Last updated at 15:00, Thursday, 05 November 2009

THE worst kept secret in rugby league has finally been made public with hooker Andy Henderson revealed as Barrow’s first new close-season signing.

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RETURN FROM OZ: Former Barrow Raiders skipper Andy Henderson has returned to the club six years after leaving in 2003 for his native Australia

The 30-year-old, unveiled by club chairman Des Johnston at Craven Park, has been linked with a move to Raiders since former club Gateshead went to the wall and coach Steve McCormack made the move himself.

And last night the speculation was finally put to an end as Henderson made his return for a second spell with Barrow on a two-year contract, saying he was delighted to be back.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity now to come back to the club where pretty much my career began for me in England all those years ago,” said the Scotland captain, who signed his contract with Barrow last week but has been waiting for the paperwork to be cleared.

“I’m really excited to be back in Barrow. Everyone’s aware of the success the club had last year and there are exciting times ahead.

“I’m just really thankful that Des Johnston, the club and the board of directors have given me the opportunity to come back and be part of something which I think is really special at the moment.

“The club are on a high and it is a really exciting time.”

Johnston was also happy to have brought Henderson in as a ready-made replacement for the departed Andy Ellis, the Championship Player-of-the-Year who has signed for Super League Harlequins.

The Barrow chairman – who admitted the deal was ‘the worst kept secret’ in the game – is convinced his new recruit can more than fill Ellis’ boots and will prove a valuable asset to the team.

“We have admired Andy since I have been here,” said the businessman, who has already signed on a majority of this year’s Grand Final-winning squad for next season. “His attitude and confidence has impressed me immensely. I made it clear I needed to know if he was still hungry and he is very hungry.

“I had a choice of three or four nines, but Andy Henderson was always the one who stood out.

“Steve McCormack knows him very well and that was very important. He’s a big fan of Andy and he is a big fan of him, not just at club level with Gateshead, but at international level as well.

“I’ve spoken with him three or four times in the last 10 days and every time he impresses us more. He’s a got a big personality to bring to this club and the confidence of this lad and his ability and leadership has impressed me a helluva lot.”

Henderson is looking forward to working with Johnston and McCormack, as well as assistant coach Dave Clark – the only player from his last spell at Barrow between 2001 and 2003 still involved with the club. He knows there are high expectations from everyone around the club and cites that – as well as his fondness for Raiders from his previous time there and his wife and her family being from the area – as reasons behind his move.

He added: “Des has made it really clear to the public of Barrow that he wants Super League and I think that is a fantastic goal and ambition to have.

“For me personally, that’s where I want to be. I want to be part of a club that has that drive, that determination and ambition to do better.

“I’m really, really looking forward to the next year or two at Barrow.”

l The Raiders Bar will be open from 5.30pm on Saturday to screen the England v New Zealand Four Nations game (6pm kick-off).

First published at 13:11, Thursday, 05 November 2009
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk