Last updated 11:18, Friday, 28 March 2008

RIVALRY is one thing, especially in west Cumbria. But when news breaks that one of Cumbria’s best, Haven coach Paul Crarey is ill in Furness General Hospital, Barrow, rugby league and rivalry pales into insignificance.

Those were the days: Hard man Paul Crarey prepares to scrum down. Inset, Paul today

I was gutted to hear that my mate ‘Cresta’ is very poorly as we speak but, after speaking with his wife Julie, thankfully it is not a suspected heart attack as was first thought. He is being treated for angina.

During my 20 years in journalism, I have come across some cracking people right across the sporting spectrum. But Cresta rates amongst the best.

Paul ended a rocky period at his home club, Barrow Raiders, at the end of last season when he was told that he was no longer required by club owner Des Johnson. And the move to take over at Haven, following the departure of coach Dave Rotheram to Town, came as a natural move for, in my honest opinion, one of the best young British coaches in the game.

Running his own business, and coaching Haven 60 miles up the road on a part-time basis, seems to have taken its toll.

Cresta now faces a full recuperation period away from rugby league.

A ‘hard man’ of a hooker, Cresta made his mark for Barrow before a brief spell at Haven and Carlisle Crusaders.

And he also represented Cumbria against the Australian touring team.

More recently, he was made coach of the Cumbria team and led them, at very short notice, to success against Tonga in October 2006.

Haven’s National league One season hasn’t started the way he would have wanted it. Although they qualified for the Northern Rail Cup knockout stages, Haven lost their opening two league games over the Easter weekend, at newly-promoted Featherstone and at home to Batley Bulldogs.

How much the current financial worries at the club is affecting the players and their performances cannot be measured. Nor can the toll it’s taking on its part-time coach.

Whatever the reasons for Cresta’s illness, I am sure that there are many rugby league fans out there who will join me in hoping that he gets back to normal sooner rather than later.

Good luck mate. Get well soon and don’t rush your comeback.