Official West Hartlepool RFC

Just out of interest and i know this is not their site but what is happening with darlo and craig lee the northern echo has an article which claims kev robinson has left because craig lee is on his way back and there are various quotes attributed to kev robinson thought might get an answer on here who else would he take with him

Plans to bring Lee back spells the end for Robinson
8:32am Saturday 6th December 2008

By Tim Wellock »

DARLINGTON coach Kevin Robinson has resigned because of the club’s plans to bring back Craig Lee.

Robinson, a club stalwart, took over when Lee, now at Hartlepool Rovers, left 22 months ago with the club heading for relegation from National Three North.

“I was told a few weeks ago that Craig might be interested in coming back to do some defensive coaching,” said Robinson. “I said I wasn’t interested in working with him and I thought that was it.

“Then on Thursday night I was told he was definitely coming. As far as I’m concerned he walked away and took 14 players with him, and it’s a backward step to bring him back.

“We have struggled because we lost so many players. I have blooded a lot of youngsters and in two or three years the club might well have some more Richard Snowballs and Dan Millers coming through.

“I stepped into the breach left by Craig, yet they seem to be welcoming him back. I was not made party to what was going on behind the scenes, and I don’t think that was the way it should have been handled.

“I genuinely think there are some good players coming through and Craig will inherit more than I did. It’s annoying to be treated in this way.

But my integrity is intact and I’ll continue to coach the under 14s, as I have always done.”

After a bad start last season, Robinson did well to keep Darlington in North One, helped by other ex-players such as David Andrew and Del Lewis. But they have not been available this season because of family commitments and Robinson also lost the backing of Director of Rugby Allan Calvert, who quit in early season.

Beating teams 50 plus - zippo, every week, is not exactly challenging is it.

Craig Lee is not joining Darlington

glad thats sorted never believe what you read in the papers never thought anything else cheers Roy needed a proper journo to sort that out couldnt imagine skullduggery taking place

Regardless of what has happened Kev Robinson was a cracking player and would walk into ANY local first team, is a cracking person and is a cracking coach with dignity and from reading the article will be sorely missed if he walks away

Agree Spuds, one of the finest openside flankers of his time

MONEY!!!

TTFN ;-)

:oD:oD:oD

Does that mean Rovers dont pay

No. Their sponsors do.

Kevin Robinson wasn't that good a player ... but all this does sound a bit underhand!!!

i think craig would miss the lap dancing facilities when he leaves

Of course he was a good player!

Darlington refute ex-coach’s charges
10:18am Monday 8th December 2008

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By Tim Wellock »

DARLINGTON have hit back at departed coach Kevin Robinson’s claims that they have gone behind his back to recall Craig Lee.

The club say they were considering Lee as one of their options to step in during the six-week ban Robinson had been handed by Durham County for abusing the referee during his side’s 80-0 defeat at Westoe.

Robinson would still be allowed to coach during his suspension, but would not be able to set foot in any ground, home or away, on a match day.

The club also refute Robinson’s claim that when Lee left 22 months ago, joining Hartlepool Rovers, he took 14 players with him.

“He only took three players to Rovers, the rest went elsewhere,”

said chairman of rugby Brian Farrell. “At Kevin’s hearing we offered some extenuating circumstances because of the good work he does with the under 14s and around the club generally.

“But when he was suspended for six weeks we had to do something about it. We had been having problems with defensive frailties and felt we needed a backs coach to tighten the defence, which is Craig’s speciality.

“We are still negotiating with him and have left him under no illusions about what we want. We felt we had to arrest the situation now.

“We are a good club with a lot of good players, but we have lacked a bit of direction.

Now we want to reinstate the development team and rebuild everything.”

Lee is still an assistant coach with Hartlepool Rovers.

If he joins Darlington this week his first match in charge will be Saturday’s EDF Intermediate Cup tie at home to Middlesbrough, where his brother Paul is one of the coaches.

While Boro turned on the style to win 45-10 at home to Stockport on Saturday, Darlington lost 69-7 away to Sheffield Tigers to remain bottom of North One.

“Having five late cry-offs didn’t help,” said Farrell. “But the lads are not demoralised.

There was some real honest endeavour and there’s a fair bit to work with. Some dropped out because of niggles.

There’s still a long way to go and it’s not worth taking risks at this stage. Some of the first-up tackling let us down.”

what was the 6 week ban for?