Barry Eaton is relishing a long-overdue return to former club Widnes Vikings at the start of the new Co-operative Championship campaign.
The Cougars boss will take his players to Stobart Stadium Halton on Sunday, February 28 to kick off the new season in rugby league’s second tier.
A key player for the Vikings in their inaugural Super League season in 2002, Eaton has not returned to the club since leaving to join Batley more than seven years ago.
Widnes dropped out of the top flight in 2005 but, under high-profile coach Paul Cullen, they won this year’s Northern Rail Cup and are not only strong contenders for the Championship title in 2010 but also for a Super League licence the following year.
“It will be a great game to start off with,” said Eaton.
“There will be a big crowd and it’ll be the first time I’ve been back to the club since I played there in Super League.
“They are a Super League club in everything but name and will be strong contenders for the title.”
Although Widnes offer the first Championship test, the Cougars kick off 2010 on January 31 with a trip to Blackpool in the Northern Rail Cup.
The remaining Cup fixtures will see Eaton’s side take on Cumbrian trio Whitehaven, Workington and Barrow, the reigning Championship winners.
Eaton added: “It will be a tough trip to Blackpool. I see a lot of similarities between them and the way we have done things in the last four years.
“Martin Crompton has come in there and gradually instilled good coaching qualities and he’s now starting to attract good players.
“They will be a front runner in Championship One and we’ve had some tough games against them in recent years.
Eaton remains hopeful of progress, saying: “Whitehaven will be a really tough one because they will be looking at top four or five in the Championship this year. But we are playing both them and Workington at home.
“If we can get on a good run, we’ll have a good chance of qualifying for the next round.”
Northern Rail Cup
January
Sun 31 Blackpool Away
February
Sun 7 Whitehaven Home
Sun 14 Workington Home
Sun 21 Barrow Away
Co-operative Championship
February
Sun 28 Widnes Away
March
Sun 14 Leigh Home
Sat 20 Toulouse Away
Thu 25 Batley Home
April
Fri 2 Sheffield Home
Mon 5 Dewsbury Away
Thu 8 Halifax Away
May
Mon 3 Barrow Home
Sun 9 Whitehaven Away
Sun 16 Featherstone Away
Sun 23 Halifax Home
Thu 27 Sheffield Away
June
Sun 13 Dewsbury Home
Sun 27 Leigh Away
July
Sun 4 Featherstone Home
Sat 24 Toulouse Home
August
Sun 1 Batley Away
Sat 7 Barrow Away
Sun 15 Whitehaven Home
Sun 22 Widnes Home
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