MIKE Rush's journey from the training field to Saints' head office has been completed after his appointment as chief executive.

Confirmation of the job by the club’s owner Eamonn McManus follows an impressive temporary reign by St Helens-born Rush as head coach last season.

At the age of the 37, he is believed to be the youngest CEO in Saints’ history.

One of the first tasks in a busy in-tray will be pushing ahead with plans to install cladding on open concourses at Langtree Park. An announcement on which was made yesterday (Wednesday).

Rush will be faced with overseeing the twin challenges of building a squad that can contend for honours and driving commercial growth in uncertain economic times.

He has trodden a different path in his rise than predecessors, such as Tony Colquitt, Brian Kelly and Sean McGuire, all recruited externally by McManus from the business world.

A former Rainford High pupil, his rugby background started as a scrum half at Blackbrook, before a spell on the books of Huddersfield and a successful period in the student game, which earned him a call up to the Scottish national side.

He arrived at Knowsley Road in 1999, after graduating as a trainee PE teacher, and took on a youth development role.

As his career progressed at Saints, he forged a reputation as one of the British game’s talent makers as he brought through players such as James Graham and James Roby.

He enjoyed a spell as Daniel Anderson’s assistant, but it was his youth development work that won admirers and had McManus fighting to retain his services.

His latest appointment may have raised a few eyebrows among some supporters. However, to Saints insiders it came as no surprise, with Rush having being groomed for the role since Colquitt’s departure in 2011.

He played a leading role in the creation of the Cowley training complex and, as general manager, was running the club while McManus was away dealing with personal matters in recent months.

Finance director Paul Kitchen and, head of commercial, Dave Hutchinson - recruited from Warrington last year – will be among his key lieutenants.

In a statement the Saints chairman said: “Mike is ideally qualified and suited for the position of CEO. He has extensive relevant experience in every area of the club’s operations and has made a great success of all his roles.

“His loyalty and talent are undoubted and he is totally committed to the success of the Saints as one of the world’s leading professional rugby league clubs.”

Rush, meanwhile, is looking forward to an “exciting era”.