COUNTY neighbours Whitehaven and Barrow will have to finish the season without a coach.

Ged Stokes (pictured left) is to leave the Recreation Ground club ahead of the final game against Batley while a former Whitehaven coach Steve McCormack has stood down at Barrow.

A Whitehaven statement said: “The board felt that this was the most appropriate decision given the comprehensive restructuring the club will have to make to accommodate playing and financial demands in Championship One.

“Major restructuring will have to occur and the playing and coaching staffs will have to be modified accordingly.

“While the board believes that Ged has given full commitment to the club and the team during his tenure (including taking the club to the play-offs in two successive seasons), our circumstances are different now and a time for re-building has come.

“The board wish Ged well in his future endeavours and hope that he remembers the positive aspects of his time with Whitehaven.

“The board feel that the future of Whitehaven Rugby League Football Club and its success in Championship 1 will need the efforts of everyone involved with the club. The club is struggling for support in terms of spectator attendance and financial contributions to ensure that the club can survive. We need to stop the rumours and unfocused criticisms and get behind WRLFC.

“Whilst financial problems threaten the survival of the club, the board is making every effort to keep things afloat. However, the board cannot do this without the full support of all Haven fans, past and present and the community as a whole.”

Barrow chairman  Des Johnston released a statement on the club’s website which said:  “Following a series of meetings between myself and Steve over the last few weeks, he has informed me that he has been offered a full-time teaching post back in his home town of Wigan.

“Steve had to make a decision this week. We agreed before the Toulouse game that he would remain as head coach until the end of the season, however Steve felt with a starting date of September, he could no longer dedicate his full-time commitment to Barrow RL.

“It was decided this morning between myself and Steve that the club would not stand in his way and deny him this great opportunity.

“On a personal note, I have enjoyed thoroughly working with Steve and he has my utmost respect. I cannot speak highly enough of him.

“He has been very unfortunate this season with a horrific injury list, and myself and the board of directors wish him and his family every success and good luck for the future.

“We thank him wholeheartedly for his honest and hard-working efforts this season.

“It is with great sadness that things have not worked out as we both would have liked, and when he informed me three weeks ago regarding this teaching opportunity, I shook his hand and wished him all the best in his new career.”

McCormack (pictured right) said: “I have loved every minute of my time at Barrow and would like to thank the supporters and directors for the opportunity.

“My relationship with Des Johnston has been first-class and I wish him and the club well for the future.

“I feel this decision is the best one for the club and my family, as I couldn’t commit to the responsibilities of coaching Barrow Raiders in a full-time capacity any longer.

“I would still like to stay in the game in a part-time coaching capacity, but at this moment in time, I cannot commit to both full-time roles.”

Stokes joined Whitehaven in 2008 after he had spent five years with Workington Town.

He led Haven to the 2008 play-offs and the following year but relegation this season followed a miserable 13-game losing run which only ended on Sunday with a 29-28 win against fellow relegated side Keighley.

Stokes began his coaching career with Canterbury Country Cardinals in his home country in 1994 before he was appointed head coach of the Canterbury Rugby League representative side.

In 2000, he led Canterbury Bulls to victory in the inaugural Bartercard Cup Grand Final and was named New Zealand coach of the year in the same season.

It was following a spell in charge of the New Zealand 'A' tour of Great Britain in 2003, that Stokes was appointed head coach of Workington – the club he played for briefly in the 1982-83 season.

The club was in a very low state when he took over with only seven players contracted to the club so Stokes rebuilt the squad. However he was later fired by the club over an alleged disciplinary breach, despite being cleared by an RFL investigation. The club later agreed to a £14,000 pay-off days before a court case bought by Stokes was due to be heard.

David Seeds will be in charge of Whitehaven opn Sunday in the final game of the season against Batley at the Recreation Ground while Dave Clark, a former Barrow coach who moved to take on a coaching role t Wigan, is taking charge against Widnes at Craven Park.
 

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