George Lawton says support of Northwich Rowing Club members has spurred him on

That's how George Lawton replies when asked what it has been like to be part of arguably Northwich Rowing Club’s most successful summer.

“And it is really small," he adds, for emphasis.

That has never stopped those wearing green and gold from dreaming big, of course.

And in 2016 they’ve come true.

Like everybody else, Lawton’s eyes were locked on a nearby television screen one sunny afternoon in August when Matthew Langridge realised a life-long ambition of winning a gold medal at the Olympic Games as part of Team GB’s men’s eight.

He was not at home though.

Instead the 18-year-old paused from training indoors to watch.

While Langridge’s final race on the international stage was unfolding before him, Lawton was preparing for one of his first.

Selected as part of a men’s double with Rory Harris (Pangbourne College) for the World Rowing Junior Championships, he would shortly set off for Rotterdam.

“We were allowed a break to watch Matt race,” says Lawton.

“It was truly incredible and, despite everything he was going through and the demands on him, he still made time to give me advice.”

That is the Northwich way.

In a profile shared on the club’s Facebook page, Lawton said that his favourite thing about being a member is the support from his peers.

He adds: “It’s impossible for the rowers here to thank the coaches, who are all volunteers, enough.

“Most of them have full-time jobs, but still spend hours down by the river every week.

“So many people there follow what you do and send messages, not just those of us in the squads but parents and friends too.

“I’ve gone down there the day after a race and the veterans want to hear how it went. They’ve always got a story to tell too.

“It’s even better when you’re part of a crew.”

As an example, the former Sir John Deane’s College student thinks back a year.

Together with Harry Taylor, Kevin Dudley and Greg Murphy in a junior men’s quad, they made history as the first Northwich crew to win in their boat class at the prestigious Head of the River Fours on the Tideway in London.

“You’re presented with a blade,” he adds.

“When you visit large clubs, the walls are covered with them.

"Well, now we’ve got one.

“I didn’t realise how big a deal that was until the club’s ball – it was then that I saw how much it means to put Northwich on the map. There were tears too.”

Those same eyes will have been on a live stream of his races in Holland.

After winning a first-round race, Lawton and Haris were fourth in their quarter-final.

A victory in their next outing earned a place in the C final, at the end of which the duo were runners-up to Denmark.

That left them 14th overall.

“It was a fantastic experience,” says Lawton, who represented Great Britain at the Coupe de la Jeunesse – also with Harris – last year.

“There was a great atmosphere, and the roar you hear from the crowd is amazing.

“Success and failure isn’t black and white; you only had to watch the Olympics to see that – some people were devastated to win silver, while others were elated to make a final.

“We didn’t end up where we wanted, but we raced four times on the world stage, won twice and came second in another race.”

Not bad for a lad from a small club.