SHAUN Thompson said it feels like “coming back home” after rejoining Bracknell Bees for the third time, writes Dave Wright.

The 29-year-old forward signed for the club last week from league rivals Basingstoke Bison, and celebrated with a goal in their 8-3 thumping of high-flying Hull Pirates on Saturday.

“I’m pleased to be back,” said Thompson, who had left The Hive in 2014 to play for Manchester Phoenix before coming back south to Basingstoke.

“It feels it is like coming back home. I know half the team and can slot straight back in, so that makes it easy.”

Born in Slough but now living in Bracknell, Shaun also links up with his younger brother Carl.

“This is the first time we have played together in an official senior match, though we did have one or two games at Slough earlier in our careers,” said Shaun.

“That is one of the reasons why I am pleased to come back here, as you don’t get many opportunities to play alongside your brother.”

Shaun, who in the past has helped Bees to league and cup honours, believes the club is now in a “much better position” than they were when he was last with them. “Hopefully, they will continue to grow because the fans and boys who stuck it out, deserve it,” he said.

Thompson revealed he had left Basingstoke because he “wasn’t enjoying it.”

He explained: “The boys were great, the fans were great, I can’t say enough about them. But on the ice, I wasn’t having fun – and I play ice hockey to have fun.

“I felt I had more opportunity to do that at Bracknell.”