Barrow Raiders head coach Paul Crarey has revealed forward Jordan Walne turned down offers from Betfred Championship clubs before agreeing a new one-year contract with the club.

Walne is one of several key names to have pledged their future to the Raiders as they look to haul themselves out of League One at the first time of asking next year.

The 26-year-old impressed during his first season at Craven Park after signing from Hull Kingston Rovers, making 24 appearances and being one of the few players who weren’t afflicted by a serious injury.

He’ll be playing alongside the likes of Nathan Mossop, Declan Hulme, Jake Carter and Mark Duffy, who also agreed new deals with Barrow in the last couple of weeks.

Crarey said: “It’s been pretty easy getting the boys to sign and Jordan wanted to stay here. I spoke to Jordan and he had the opportunity to go to other Championship clubs, but I said to him he could stop here for two or three years.

“He’s bounced around a little bit, Jordan, going from club to club and I just said to him he’s got a home here if he wants for a few years.

“I sat him down and said what we were trying to do and he signed, which was a nice surprise, really, when he had other offers and he really enjoys it here.”

The Raiders have lost a few members of their squad from this year, with top scorer Deon Cross moving to Widnes, Alec Susino agreeing to join Featherstone and his fellow props Tom Walker and Glenn Riley are heading up the coast to Whitehaven.

Moving in the opposite direction, however, will be Carl Forster, who coached Haven against Barrow in the 2017 League One play-off final and became the second new signing for the 2020 season after Connor Terrill.

Crarey said: “Tom Walker rang me and told me it was a big wrench to go, but it was just a travelling thing with him and it was the same with Glenn, while it was Championship rugby on the doorstep for them.

“It was a no-brainer, but Carl Forster got in touch with us through Jamie Dallimore and said he wanted to come.

“I spoke to him on the phone about what we’re going to do as a club and he jumped at the chance to come to us and said he was really excited about coming to us, so that was really good.”