It began on the edge of Lake Windermere, of all places.

Back in 2010, Brian Noble spent four days at the picturesque Old England Hotel & Spa.

The former Bulls coach’s tenure at Crusaders had ended and the latest chapter in his life had closed.

“I sat there in Windermere thinking about what makes a good team,” said Noble, who famously led his home-town club to five successive Grand Finals between 2001 and 2005, winning three of them.

“So I spent four days scribbling down my ideas and thoughts.

“I’ve taken advice from people like Sir Ken Morrison and Martin O’Neill.

“What is the formula for success? What makes a winning team?

“When Sir Ken asked the question I started asking the question myself.

“So I decided to write a book about it.”

Over two years on, Noble is proud to call himself the author of ‘Building Winning Teams – Leadership Tips from the Changing Room to the Boardroom’.

The book includes a foreword from Morrison and contributions from O’Neill, Jack Tordoff, Michael Vaughan, Jason Robinson, and even Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke.

Noble was at Leeds Metropolitan University on Tuesday to address students and the media about his book and the motivation behind it.

Jamie Peacock, a pivotal figure in the Bulls’ success in the early years of the Millennium and now a Masters degree student at the Met, took time out to support the event.

Noble has written the book himself almost as a reference manual as to how to achieve success in life, whether that be in sport or business.

“I’m a big believer in dreams – I love dreams,” said the 51-year-old, who joined Twitter this week and will donate part of the proceeds of his book to the Joining Jack charity.

“There are some cracking rugby and sports stories in the book and some great ideas from some really iconic people.

“I went through the miners' strike when I was a rugby player and three-quarters of my mates were on the other side of the line.

“To keep your friendships through that kind of thing was a challenge, trust me.

“I’ve got some exciting stories to tell. Some of them are in the book.”

Noble, who lives in Guiseley, enjoys working as a rugby league pundit in the media and has since worked on a consultancy basis at Halifax.

He takes coaching sessions at rugby union outfit London Wasps from time to time but misses the buzz of being a coach in the sport he loves.

Noble added: “Leaving Wigan was tough, Crusaders was another tough gig and then I needed to get my knee fixed.

“But I still have a strong desire to build another winning team.

“It aggravates you like an itch. It might not be in rugby league, it might be in another sport.

“But I firmly believe some of the principles I’ve used will work again and again.

“A lot of my family say ‘why do you want to go through that again, working 70 hours and going grey, fat and older than I am?’

“But I think it’s a great gig. I’d like to be involved in a rugby club in some capacity, for sure.

“I’m still particularly proud of my record and I believe it stands up to anyone.

“I’m also a firm believer that if you’re not doing it then you don’t know it.

“But I know I could get back up to speed.”

Noble almost returned to his spiritual home of Odsal earlier this year when Mick Potter was made redundant.

Noble was asked by administrator Brendan Guilfoyle to step in on a voluntary basis.

Noble’s return never materialised but he said: “There was talk of a conspiracy going on but all the people who know me know that was a million miles from the truth.

“I kept my mouth shut and kept out the way, but I’m absolutely thrilled to bits the club was saved and I wish Franny Cummins all the best.”