Last updated 15:27, Thursday, 10 April 2008

RECORD try scorer David Seeds has been promoted to assistant coach with Whitehaven’s first-team after previously filling the same role with the reserve-grade.

Stepping in: Assistant coach David Seeds, one of those filling in

Seeds was drafted on to the reserves’ coaching staff after hanging up his boots at the end of last season, and new boss Ged Stokes now wants him to fill a bigger role.
Seeds joins current assistant Peter Smith, who has been in post under four previous head coaches, and Les Ashe, who comes in from Workington Town.
The 33-year-old scored 224 tries in his glittering Haven career, launched in 1993, most from the centre berth, and he will now have special responsibility for the outside backs at the Recreation Ground.
“I’m not going to teach him anything about coaching the outside backs,” Stokes said.
“He has a lot to offer in the future as a coach, and this is the time to find that out. He’s a very nice person, and that’s the most important thing to start with.
“And he has the respect of the team and the rugby league community in general. He’ll bring a lot of qualities to the team that people will feed off.”
Seeds (pictured) returned to playing action in May last season, after missing the opening months of the campaign due to injury.
He went on to notch seven tries in 14 appearances and was arguably Haven’s top three-quarter late in the season.
Many fans believed he retained the sharpness to play again this year, though he is intent on focusing on coaching.
Ex-Workington Town stand-in boss Les Ashe has re-joined Stokes  at the Recre.
Ashe, who was in joint charge of Town with Craig Barker for their NL2 campaign last term, will also assist reserve-grade boss Dave Smith.
“So many people at the club are helping me at the moment,” Stokes said. “They couldn’t do more.
“Dave Smith is an excellent coach and a good manager. He’s a very, very important member of staff, and David Seeds speaks for himself.
“Laura, the physio, is totally professional and completely has the players’ health at heart.”
Haven host full-timers Celtic Crusaders tomorrow night (7pm) when they return to league action. After taking only one bonus point from their opening three NL1 matches, a win against the in-form Welsh outfit is vital.
Though after winning 30-24 at Halifax in the Northern Rail Cup last weekend, Celtic are likely to prove formidable opponents.
Second-row Richard Fletcher will be assessed after suffering a first-half knock early in the 16-6 cup reverse at Oldham on Sunday, which stand-off Carl Rudd also missed due to illness.
Stokes added: “Richard Fletcher was a big loss after five minutes. He played on for a further 10 minutes and gave it his best shot, but he couldn’t get it right.”
Tomorrow’s clash will be Stokes’ first league match since replacing Paul Crarey, and finance director Barry Richardson is convinced the former New Zealand assistant coach and Kiwi A boss is the right man for the job.
“He has so much experience, and I’m sure he will put that to good use to take us forward,” Richardson said. “I have every confidence that Ged will pull things together. It’s probably just as well that his first game was in the cup, as it gave him a chance to look at things.
“We have to look to win our home games and start to pick up some away games. The squad’s more than capable of doing that.”