Betfred Championship side Featherstone Rovers have appointed James Ford to a newly created Director of Rugby role, following his departure from Wakefield Trinity.
The primary purpose of the role will be to support Head Coach Sean Long to prioritise on-field coaching and to support the club’s senior management with the administration and management of the club’s rugby operations.
Commenting on his new role, Ford said: “I’m so excited to take up this unique challenge, I was attracted to this challenge of working with Featherstone in a new role as everything seems to be progressing very well on and off the field. I understand the ambitions of the Board and I want to support Sean Long and the players in adding value to what is already a very strong team. I want to support Sean and the whole club in driving forward our standards and paying attention to every detail of preparing us for a very bright future."
Rovers Chairman, Mark Campbell, added: “We’re delighted to welcome James to this newly created role.
“We’re currently in a position where we’re planning extensively for the next phase in this club’s evolution both on and off the field. This role creates greater capacity for the coaching staff to continue to develop an exciting and successful brand of rugby whilst also allowing myself, and the board more time to plan strategically for the club’s very exciting future.
"James will lead on recruitment plans, and will ensure that we maximise the investments we are making in our playing squad and off-field team. We need to ensure this season that we leave no stone unturned in driving our promotion challenge forward and James will play an integral part in supporting Sean and the rest of the team in delivering this.”
Ford, played for Featherstone between 2003-2005 and later made his name as a coach at York, before moving on to join Wakefield Trinity’s coaching staff last year.
During his spell at York, the 40-year-old forged a reputation as one of the game’s most talent young coaches and helped guide the Knights to promotion from Betfred League One in 2018.
