I wouldn’t have believed it just four months ago

Last updated 12:53, Friday, 11 July 2008

If I’d been told by a fortune teller at around 4.45pm on March 16 that less than four months later I would be standing on the Recreation Ground pitch with Ged Stokes discussing his plans for Haven up until the end of 2,010, I’d have said her crystal ball must be cracked.

Ged Stokes

On that mid-march day, Haven had hammered fancied Halifax 38-16 in the Northern Rail Cup, and while new coach Paul Crarey was still coming to terms with his squad, the on-field future looked bright.

Fast forward eight days and the picture was very different. The team had produced a pathetic performance at Featherstone in their League One opener and a worse one at home to Batley.

Crarey was struck by illness and Stokes stepped in. It’s fair to say that his appointment was not met with universal acclaim by Haven fans. Due I guess to his long association with the old enemy, Workington Town.

But he’s proved his worth, which is why I was happy that the club handed him a new two-year deal last week.

Strictly speaking, Haven are not yet safe from relegation. Not that anyone yet knows how many clubs will go down.

They lead next-to-bottom Batley by just two points with 21 still to play for. Yet the table is so tight, Haven today lie in a play-off place, and I expect them to retain it.

Salford, Halifax and Celtic look to have cemented the top three places, but everything else is up for grabs.

Some were surprised that the Haven board opted for Stokes, though looking back, he was the logical choice.

He boasted an impressive international class CV and was living locally in Cockermouth. His win ration at Town had been an impressive 68 per cent in league matches, and he turned Derwent Park in to a fortress, establishing a 13-month unbeaten home record.

Before turning to Town he had been a New Zealand RL coach-of-the-year, No 2 in their coaching set-up and in charge of NZ’s second-string. He didn’t lack experience that’s for sure.

There have been casualties along the way at the Recre. It was sad to see No 2 Peter Smith end his long association with the club though great that he completed the amateur season with a flourish in charge of Kells.

‘Firm but fair’ seems to characterise Stokes’ relationship with his squad, and he inspires loyalty in many around him.

He’s certainly not afraid to get straight to the point with players, though he knows when to apply the brakes.

I was concerned that after the record Challenge Cup defeat at Wigan in May he might hammer his players.

But he sensibly took the opposite stance, recognising that he had been forced to field a weakened team at the JJB against a Super League outfit smarting from a heavy defeat against deadly rivals St Helens just days earlier.

I appreciate that he’s not afraid to display his emotions during matches. Many coaches sit po-faced in the stand, but he patrols the touch-line, getting involved in all aspects of the game.

He shared in the joy in the aftermath of the televised home win over title favourites Salford, warmly congratulating his players on the pitch.

Best of all is his emphasis on planning. Long-term thinking is not always newsworthy and hasn’t made many headlines this season.

But Stokes talks a lot about planning for the future. With a two-year deal in his pocket, he can now start putting his plans in to action. He realises that Haven cannot compete financially with some of League One’s big clubs.

But with a sensible signing strategy, they can still prove competitive. This means harnessing Cumbria’s amateur talent to the greatest possible extent.

Gary Hewer has returned from Workington to spearhead the search for youngsters, while Haven also have a few older targets in their sights.

New recruits will be in place before the start of next season. And I don’t need a crystal ball to tell me that.