Brown quits community job

SHEFFIELD Eagles' longest serving player Gavin Brown is to leave his role as the club's community development manager after almost eight years promoting rugby league at the grass-roots.

By The Newsroom

Published 17th Oct 2007, 08:03 BST

Updated 18th Oct 2007, 10:11 BST

But scrum-half Brown 30, who has played in almost 200 games and scored more than 900 points for Eagles, hopes to stay on as a player next season.

"An opportunity has come along which I couldn't turn down," said Brown.

"I have put a lot of effort and heart and soul into the community work and I've had some great experiences.

"But I live in Leeds and I have a daughter of 17 months and a business opportunity has come up and I have to think about her and I have to take it. I hope to carry on playing - that's the plan."

Coach Mark Aston said Brown had done a "fantastic job for the club".

Rejoining the club to take over community work is former conditioner Dean Thomas.

Thomas, a former player at York, left Eagles in 2006 to coach Gateshead Thunder and last season was the conditioner at Salford Reds in the Super League.