Veteran Workington Town prop forward Kris Coward is relishing the position of elder statesman in the side as the club prepares for the new season.

Coward, 33, will be going into his ninth campaign as a professional after signing from Hensingham in 2007 and says he is more than happy to help Town’s younger players as they become accustomed to life in the Championship.

Coward praised the quartet of Stevie Scholey, Sam Forrester, Scott Akehurst and Tee Ritson for their performances in the 2015 season after signing from the amateur ranks at the start of the year.

“There is that little bit of responsibility there,” Coward said. “I remember when I started out and there were the likes of Mark Cox, Dean Vaughan and Taani Lavulavu and they helped me get used to things.

“You find yourself learning all the time as you train and play in games.

“It’s not something I’ve really dwelled on but as an experienced player I’m more than happy to help the younger lads.

“The most important piece of advice I can give to them is to stick at it.

He added: “It’s difficult because you go from playing every game at amateur level to only playing a few, but they need to see how much they are improving as players.

“I spoke to Stevie after the season finished about how many games he had played and to play 18 in your debut season is fantastic.

“Then Sam and Scott have always done a job when they’ve been in the side and Tee showed what he can do in the final game against Featherstone last season.”

With fellow prop Dan Rooney set to return to full training in pre-season Coward is looking forward to the added competition for places in 2016.

“Dan coming back will be like us having a new player,” he said. “We’ll hopefully have Latu [Fifita] back to full-strength too so there’s going to be lots of competition.

“I think with Phil [coach Veivers] wanting a bigger squad next year, it will give him an opportunity to rotate some players so they can have a rest during the season.

“It’s important that we as players understand that we aren’t being dropped but that we are being rotated. At the end of the day that’s why you have a squad of players and there are a lot of games to play in a season.”

Town have announced that strength and conditioning coach Chris Murphy will remain at the club for a further 12 months.

The former Oldham full-back turned personal trainer linked up with Town last season after the departure of Matty Johnson.

“Chris is a great lad to work under and he knows what we expect of him as players,” Coward added.

“He’s taken a lot of time in preparing plans for us to follow in the off-season and we know he’ll have worked hard in helping prepare our pre-season.”

Town flyer: Monday, I Messenger, Seaton, E5335; Tuesday, M Charles. Moor Row, E7004; Wednesday, R Frazer, Little Broughton, C3618; yesterday, E Towers, Seaton, E5789; today, M P Jackson, Seaton, A4679.