Barrow Raiders captain Martin Aspinwall signed a new one-year contract with the club because he didn't want to bow out on a relegation, according to rugby director Andy Gaffney.

Veteran forward Aspinwall became the latest Raiders player to commit his future to Craven Park on Saturday, doing so after back row Jono Smith had done the same the previous day.

There was speculation that the 37-year-old former Wigan Warriors man would decide to hang up his boots after an injury-hit campaign that saw him limited to 16 appearances this year.

Out of all the injuries the Raiders' squad suffered over the course of the season, Aspinwall's torn eyelid, which he suffered against Widnes Vikings in March, was arguably the most horrific.

After undergoing plastic surgery, he returned just two months later, only for his season to finish early after he sustaining a fractured jaw and damaged eye socket against York in early August.

Gaffney said: "It's fantastic that Martin is going to carry on. It's a real plus for us in the dressing room, on and off the pitch.

"He's still very highly regarded at the club and a true professional. He's played in some big finals in his career and he's just done everything in the game.

"I think with what happened and how we finished last year, that probably wasn't the way he wanted to end his career.

"This way, he gets to finish on his terms and he probably felt he didn't get the chance to do that last year and he's come back looking to make sure he goes out a winner this time."

Aspinwall began his career at hometown club Wigan, where he won the Challenge Cup in 2002 and reached the Super League Grand Final the following year.

He then spent five seasons with Huddersfield, during which he was part of the Great Britain squad that toured Australia and New Zealand for the 2006 Tri Nations

This preceded spells with Castleford, Hull FC and Leigh Centurions before he signed for Barrow in 2016, since when he has made 86 appearances, scoring six tries.

Gaffney said: "Myself and [chairman] Steve Neale had a chat with him and we didn't know whether he was retiring or not.

"He really does look in fantastic nick, to be fair, and the injuries that he's had this year are freak ones.

"He's had no injuries where his knees or shoulders or anything like that have been affected, so he's had a good rest and he'll be back firing on all cylinders by the time the season starts.

"It's just been freak facial injuries that have kept him out for a long time, so it's probably helped him to recharge his batteries."