CULTURE Company director Kris Donaldson last night said working on Liverpool’s flagship 08 year had been more fulfilling than the Sydney Olympics as he prepared to return to Australia.

Mr Donaldson will be leaving the Culture Company at the end of February as the organisation starts to be wound up, after spending five years in Liverpool working on Capital of Culture.

Last night Liverpool Council leader Warren Bradley paid tribute to Mr Donaldson as one of the unsung heroes that had helped make 08 such a success.

He is the only remaining member of the “dream team” of three unveiled in 2004 to spearhead the year.

Kevin Johnson, chief operating officer, was gone within weeks for “family reasons”, and former chief executive Jason Harborow departed in acrimony last February with a £230,000 pay-off.

Mr Donaldson, originally marketing director, stepped into Mr Harborow’s role and has quietly gone about the job.

“I have always considered myself to be more of a behind-the-scenes operator,” he said.

“Where it was necessary I did become more public, but that was not my role. Jason was playing that role, and when Phil Redmond [creative director] came in September 2007 there was probably no better manager of the media than Phil, both locally, nationally and internationally.”

The Californian has spent the past five years living in Liverpool city centre and has witnessed the renaissance of the city as well as leading the 08 preparations.

“This has been much more fulfilling than even my time at the Olympic Games. There was so much riding on this and there were some really high expectations.

“It was not just a 17-day event, it was something that needed to span an entire year.

“Rightly or wrongly it [the Culture Company] used to be a bit of a punching bag when times got difficult.