Warrington Wolves have made former prop and now player development specialist Gary Chambers their new head of youth.
The appointment of the former Swinton and Cumbria coach, who has also worked with England development teams, follows that of ex-Salford chief Richard Marshall as head coach of the Wolves’ Academy team in January.
Now Chambers, who made 210 appearances for Warrington between 1989 and 2000 and was later assistant to coaches Daryl Van de Velde and Paul Cullen, as well as working in the Academy, is looking forward to teaming up with Marshall and assistant Academy and lead Scholarship coach Tyrone McCarthy.
Their aim is to develop stronger links with local schools and community clubs, as well as providing homegrown players for Daryl Powell’s first-team squad.
Chambers, 52, has stepped back from working as a deputy school head (he featured in the Channel 4 show Educating Greater Manchester) to go full-time with Warrington, where he has maintained links with various junior sides.
“It’s fantastic to be back, although it feels like I’ve never really been away,” he said.
“Ultimately, I want to help young players progress through to the first team, but it’s also about supporting parents and coaches in schools and our community clubs to get more kids playing and to make Warrington an outstanding place for Rugby League.
“I want to make amateur clubs vibrant again and build mass participation.
“Ultimately the more people we have playing rugby in the town, the more people we will have coming through the club.
“To come back and work with Rich (Marshall), Tyke (McCarthy) and the team was another big reason for taking the role. They’re Warrington people who want the best for the club.
“We’ve got some genuine talent and there’s a lot of good development work going on.”
Meanwhile, Warrington have issued “long-term” bans to an 18-year-old man and 21-year-old woman following social-media abuse of winger Josh Charnley during the 34-18 loss at Hull KR.
That was the club’s fourth consecutive Super League defeat, while they were also beaten by Wakefield in the Challenge Cup.
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