Town have talked Tom Wilkinson out of retirement, so he's now played for all three Cumbrian pro clubs Workington Town sign former Whitehaven and Barrow forward Tom Wilkinson for 2027
Marra Mode is how your mate would tell you down the pub over a pint. Switch it off for the straight version.
Tom Wilkinson, 30, thought he'd finished after Barrow and even lost a load of weight. Now he's Town's 16th signing for 2027 and is back in the gym bulking up.
This one's for Town fans keeping count of the 2027 squad with pre-season round the corner.
Town have signed Tom Wilkinson, the former Whitehaven and Barrow forward, and he's the 16th name for next season. He's 30, and made 114 appearances for Whitehaven and then Barrow before leaving the Raiders at the end of the 2025 season. This year he was player-coach at Askam, took them to the top of the league, then lost the play-off final to Brow.
So that's the full set: Haven, Barrow and now Town. It also puts him back with Jonty Gorley, now Town's head of rugby, who coached him at Cumbria Storm as a youngster and signed him at Whitehaven.
Gorley said: "I've known Tom since I coached him as a 15-year-old at Cumbria Storm." He also said: "I'd compare Tom to Stevie Scholey, a tough, uncompromising, skilful forward who will never take a backward step."
Head coach Brad Singleton said: "I'm delighted to get Tom on board," and called him "a proper team-first player who puts the team before himself".
Tom reckoned he was done. He said: "When I left Barrow I personally thought that was me done, so I ended up losing a load of weight." Then: "So when I found out I was signing I thought hit the gym a little bit harder, put a few more pounds back on so I don't get thrown around."
What you can do: keep up with signings on Workington Town's official website, which is in the sources below, along with our stories on Lucas Castle stopping for a third season and the club's fine and Gorley's ban.
The 30-year-old, who made 114 appearances for Whitehaven and Barrow and spent this year as player-coach at Askam, is the 16th member of Brad Singleton's 2027 squad.
This is for Workington Town supporters keeping track of the 2027 squad as pre-season approaches.
Town have signed Tom Wilkinson, the former Whitehaven and Barrow forward, as the 16th member of the squad for next season. The 30-year-old made 114 appearances for Whitehaven and then Barrow before leaving the Raiders at the end of the 2025 season. He spent the past year as player-coach at Askam, leading them to the top of the league before they lost the play-off final to Brow.
The signing means he has now played for all three of Cumbria's professional rugby league clubs. It also reunites him with Jonty Gorley, Town's new head of rugby, who coached him in the Cumbria Storm youth set-up and signed him at Whitehaven.
Gorley said: "I've known Tom since I coached him as a 15-year-old at Cumbria Storm." He added: "I'd compare Tom to Stevie Scholey, a tough, uncompromising, skilful forward who will never take a backward step."
Head coach Brad Singleton said: "I'm delighted to get Tom on board." He described him as "a proper team-first player who puts the team before himself".
Wilkinson admitted he had expected never to play professionally again. He said: "When I left Barrow I personally thought that was me done, so I ended up losing a load of weight." He added: "So when I found out I was signing I thought hit the gym a little bit harder, put a few more pounds back on so I don't get thrown around."
What you can do: follow squad news on Workington Town's official website, named in the sources below. Our earlier stories on Lucas Castle staying for a third season and the club's fine and Gorley's ban are listed there too.