Former Bradford Bulls assistant loving life at Workington

It did not.

Twelve months later, Veivers was back in the game after taking the reins at Championship outfit Workington Town.

He kept the Cumbrians up last season and is now aiming to consolidate their position in the division this year.

The 50-year-old Australian said: "Salford was a rough ride and from the moment I got there it just seemed to be one drama after another.

"The doctor's decision was disappointing because I had two years to run on my contract – but there was no bitterness.

"My initial thought was that I wanted to get straight back into Super League. But it's just not going to happen.

"Every club seems to have their coaches in position and it's a waiting game.

"Having gone through the scenario of being sacked myself, you're like a dog waiting for the next bone to drop.

"Therefore you need to set your sights differently as to how you get back into the game.

"I still have a lot of belief in my ability and the desire to coach in Super League or in Australia at some stage is still there.

"Then again, while I'm at Workington my aim is to get the club into the strongest position possible. I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here."

Veivers has called England home for over 30 years now since arriving as a player to join St Helens.

He had travelled to Knowsley Road with fellow Aussie Mal Meninga, a team-mate at Southern Suburbs in Brisbane, and the pair debuted together in October 1984.

And while the legendary Meninga will forever be remembered for his glorious season in the English top flight, it was Veivers who went on to make a long-term impact at St Helens.

The former full back enjoyed a glittering 12-year stint at Saints before switching to Huddersfield, where he eventually moved into coaching and served as assistant to Garry Schofield, Mal Reilly and then John Kear.

Then the opportunity to join Brian Noble at Bradford arose. Veivers recalled: "I spent three-and-a-half years working under Nobby and that gave me an appetite to become a head coach.

"When I look back at my time there, winning two Grand Finals, two World Club Challenges and a Challenge Cup within a short space of time proved we were doing something right.

"When Nobby went to Wigan, I felt then it was an opportunity to step up at Bradford.

"The chairman (Peter Hood) said he was going to promote from within but he classed Steve McNamara as our most senior coach at the time.

"When he put Steve in charge, that was the end of the road for me because I felt like the stepping stone to become head coach wasn't there.

"Nobby told me he wanted me as his assistant to go over to Wigan with him. Financially it was a better opportunity and it made practical sense because it was five minutes from my house.

"Wigan could have got relegated that year but I saw it as a challenge. I thought if I could do well there then it could open a couple of doors, in Australia or England, as a head coach.

"We staved off relegation that year and were one step from the Grand Final for the next three years."

Veivers, who turned out for Cleckheaton RUFC when he was in his late thirites, later moved to Salford as assistant before taking over as head coach.

He now combines his current role at Workington with media work and is based in Ashton-in-Makerfield near Wigan.

"London and Bradford are coming down and getting a certain amount of money, which allows them to run a full-time squad," he said.

"But the likes of Whitehaven, Batley and ourselves have picked up around £160,000, so it's not a level playing field. Nevertheless, we want to consolidate what we achieved last year.

"I've got rid of half a dozen players who were in our squad and re-signed all the local lads I wanted as well as signing another three locals. I've also gone out to sign Jack Murphy, Perry Whiteley and Latu Fifita.

"There are still another two to come from Australia, which will give us and the Town fans a bit of a lift so that the crowds can increase and we can build for the year after too."

As the Bulls bid to adapt to life in the Championship, Veivers warned: "It will be a shock to a few of the Super League players about how competitive this league is.

"I got a surprise when I started working in the Championship – it's extremely competitive."