Sorba Thomas: Huddersfield Town star’s rise from Borehoom Wood to Wales national team

During a breakthrough August which culminated in him being named as the Championship’s player of the month, the ex-Boreham Wood winger, 22 – currently on international duty with Wales following his maiden call-up – illustrated that he is not only a special talent, but thoroughly humble person as well following that 4-0 win over the Royals on August 28.

Team-mate Harry Toffolo explained: “In part of (football) life, you get bonuses for whatever. For example, we won the game versus Reading and he scored a goal and got an assist as well. He thought the win bonus was shared between the whole team. So he was saying to me: ‘What is the split-up between 18 people?’

“I was looking at him thinking: ‘What is he on about here?’ I said: ‘That’s your win bonus and everyone gets the win bonus. That’s what it is’. His head was like ‘Oh wow!’ He’s a joy to be around; I love him as a person.

“I hope he goes away with Wales and scores and keeps posting it everywhere. He has every right to as he is living his dreams.”

Should Thomas don the red of Wales, it will be an honour shared with everyone at Town.

In many respects, it will be a fitting tribute to a fine start to the season from the Terriers which has been as uplifting as it was perhaps unexpected.

On Thomas, who qualifies for Wales through his Newport-born mother, Toffolo continued: “He is one person who deserves it more than anybody in that side. Not just for his output on the pitch, but as a human being, he is probably one of the best, down-to-earth characters who I have come across in football.

“He knows he is good, but wants to work hard and is extremely humble with it as well. The sky is the limit for Sorba, as long as he stays grounded.

“He’s come from a good, honest background with his family as well. Everything is set up perfectly for him and if there is anything me or the other lads can do for him, we are there for him.

“He is a willing learner and wants to take his game to another level.”

Ahead of this season, Thomas – who has experienced working life away from the game earlier in his career including a brief spell in the scaffolding industry – had never started a Town first-team game since his arrival in January, with his match-time amounting to seven substitute appearances.

The decision to hold him back was with good reason and that gradual assimilation into the first-team picture and time getting up to speed has been invaluable in his development.

Provided a Championship education in that bedding-in spell, Thomas arrived back in pre-season early, hit the ground running and has not looked back.

Toffolo said: “Everybody is so proud as he had a shock to his system when he came from Boreham Wood and I think he was thinking that he would come in and play at that time and then had to take a step back.

“At that time he came in, the team had a dip in form and he maybe thought: ‘oh I should be getting in’ but didn’t realise the intensity of the Championship.

“He came in early in the off-season and credit to him and the club for pushing him to do that. He is doing extremely well.

“We will have to make sure he stays grounded because at this rate he will end up with about 40 assists.”