Last updated at 13:02, Thursday, 14 June 2012

Long-serving Howard Hill has been offered a place on Whitehaven’s coaching staff after deciding to hang up his boots.

Whitehaven's Howard Hill is halted by Town’s Brett Phillips

The 37-year-old has not indicated he will accept the position of strength and conditioning coach, but boss Don Gailer is to leave it open, for now, in case he has a change of mind.

Gailer named Hill, renowned for his hard work in the gym, club captain this year and would like him to remain involved at the Recre.

“He goes really well on the weights and I could have helped him with that,” the coach said. “I was going to carry the role over to next year and still haven’t filled it. I’m not in a hurry.

“Howard is popular with the players and all the coaching staff like him. I think the world of him and if he wants to come in that capacity, I would love to have him here.”

Hill made his Haven debut on Boxing Day, 1999, at Barrow, and went on to make 318 appearances, scoring 74 tries. He opted to retire after being left out of Sunday’s win over South Wales, in which Gailer handed a debut to prop Anthony Mullally, who has joined the club on a season-long loan from Super League Widnes. And Hill now plans to spend more time with his family.

“I’ve got no hard feelings,” Hill stressed. “I’ve got to stop playing at some time, and this is my time. I’ve enjoyed every minute at the club.

“To be fair to Don, he wants to look at younger ones and bring them on, which is fair enough. I can’t argue with that.

“If I don’t play, I don’t get paid, and I thought I could be spending more time at home with the kids. I would like to thank all the fans for their support. They are more like mates and no doubt I will still see them.”

First published at 11:28, Thursday, 14 June 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk