Head coach Clive Griffiths and assistant John Fieldhouse are both fully committed to North Wales Crusaders’ cause for life in the Championship in 2014.
The two former Warrington servants – who acted as a coach and player respectively at the Wire – have masterminded the progress of Crusaders since their formation back in late 2011, which has seen them gain promotion from Championship One in only their second year as well as securing the inaugural Northern Rail Bowl.
And Griffiths is excited to get going next season in what he describes as “another step forward in the right direction”.
“I think everyone’s looking forward to it”, he said. “It’s probably a bit ahead of scheduele from what we originally set out at the very start, but we’ll certainly take it.
“Everyone has seen the step up that the Championship is with the Northern Rail Cup final, which was after our final, and then the Finals Day last weekend.
“But we’re well equiped to deal with that and, if the boys continue to progress as they have done in the last two years, then we’ll be just fine.
“Obviously we’re going to have to strengthen in certain areas, but the players that have played for us in the last two years deserve to have their chance at this level.”
The coaching staff is a formula which has certainly worked so far for Crusaders – and Griffiths believes that continuity in that area is key as the club move forward.
“Chris Middlehurst won’t be involved as heavily next year, but it’s important that we keep the players together and then the coaching staff to go with it”, he said.
“It’s important to have continuity rather than swapping and changing things all the while; we’ve seen the effect that that can have with other sports.
“The task ahead is going to be tough – but I’m pretty confident that, all together, we’ll be able to mix it with the best.”
