Emotional Gary makes his exit (From Warrington Guardian)

Chambers makes Warrington Wolves exit after 25 years in primrose and blue

5:00pm Thursday 21st March 2013 in Wolves news

AN emotional Gary Chambers did not make the decision to leave Warrington Wolves lightly, says friend and colleague Richard Marshall.

The 43-year-old Cumbrian replaced Steve McCormack as the head coach of Swinton Lions earlier this week, ending a 25-year affiliation with Warrington that started when he signed for the club as an amateur in February, 1988.

Chambers was a one-club man as a player, appearing in primrose and blue 210 times over 11 seasons, before serving his coaching apprenticeship under top dogs Darryl Van de Velde, Steve Anderson, David Plange, Paul Cullen, Jimmy Lowes and Tony Smith since retiring as a player in 2000.

So when Swinton came knocking following McCormack’s resignation, Wolves’ under 19s Academy coach thought long and hard about leaving the club that has been his professional home for so long.

“For a man to go from being a player to a coach and stick with the same club for 25 years puts him in an elite bracket of sportsmen,” said Marshall.

“That just made it a tougher decision for him to make.

“He had to approach the players and coaching staff at Warrington first, he is a man of substance and did not make it lightly.

“He is raring to go and is more than up to the task, but he was emotional and it was a big choice for him.”

Chambers’ first game in charge alongside assistant coaches Ian Watson and Marlon Billy will be at Batley Bulldogs on Saturday, the start of a task that he is relishing.

“Warrington has been my life since I moved here when I was a boy,” he said.

“All the friends I’ve made at the club have been like a family to me.

“They’ve looked after me and I can’t thank them enough.

“But things have to move on in competitive sport and it’s my time now to give it a go.

“There’s a good link between the clubs so I’ll still be around but I am now focused on what I can do with Swinton and it is challenge that I am really looking forward to.”

Chambers will be replaced as Wolves’ under 19s Academy head coach by former assistant Danny Fullerton.