Former Doncaster Rovers star Lee Tomlin comes out of retirement for player-coach role

Tomlin has agreed a deal to become player-coach at the Microlise New Manor Ground and will go straight into the Ilkeston squad for tomorrow’s Southern Premier Central clash against Redditch United.

The 33-year-old playmaker left Rovers in October, citing issues with his hip and back which had left him in agony after training sessions and matches.

Speaking at the time, he said: “Just waking up and taking the amount of painkillers I’ve had to take has got too much.

"I want to play football for as long as I possibly can but it’s just too much on my body every day and it’s grinding me down.

“I have days when I can’t pick my daughter up for more than two minutes because of my hip or my back.

“It’s not a way of living and not a way I want to live.”

Tomlin made ten appearances for Doncaster Rovers, nine of them as starts.

After being sent off in humiliating circumstances on his debut away to Bradford City on the season’s opening day, he quickly established himself as a key player and lit up matches with his attacking flair and intelligence on the pitch.

His first and ultimately only goal for the club came from the penalty spot in a 3-1 defeat to Mansfield Town.

Tomlin’s departure was a huge blow to former boss Gary McSheffrey, who initially brought him in on trial before handing him a one-year deal and relying heavily on his influence.

He will work under ex-Derby County forward Jamie Ward at Ilkeston.