“He has been great leader with an outstanding attitude who did a good job wherever he went.”

That was the tribute from Barrow Raiders head coach Paul Crarey when he heard the news that his former skipper Ollie Wilkes was hanging up his boots.

The Ulverston-born 39-year-old forward has finally called it a day after a 21-year career of more than 500 matches that took him to 11 clubs and earned him 15 Scotland caps.

Wilkes spent two years at Craven Park, making 51 appearances and scoring ten tries, as he helped to lift the Raiders to promotion before moving up the coast to Workington Town.

“He was very professional in everything he did and helped the coaching staff a lot as well as being an inspiration to the players,” said Crarey.

“He had a lot of clubs and he has done a good job at every one of them. I have known him since he was a lad and coming through the ranks. He gave everybody and everything all he had got. He has had a fantastic career.”

Tributes also poured in from the fans of Workington where he finally brought down the curtain on a career that took him from London to Workington since his 1998 debut.

‘An inspiration’ and a ‘true professional’ were just two of the accolades from Town fans.

“It was an emotional day having to tell my team mates I was retiring but I had surgery on my knees six weeks ago and they don’t feel any better so it is time to go,” said Wilkes.

“After more than 500 games and exactly 100 career tries I feel I had nothing more to prove.”

Highlights included being chosen to skipper Scotland – “my grandad was from Campbeltown and my mother was born there” – and his 100th try when Town visited West Wales Raiders.

Wilkes started his professional career at Sheffield Eagles and played in the Super League for six clubs – Eagles, Huddersfield Giants, Leigh Centurions, Wigan Warriors, Wakefield Trinity and Harlequins.