Castleford Tigers news: Adrian Vowles connection explained as Chris Chester aims to bring back good times

Chester, who is Tigers’ interim-coach as well as director of rugby, is keen to recapture the spirit which lifted the club out of the doldrums 26 years ago. That season Castleford were one game away from both Wembley and Old Trafford, finished fifth in Super League and averaged more than 6,700 fans at home matches, up almost 500 on the previous campaign.

They had survived a nervy relegation battle just two years earlier, but the club was vibrant on and off the field, inspired by the European game’s most outstanding player Adrian Vowles. Chester is currently recruiting players and a coach for next year and revealed he has spoken to the 1999 Man of Steel. about how to recapture the spirit of that season.

Chester said: “ I’ve spoken to him a couple of times and messaged him and it was nice to hear his voice. We had a chat about the 1999 season. He referenced what the Cas fans are looking for in the team. That’s just effort every week.

“There’s been quite a few seasons of mediocrity and it’s really important we get the town back onside. I think we have probably lost that connection with the town. Vowlesy mentioned the 1999 season and the town was absolutely buzzing. It’s nice to talk to him about his experiences and his time at Tigers. He left a long time ago, but he has still got close friends here.

“I think it’s important I connect with those ex-players and he’s certainly one I admired. He was very, very tough, 100 per cent effort and we probably need 17 Adrian Vowles in our team, week-in, week-out. If we have that kind of effort every week we will win more than we lose. It is a hard-working town and we need to be a hard-working team to match that.”

Tigers showed some of those qualities in yesterday’s (Sunday) 20-14 defeat of Warrington Wolves at the Jungle. Chester stressed Vowles is not involved in the search for Castleford’s next coach. He said: “He spoke to me about a guy he has worked with in the past, but for me it was more about finding out a bit more about his time here and trying to work out how we can reconnect with the town. In 1997 they lost 11 on the bounce, but the fans saw a lot of effort and the team were still trying really hard. I just wanted to get into his mind and see what’s missing and what I can as a director of rugby and how we can reconnect. He was a legend at this club and a player I really looked up to. He is just a good guy and a big leader for this club.”

Chester hopes the next coach can replicate what Stuart Raper did a quarter of a century ago. He added: “Vowlesy mentioned when Stuart Raper came here he improved the standards around the place and made the players more accountable. That’s pretty much what I am trying to do. We can take a lot from that quality team of 1998-99 and what they achieved and draw on Vowlesy’s experience.

“He gave everything for the club and doesn’t like to see the position the club’s in at the moment. He knows if we start playing well we can get the fans back onside. He is a champion guy.”