somebody who had coached at Championship level before and knows the division and knows the type of issues that crop up, and somebody who knew players at this level – Championship players and young Super League players like those in an U20s environment.

“Gary Thornton is coaching Cas U20s and previously did a very good job at Batley in the Championship. He fits the bill perfectly.”

Thornton joined Batley as a winger in 1988 and scored 79 tries in 220 appearances.

His final game was in June 1997 and he returned to the fold as assistant to Paul Storey four years later having begun his coaching career in the amateur game at Drighlington.

In September 2003 he took over as head coach and managed the side for five-and-a-half seasons, during which time the Mount Pleasant club regularly punched above their financial weight, despite often being tipped for relegation.

Thornton won the National League (Championship) Coach of the Year award in 2006, when Batley enjoyed a fine run in the play-offs, including a dramatic win at Leigh. Thornton also guided the Bulldogs to the the Northern Rail Cup semi-finals in 2008.

After resigning in April 2009 after a disappointing start to the season, immediately being replaced by Karl Harrison, he had an interim role in Wakefield Trinity Wildcats’ reserve grade coaching staff before joining Castleford’s staff in October 2009.

Thornton was a spectator at the Knights’ reserve grade match at Keighley on Wednesday and has told the club he will attend as many first-team games before the end of the season as possible, albeit as an observer with no input into coaching or tactics. He will also watch all the match DVDs as he gears up for his new role.

Ramsden – who had privately advocated Thornton as a potential successor to Thorman even before any talks took place – and fellow assistant-boss Mick Cook are to stay on as number twos in a three-strong coaching team.

Thornton, who has a management position with British Telecom outside of rugby, told Cas of his impending switch to York last night.