WHAT a few weeks it has been for Carl Forster.

North Wales Crusaders’ head coach recently announced his decision to hang up his boots at the end of the League One season and now he has pledged his future with the Colwyn Bay-based club.

Forster, preparing for Sunday’s crucial trip to Hunslet, has signed a new two-year-deal to remain as head coach until the end of the 2026 season.

He told the club’s website: “It’s a pleasure to extend my time at this great club.

“The fans have been fantastic with me since the day I arrived, and I can only than them for that, me and family love it here and it’s the right place to continue the next stage of my journey and going from being a player-coach to a coach.”

Crusaders’ owner Jamie Elkaleh revealed the news at a fans forum event earlier this week and he said: “For me, when it comes to next year and beyond there was only one man for the job, and that’s Carl.

“Carl, in my opinion, is one of the most promising young coaches in the game, he’s well respected within the sport and I believe that he’s the right man to guide us on the journey which we want to go on over the next few years.

“In the last couple of years the club has been working with really limited resources, and I think it’s a huge credit to both Carl and the squad to see what’s been achieved on the resources available to them.

“As you’ll have seen, for next year that’s going to be a completely different story, and I look forward to working with Carl for the seasons to come.”

Forster guided North Wales Crusaders to the League One play-off final last season and he is looking to lead the side into the play-offs once again this term.

Crusaders are involved in a major battle with Midlands Hurricanes and Workington Town to clinch one of the final two play-off berths as the season draws to a close.

Forster was on the bench as the Cru were beaten 24-16 by League One title-chasers Keighley Cougars at Chester’s Hare Lane ground during their latest runout.

A Ben Lane penalty was all the Cry had to show for their efforts at half-time as tries from Adam Ryder, Alex Bishop and Jack Miller, who also landed two conversions, had the Cougars 16-2 in front.

Cru staged a terrific recovery with tries from Matty Unsworth and Ben Lane bringing them level with 20 minutes to go but two Miller penalties and a try from George Flanagan gave Keighley the points.

Next up is Sunday’s crucial trip to third-placed Hunslet and seventh-placed Crusaders will climb into the play-off positions if they can record their eighth triumph of the campaign.

North Wales’ penultimate match is away to Rochdale Hornets on August 25, while a home meeting with Cornall on September 1 will bring the curtain down on the regular season.

Midlands will have one foot in the play-offs if they triumph at Cornwall, while the title will be Oldham’s if they prevail at second-placed Keighley Cougars.

Elsewhere, Newcastle Thunder host Rochdale Hornets.