THE Basingstoke Bison have completed what is their most awesome looking forwards unit since they joined the English Premier League, with the re-signing of Shaun Thompson.

The 29-year-old is rated as one of the best defensive forwards in the EPL and he was an important returnee in last season’s league winning team.

The Slough-born forward returned 39 points in all games hitting the net 14 times after joining the Herd from Manchester last summer.

Thompson, who will be the new Basingstoke Gazette sponsored player this campaign, made his Bison debut as a teenager in season 2003/04, when his talent was spotted by former player/coach Steve Moria.

At that time the team were in the Elite League and the forward was twice the top British goal scorer on the team during their time in the top flight.

A former Great Britain junior international, he won the EPL league and play-off double with the Bracknell Bees during the campaign of 2006/07 and also won the EPL Cup with Slough in 2011.

Bison head coach Doug Sheppard said: “He is a well rounded player, good in the face-off circle and is a massive addition to the line-up.”

A delighted Thompson said: “I have been training really hard during the summer as I want to improve on last season.

The team looks stronger and expectations are high as we try and retain the championship. We have all the tools for sure, looking at the line-up.”

The return of Thompson takes the number of forwards to 12 and adds even more fire power to a side which will not be short of offensive clout, as they look to defend their league title.

As well as new faces Petr Polodna, Yanya Antonov and Dan Davies, the Herd have re-signed Tomas Karpov, Rene Jarolin, Aaron Connolly, Alan Lack, Ciaran Long, Matt Towalski, Grant Rounding and Daniel Lackey.

It leaves Sheppard the nice headache of what configuration he should play his forwards and he said: “We are very deep down the middle with six guys who can play centre and I am really excited to see what the guys can do.”

The Bison are now left with one more spot to fill on the team and this is the back-up goalie to Tomas Hiadlovsky.