HE may have only retired from the professional game last month but it didn't take long for Cumbrian Matt Shields to find a new rugby club.

Just over three weeks after he called time on his professional career, Shields was confirmed as Carlisle Rugby Club's player-head coach.

It marks the return to where former Harlequins, Nottingham and Edinburgh player Shields began his career, and he will be assisted by Max Connon, another product of the club’s youth section who also went on to bigger things in his career.

Shields admits that he has always stayed in contact with members of the Warwick Road club throughout his career.

"I started playing for the club when I was six and left when I was 17 to go to Newcastle Falcons' academy," he says.

"But I stayed in touch with quite a few people from the club throughout and they kept in touch with me.

"With my family situation and my work situation changing recently, I have moved back to the city, where there was an opportunity to come back as a player-head coach and it was a no-brainer for me, really.

"I wanted to get back involved in the club and I think there is huge potential here which is something I am hoping to get out of the boys to take the club to the level where it should be at."

Shields replaces David Stout who enjoyed two successful seasons with Carlisle, and Shields feels promotion should be the aim this season.

"Obviously, with the floods, they set us back quite a long way," he admits.

"But, to be fair to David, who I'm taking over from, he came in at a really difficult time for the club [and] turned it round.

"They got promoted and then, last season, they played OK rugby. The league position maybe isn't a true reflection of the quality in the team.

"But I fully believe, with what I am going to change to the team, with my coaching experience, that we can definitely get promoted this year. That is our aim.

"Carlisle has not been in the league it should be for many years, so myself and Max Connon, Jim Goode [director of rugby], David as chairman and Barry [Earl] who is outgoing as chairman, are all pulling the same way.

"We want Carlisle to be back where it should be."

Having first started playing the game at the club, Carlisle is clearly a club that means a lot to the prop.

"Yes, definitely," he says. "I played here for 11 or 12 years.

"My dad coached me through the youth section until 14 or 15 and my mum is doing the safeguarding for the club.

"When the new changing rooms got built about 12 years, my dad did a lot of the paperwork.

"So, my family is very much part of the club.

"I didn't know rugby before I came here and it was playing here that I realised I wanted to play professionally. Thankfully, I have managed to do that for a quite long time."

And in, not only Shields but also Connon, Carlisle have two local lads who know the area well but have also played to a higher standard.

Shields says: "Max is one of my best mates.

"He started playing the same time as me, so I have known Max for about 20-odd years now.

"I have full faith and trust in him as coach, and I think he does with me. I think, if we can convey that message to the players, I think we are on to quite a good think."

But what are Shields plans for the club over the coming seasons.

"Definitely promotion this year," he insists. "That is the aim, that is what I want.

"And I want everyone to be very clear that's what I want. Then, next year, we will regather.

"We will be moving into the National League which is a league a lot of people haven't played in before, so it would be stupid to say we would be looking to go into National League Two.

"But it's not beyond the realms of possibility that we could. But promotion this year is the only goal as far as I am concerned."

Shields also revealed family reasons were behind his decision to retire.

He explains: "I got married last July [and] my wife had a baby four weeks ago.

"I'm very proud of my rugby career and I played for some great rugby clubs, and I played with some world-class players.

"I was also lucky enough to work with some world-class coaches, as well.

"But the nature of professional sport is that you do move around a lot. Careers are [based on] short-term contracts.

"For a family, that can be quite unsettling. So, for me, I did have some opportunities out there but I wanted to put some routes back down.

"I've had three house moves in a year, and probably moved house eight or nine times in the past 10 years, which is quite a lot of moving and upheaval.

"With a young family, I didn't feel that was the right thing."

Nevertheless, Shields is keen to pass on his higher-league rugby knowledge to his new team-mates.

He says: "I have worked with some of the best coaches in international rugby, for example Graham Rowntree, kind of mentored me as a player.

"I actually speak to him a lot about coaching, as well. Conor O'Shea signed me at Harlequins and now coaches the Italy national side.

"Some of the players at Harlequins are world-class players and it's that experience from being there, being at that level and knowing what it takes, that I can bring back to Carlisle."

The likes of Newcastle Falcons duo Chris Harris and Gary Graham have come through the ranks at Carlisle recently and gone on to bigger and better things.

"Me and Max came through with the likes of Chris Harris who now has a few caps for Scotland and is doing very well at the moment," Shields adds.

"But, over the last 10 years, there are a countless number of players that have gone on to play National League rugby and Premiership rugby.

"The first-team, in my opinion, has never reflected that talent which is coming through.

"So, what I want now is for Carlisle Rugby Club to be aspirational and stay with the first-team.

"If we can get promotion this year and the right environment, that will help to keep people at the club."