Club Statement | Eagles Board Gives Lingard Backing

16/05/2025

Following a review of Head Coach Craig Lingard’s first six months in post, the board of Sheffield Eagles has moved to put on record its support of the new Coach and his backroom staff and have praised them for their efforts since he was appointed in December 2024.

Lingard was appointed following the 18-month suspension of previous Head Coach Mark Aston by the Rugby Football League.

Since December, several changes to the backroom staff have been made, with Craig Huby and Mick Piper being added to the ranks as Assistant Coaches alongside the incumbent Paul Broadbent, with several other changes to the club’s sports science and medical practitioners also having taken place.

As part of the review, the Board considered the financial position of the club, and it was decided that a Director of Rugby role is no longer affordable. As such, Aston will continue solely in his commercial role with the club.

A statement on behalf of the Board of Directors reads:

“The board recognises the amount of upheaval and change which the club has been through in the past year, and we would like to publicly thank Craig Lingard and his team for their efforts and dedication to the club during this period of change. Craig and all his off-field team are good, hardworking and honest people and have been putting in a huge amount of effort to their roles, in some difficult circumstances, with the single aim of making Sheffield Eagles a success. Whilst the club has ambitions to compete at the top end of the Championship, and there have been some disappointing results this year, the board does not underestimate the efforts which the coaching staff have been putting in to refocus the squad and to get the results that everyone at the club deserves and want to ensure that these efforts do not go unrecognised.

 “As part of the review of progress, the board is confident that Lingard and his team have the necessary skills, contacts and support within the club structure to develop and recruit future talent for Sheffield Eagles and to shape the men’s team for future seasons to be successful. As the club looks to prioritise resources, it has been determined not to continue with a future role of director of rugby, which is neither affordable or required for a club of our size to have in addition to a full-time coach. Mark Aston has been informed of this and is currently working with the board to develop and expand the commercial operations of the club to increase and diversify commercial revenue coming into the club in the role to which he was appointed in December 2024.

 “The coaching team is actively working collaboratively with the board to re-contract retention targets in the current squad and identify new recruits for the 2026 season and beyond, whilst continuing the drive to improve performance in the current season.”