Several years of dedication to amateur rugby league by Tammy Tyson has paid dividends with his appointment as team manager of BARLA for 2020.

The British Amateur Rugby League Association are touring New Zealand later in the year and the Askam stalwart said he was chuffed to bits on hearing the news.

A hard-working no-nonsense player and later a coach, 62-year-old Tyson has given the game over forty plus years of dedication and has been at Fallowfield Park through the good and bad times.

He served the club as a player for many years before going onto pastures new with Barrow Island and was in the team that won the Cumbria Cup under the guidance of Paul Kavanagh.

Tammy started his career with Askam under 17s alongside future Barla internationals David Cairns and “Rip” Kirkby.

“We were only kids and we got battered each week as other teams had older players," he said.

"But when we played at under 18s we got to the Barla final but lost to Woolston at the then Warrington ground Wilderspool.

""I never played as I had a knee operation. We also got to the semi final of the Lancashire cup losing to Blackbrook by two points after being twenty in the lead.

"Going into open age was tough. There were some good teams around with Millom dominating.

"Our coaches were good but hard task masters - sometimes you were scared to come off after a game wondering what you were going to face”.

When in his early 20s Tyson, like thousands of others in the then known Vickers shipyard (BAE), went on strike moving to Scotland to reside and work for three years.

On his return he rejoined Askam playing alongside good players in the likes of Jim Bridle, Paul and Derek New and Peter Dickinson.

Tyson added: "The late John New was coach. A man I had the greatest respect for.

"Peter Dickinson was a great forward. He was as tough as nails and later joined Barrow Island. He pestered me to go along with him and I thought why not.

"It was a good move as we won the County cup beating other West Cumbrians Egremont and Hensingham along the way.

"I remember going into the Post office at the time and a old lady and Askam fan Rose Riley said Tammy you're a traitor”

Like many others injuries caught up and Tyson was out for 12 months with a problem disc in his back.He had a short spell with Dalton where his dad was on the coaching staff and had the honour of captaining the Barrow Inter-Town side.

It was into coaching in retirement and Tyson loved nothing more than looking after the youth section where he brought his two lads into the game and seeing many others make the grade.

Mark is now a new Barrow Raider while Kristian played for the club a few years back.

Not one for the number one position, Tyson was happy as a number two.

“There's too much pressure being number one," he said.

"But I did have a spell as Boss at Millom."

Tyson was the saviour at Fallowfield Park last season when the majority of the team left and the club could have folded in the Conference after a couple of games, but along with Dean Marwood he soldiered on and all games were complete.

This year he is taking a step back but will most likely be part of the County set up where he has been for the last four years before finally calling it a day.

With the Coronavirus upon us the New Zealand trip could be off but if possible games will be arranged with France.