RAIDERS legend Alan Winward has hit the headlines many times over the years for his hard work and dedication to rugby. On November 2, 2006 reporter Graham Dixon interviewed the former player about how he had got involved with saving the club's stadium.

WHEN former player Alan Winward decided to go to the first Save Craven Park meeting at Forum 28 it was merely his intention to vote his brother on to the committee.

However, brother John —a former Barrow RL director and at the time secretary of the local amateur league — was called into work atthe last minute.

So Winward, who back then ran Park Road Service Station, went along on his own. And this set in motion a chain of events that saw him become the new club chairman and the man widely credited with saving the club from possible extinction.

Winward continued to serve as a director after the mission was finally accomplished and recently retired as groundsman from his beloved Craven Park on reaching the age of 65.

With the future of Craven Park again uncertain amid talk of a shared community stadium, he reveals some of the drama behind those events in 1995.

Says Winward: “When my brother was called into work, I went to Forum 28 on my own.

“The meeting was run by Dennis Jackson and ’Dinks’ Harris and they were looking for volunteers.

“I was asked by Margaret and Joe Hogan to join the committee but I said I was too busy.

“After constant pressure I agreed to help but only when I had time. Maurice Evans, Neil Houston, Allan Park and Norman Baber were all voted on the committee.

“On my first day I went round businesses to try to get some support. No-one wanted to help with the present board in force.

“We all worked very hard raising funds to fight the sale of Craven Park. The committee agreed to pay the player wages one week so they would play the home fixture.”

He said they got the board to agree to go to the debenture holders meeting and then the hard work began.

“We got the debenture book and started to go round, either persuading debenture holders to come to the meeting and give their votes or give us their proxy votes.

“We all worked seven days a week till late at night. Maurice Evans and myself went to see Brian Clarke, a board member at the time with quite a few votes. We talked to Brian (a Walney businessman) for some two hours trying to convince him to vote along with us.

“Both Maurice and myself were unsure which way Brian would vote. On the night he voted with us and we won the vote by a narrow majority so it could be said that the person who saved Craven Park was Brian Clarke.

“Bill Proctor was the man who led us through this very volatile time.

“The directors had to resign and the Save Craven Park Committee became the new Board. I became temporary chairman as no one else wanted the job.

“I felt sorry for Karen Heighton, the club secretary, as she must have wondered who her boss was but she carried on with her duties and helped the new board all she could.

“Brian Clarke, Bob Brady and Mike Fallon were asked to join the new board but only Brian Clarke accepted.

“The first thing the new board did was to get out all the accounts owing to see what they were. We were horrified.

“The unstructured financial position was approximately £400,000 plus a tax investigation figure to be finalised.”

Winward says that it was at this stage that another key figure, Alan Stoker, got involved.

He continues: “I then got a phone call from Alan Stoker. Although being in the garage business the same as Alan, I had not met him.

“Alan said he had read in the paper about the club and could I go down to his office to discuss the situation.

“The meeting lasted two hours with a trip to Craven Park where Alan saw the ground and all the financial figures.

“Immediate massive financial input was needed and the debenture book was opened.

“Alan raised £57,000 from this. To secure a business loan of £100,000 we needed an extra 2000 members in the lottery.

“In order to pay off pressing creditors, Club 2000, a new lottery set up by Alan Stoker, was launched.

“All directors pounded the streets in an effort to raise the 2000 members. Supporters rang daily to check if we were near to the magical 2000 figure, this decreasing £100,000 loan facilities.

“There was great joy when the figure was reached, phase one was over we were now stable.

“All the players were paid in full, the debt was restructured and we had a rugby club to run.”

Winward says Stoker travelled to Solihull, the Head Office for the Inland Revenue, and came back with a deal over three years to pay £70,000 — no interest and no penalties.

They never missed a payment.

Says Winward: “While all this was going on we were struggling for a safety certificate for the main allwood grandstand with an asbestos roof.

“Our only way of surviving was to get a grant off Sport England and we applied for £260,000.

“We put together plans and answered all the questions asked and we waited anxiously for weeks to hear their decision.

“I will never forget the day we found out. I was travelling with Alan Stoker to a meeting in Yorkshire.

“Alan stopped the car by a public phone which was on the opposite side of the road. He said ‘we have got to find out’ so he rang Karen.

“All I remember is Alan coming out of the phone box doing a Highland Fling on the pavement, shouting ‘we got it’ — what a great day.”

Windward finished his business and started working full-time for Barrow RL (“at a much reduced salary”).

He has since helped see the club through several phases which included a merger with Carlisle and loss of Sky money and was instrumental in the lucrative deal that took GB star Ade Gardner from Barrow to St Helens.

Winward says: “I became very good friends with Mally Kay, chairman of St Helens. He said he had heard about Ade Gardner and how did I rate him.

“I said the lad has everything and just needs bringing on. I told Mally that he would be an international one day.

“Leeds also showed an interest but I thought he would be better off at St Helens.

“I took Ade down to Knowsley Road where he met the players.”

He is also proud to have helped set up the Touchdown schools’ programme with Denis Fay, (Dowdales Deputy Head).

Adds Winward: “Has it really been 11 years? Some days it feels like 100 years and others only yesterday!

“Thanks go to all the directors and helpers who put in so many long hours fund raising.

“I am very proud to have worked alongside so many dedicated friends. I’m still here to help and offer any advice if needed.”