Coach Butch confident in new Workington role
Last updated 13:37, Tuesday, 01 July 2008
CRAIG ‘Butch’ Barker has indicated he is happy to answer boss Dave Rotheram’s call to step in to a beefed up role with Workington Town’s first-team.
Rotheram opted not to seek a new No 2 following Gary Hewer’s return to Whitehaven, instead turning to reserve-team coach Barker and conditioner Matthew Johnson.
“Dave didn’t beat around the bush and said he was happy with what he had, and that myself and Matthew Johnson were capable of doing the job,” said Barker.
“I was pleased with that answer. I was there or thereabouts the first-team, even when Gary was on board, and everyone mucked in. But this gives me an opportunity to have a bit more input.”
Barker was in temporary joint charge of first-team affairs for much of last season, alongside Les Ashe, following Ged Stokes’ departure, guiding Town to the NL2 play-offs, so he is no stranger to the pressures of the job.
“Last year it came out of the blue and there was no time to sit around and think, we had just to get on with it,” Barker added.
“We tried to be really professional in everything we did and I enjoyed it. I took more positives than negatives out of it. It was an enjoyable journey.”
Town’s reserve-grade travel to Oldham on Saturday, and while they have won once in nine outings this term, against the Roughyeds, Barker believes the second-string is serving its purpose.
Young prop Peter Dobson is the latest to graduate, earning a first-team call up for last Friday’s tough trip to Doncaster, Town going down 40-2 to Ellery Hanley’s team.
“Doncaster looked like they had each put on a stone in muscle since we last beat them,” Barker added. “Mr Hanley has obviously had them training hard in the gym.”
