FROM work experience to chief executive in six years.

It has been a meteoric rise for Karl Fitzpatrick who was appointed to the top job at Warrington Wolves last week having spent his first weeks at the club working for free in late 2010.

But the former Widnes, Salford and Ireland full-back believes that experience will be crucial when he takes over from Roger Draper at The Halliwell Jones Stadium from January 1.

He said: “When I finished playing I realised I needed experience to progress. So I approached Tony Smith and asked if I could come and work for free.

“So that was an incredibly lean Christmas with a wife and two children at home and no income.

“And now I have worked from top to bottom in the club and I think that will be invaluable.

“I was in at 6.30 this morning and was talking to the cleaners so I know how every department at the club ticks. I have worked all the way through the business from the shop floor up.”

The 36-year-old supported Brian Carney when he first started on player welfare, helping them with problems and planning for life outside rugby league.

When Carney left to work for Sky Sports, Fitzpatrick took on the job full time.

And he says it was that role which encouraged him to focus on more off-the field matters in the future.

“I did think about coaching or conditioning when I first joined,” he said.

“But I found the welfare role really rewarding, helping the players with any range of issues.”

He soon became football manager working on the logistics of running a professional sports outfit, looking at the salary cap and working closely with heading of coaching Tony Smith.

And he said it was the appeal of working with the Australian, who has led the Wire to three Challenge Cups and two League Leaders’ Shields since he joined in 2009, that made him want to be at Warrington.

“I suppose Salford or Widnes would have been an obvious choice. But I always had an affection for Warrington. Some people say they remember me playing well here a couple of times. But I was an average player so maybe I had a good 40 minutes,” he joked.

“But the main appeal was Tony Smith. A lot of people had a lot of good things to say about him and what a good man manager he is.

“I would say he is the best I have worked with. He has a great way of making everyone feel involved from the whole organisation. He has been fantastic for me and for Warrington.”

Even in his playing days Fitzpatrick, who is married to Anna and has two daughters Georgia, nine and Anna, seven, says he could see the potential at Warrington.

He added: “With Simon Moran and Tony Smith I always felt there was massive potential.

“Throughout the whole organisation there are great people here. And I am a firm believer that people make places.”

Fitzpatrick contemplated applying for the top job last year when Andy Gatcliffe left but feels with the extra experience as part of Roger Draper’s senior management team through the past two seasons, he is now perfectly positioned to move the club forward – especially as he is due to graduate from his MBA course in Bolton in June.

He added: “Warrington gave me an incredible opportunity and it is my job to repay that faith they had in me. And I am determined to do that. With each promotion they believed in me and I am absolutely committed to repaying that.

“Success is not determined by just one factor. We have a vision of being a world class rugby league club.

“So that is on the pitch and to create a tremendous match day experience too. We want to improve attendances, membership, ticketing. And we are going to achieve that by listening to supporters and acting on what they say.

“At the end of the day when I am gone and the players have gone, the supporters and members are the ones who are left so we have to get it right for them.”