St. Benedict’s can bank on some added experience this coming season in the shape of former Cumbria county star Neil Carruthers.
 
Although he is now concentrating on his refereeing, 48-year-old Carruthers has agreed to help out on the coaching team at the Mirehouse club,.
 
He will be helping Ian McQuire and Mike Morgan as they prepare for another season in the North Lancs Cumbria League.
 
It all started while he was in charge of a couple of St. Benedict’s games last season and offered some advice over the post match pints.
 
“I happened to say to them, why don’t you do this or do that, and the up-shot was me being asked if I would like to get involved in some coaching at the club.
 
“I’ve been on the end of a couple of Ian McQuire shots over the years so it will be nice to be working for the same end for once. Seriously though it does fit in with my lifestyle at the moment.
 
“I still coach the mini-rugby at Netherhall on a Saturday morning and I am still playing Midweek cricket for the Royal George. But I live at Moresby now and don’t work shifts so it is easier to fit in.
 
“I am level seven, pushing for level six as a referee and I will continue to do that. I have no specific targets in that, as I will just go with the flow, but I have been assessed on a couple of occasions and we’ll see where it leads.
 
“The club knows that I won’t be there every Tuesday and Thursday at training, or on match days when I am officiating myself, but I hope to be able to fit in a number of training sessions and make some contribution,” he says.
 
Carruthers started coaching towards the end of his playing career at Wigton. As a player at Lowmoor Road he was a regular choice for Cumbria and also skippered his county in Championship matches.
 
A mobile, all-action forward he brought enthusiasm and commitment to his coaching roles at both Wigton and Netherhall before being persuaded that he should be giving back something to the game at large as a referee.
 
Saints secretary Stephen Howse said: “We have been into Neil’s ear for a couple of years about getting involved after he moved into the area. But we sort of backed-off when we realised how committed he was to his refereeing.
 
“But when he took charge of one of our games towards the end of last season we sat down and had a good crack about it. The upshot was he agreed to help out and has been down with Ian and Mike at most of the pre-season sessions.
 
“Neil brings with him a vast amount of knowledge and experience which we hope will benefit ouir players.”

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