QUAMMER Iqbal hasn't done too badly out of rugby league, especially as he only took up the game to dodge cross country running!

That was back in his Edge End School days and now as he approaches the twilight of his career he is ready for one more challenge.

For Icky has just joined up with West Craven Warriors with a double mission - to break into their successful senior side and start coaching the youngsters.

However, Icky's move to the Barnoldswick side is tinged with a hint of sadness as he joins after the Pendle Lions side he has played with every since he took up the game has now folded.

The experienced scrum half looks back on his Lions days with pride as it was with them he went on to pick up Pendle and Greater Manchester honours.

He eventually went full circle and took up a coaching post to put a little bit back into the club he loved.

He said: "I had some very good years at with Pendle Lions.

"Firstly when I joined them as a junior and then when I went back as a senior player after a 10 year break."

Icky, 28, played under Brian Foley who helped set up the Lions and the pair again linked up at Pennine Police where Ickly played for a season before rejoining the Lions.

He also played alongside successful junior players Dilshad Khan and Mubasher Ali Khan who both went on to play for Great Britain youth sides. But now he is ready for a fresh challenge with West Craven Warriors - although he admits it will be tough to break into the side.

He said: "They have had a very good start to the season and have a very big squad so I know it is going to be hard for me to get into the side.

"My main aim at the moment though is to get myself fit again because I haven't played a game yet this season plus I had given up playing to concentrate on coaching the youngsters."

Icky, who works at Pendle Leisure Centre and plays in and helps run its very successful Futsal League, feels coaching is where his future lies once he hangs up his boots once and for all.

And he hopes that West Craven will call on his help to coach the junior sides.

He added: "The club has five or six junior sides so once I get settled I hope to able to join in on the coaching side of things. After all I can't play for ever."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.