WHEN he looks back on the past three years at Barrow Raiders, arguably the one aspect Paul Crarey is most proud of is the work done away from the first team.

It is credit to both head coach Crarey and his coaching staff that they have been able to build a team almost from scratch which is now one of the forces to be reckoned with in Kingstone Press League One.

But perhaps their biggest contribution has been rebuilding the bridges between the town's professional club and the amateur teams in the area, with both coaches and player benefiting from those links.

Recent weeks have seen the return of the Raiders' development programme where over 100 children from under-12s to under-16s at all ability levels have been down at Craven Park training on Monday nights.

And Crarey is delighted to see not only a growth in the numbers attending, but also familiar faces coming back year after year.

“It’s probably something the paying public in the stands don’t see,” said Crarey. “When I first came in, I came for one year to give the club some stability and this is my third year.

“What I was asked to do was build a club – they didn’t ask me to win things, they just wanted a guide of how to move the club in a good direction and we’ve certainly done that.

“The kids are coming back week after week – they don’t have to come back, it’s voluntary – and the numbers have been absolutely outstanding. The enthusiasm of the kids and the ones who come year after year is just unbelievable.

“I’ve seen them grown and become more confident and hone their skills, and little things we taught them two years ago they’re bringing in this time. There are some great kids who will surely push on and play for Barrow.”

The hope is players will eventually progress through to the Furness Raiders under-19s team, which enjoyed a strong first season in the College Rugby League competition, and onto the senior side from there.

Ryan Johnston, who is set to feature against Oxford tonight, has already made the transition to the professional ranks and several others are in line to follow.

But while promising half-back Johnston, along with those players recruited from the amateur game, have been able to be steadily introduced to professional rugby in League One, Crarey knows it may not be possible to do that if the Raiders are soon playing in the Championship.

That is why he is eager to bring back a reserve team at Barrow – finances permitting – and is in no doubt it is vital for the long-term sustainability of the club.

“We want to transition from the under-19s to the reserve grade if possible so we don’t lose all of these kids,” said Crarey. “If we go up to the Championship, the game-time for some of them will be limited.

“We can’t do any more in terms of what we’re doing in terms of community work and developing the kids, we need a reserves if we can get that funded to kick on and go with the flow.

“We don’t want to get left behind and it’s very easy to get complacent and think we’re top end of League One and it’s easy to make the Championship, but it has got to be sustainable.”

Promotion will bring with it an increase in central funding from the RFL, while many are hoping attendances will improve as well due to a more attractive fixture list.

The derby with Workington Town is the only game which has so far drawn a four-figure crowd to Craven Park this year, although even the 696 for last Saturday's 36-6 win over University of Gloucestershire All Golds was higher than Championship sides Oldham and Sheffield Eagles – the latter temporarily exiled in Wakefield – drew for their respective home games.

And Crarey has warned hopes should not just be pinned on an increase in gate receipts, with those behind the scenes at the Raiders are working hard to source new income streams.

“The top-end teams do (have big crowds), but Toulouse don’t bring many on the road, Toronto probably won’t when they travel, and it’s only the likes of Hull KR, Featherstone and other heartland teams who do – and we do,” said Crarey.

“We’re working hard with the development programme, the academy and we’ve got great partners, and you’ve got to push that across the board.”