A former Workington Town player who went on to produce one of the greatest coaching achievements in the game has died at the age of 81.
Jim Crellin signed for Town from Moresby Rugby Union club in 1965 and went on to play 35 games for the first team.
A centre he was highly regarded at Moresby where in his final season he had scored 181 points in 19 games.
He spent three full seasons at Derwent Park scoring seven tries and kicking 29 goals.
But more often than not he was a member of a very good A team at the time, and he wanted more senior rugby.
So in 1968 he signed for Oldham and in a remarkably similar record played 35 times, scored two tries and kicked 31 goals – but in just two seasons.
For the 1969/70 season he linked-up with Rochdale Hornets in what proved his most rewarding spell as a pro.
He went on to play 154 games, scoring 34 tries and kicking 58 goals before retiring in 1975.
But Jim then went into coaching and in May 1976 took over at perennial no-hopers Blackpool.
By the seaside Jim probably pulled off the greatest coaching performances in the history of the game.
He steered Blackpool to the 1976/77 John Player Trophy final after beating Halifax, Barrow, Workington and Leigh en-route.
They lost 25-15 in the final to mighty Castleford but had led 15-10 at one point with fellow Cumbrian Howard ‘Smiler’ Allen scoring one of the tries.
He coached subsequently at Halifax, twice at Swinton (winning promotion both times), Mansfield, Rochdale and Leigh before completing his career in charge of struggling Prescot (previously Highfield).
As a player he represented Cumberland on two occasions, both against Yorkshire which ended in defeat.
