WHEN the Webb Ellis Trophy came to Blackburn earlier this year, many would have been forgiven for thinking it was the only piece of silverware the club would see this season.

After all, Blackburn Rugby Union Club had gone its entire 125-year history without winning a trophy - so what difference would another season make.

England's World Cup winning roadshow provided the feel good factor and the players, officials and 2,000 other people who turned up at the Ramsgreave Drive club went away happy.

It wasn't a trophy of their own but it was a trophy nonetheless.

But player-coach Steve Kerry had other ideas - and Martin Johnson's heroes played their part.

Kerry watched England's historic victory against Australia in a pub in York and, suitably inspired, he plotted a cup winning formula of his own.

Maybe not as high profile but equally as important to one corner of East Lancashire.

At the time, Blackburn were still progressing well in three cups and Kerry thought that this was the year to end the drought.

"I remember it clearly," says Kerry enjoying his second spell as player/coach at the club. "I watched England win and knew that we could follow in their footsteps."

After reaching the quarter finals of the Lancashire Cup and enjoying a decent run in the National Knockout, it was the Thwaites Lancashire Trophy that was to finally end Blackburn's search for silverware.

And it was a Kerry-inspired Blackburn that clinched a memorable 24-10 victory over Aspull at Sedgley Park.

But surprisingly, it wasn't Kerry the coach but Kerry the player who weaved his magic.

"I had retired from playing but because our centres, Andy Graham and Matt Spence, were not available I had to pick myself. I made brief appearances in the two previous league games before playing in the final."

Kerry was at his vintage best and set up two tries as Blackburn stormed to victory.

The long-awaited win sparked the mother of all parties, "We're still trying to piece the night together," confessed Kerry, while the usual cup-found-in-bed-with-player scenario fell to Jonny Hayhurst.

"Nobody could find the cup and we were beginning to get a bit worried. Then we found out that Jonny had taken it to bed and fallen asleep."

Winning the Trophy was a sweet moment for Kerry.

For not only was it a fitting way to end his career - yes, after four failed attempts, he insists he has retired for good - but it also helped out his old mate Phil Crayston.

Crayston had to give up his duties as first team coach due to serious illness and he asked Kerry to take over the reigns in his absence.

Kerry was no stranger to coaching duties at Ramsgreave Drive as he spent three years in that capacity in the late 90s.

However, that was a paid position and this time around it was a chance to put something back in to the club.

"I had retired from the game until Phil contacted me," he said.

"There was no way I wanted to let him down and I wanted to carry on his hard work and also get the chance to put something back in to the club."

Prior to the Trophy victory, Kerry must have thought he had seen it all in a 20-year career that zig-zagged between the codes.

For in rugby union, he still holds points scoring records for Preston Grasshoppers while, in rugby league, he played in front of 50,000 fans for a winning Salford side in a Second Division Premier Final -- in a match he scored two tries and was named man-of-the-match.

He's played with the union greats, such as Wade Dooley at Preston, and against the league greats of Ellery Hanley, Martin Offiah and Jonathan Davies.

After starting his career with Preston Grasshoppers he switched codes and enjoyed spells with Salford, Oldham and Huddersfield where he played in another Premier final, this time losing to Keighley.

Despite his brush with fame and glory, Kerry has a special place in his heart for Blackburn Rugby Club.

It is the club that enticed him back in to rugby union and a club that has helped write a successful closing chapter to his career.

He said: "Winning the Premier final with Salford has to be the highlight of my career but winning the Lancashire Trophy is up there with it. It means a lot to me because I am at the end of my career and it is something I can appreciate."

Kerry says the team spirit and bonding at the club is second to none. He says that from president Roger Graham to captain Adam Smith, everyone plays their part.

Now aged 38, Kerry, a regional sales manager at Thwaites Brewery, wants to spend more time with his family, wife Sue and children Andrew, Joanne and Joe.

He said: "I've dedicated the best part of the last 20 years to rugby so now is the time to spend some time with my family and do all those chores my wife has been asking me to do for ages.

"I've retired four times before but this time it is for good, although I will continue to go to cheer the boys on."

But you can bet that Kerry will have his boots in the car just in case he's enticed out of retirement just one more time.