Craig Lingard lands first role following Castleford Tigers exit with Championship move confirmed

Craig Lingard has sealed an immediate return to coaching with Championship outfit Sheffield following his exit from Castleford Tigers, with the Eagles announcing his arrival as their new head coach.

Lingard’s departure from Castleford was confirmed back in October after just a single season at the helm of the Tigers having previously acted as Danny Ward’s assistant at The Jungle.

The 46-year-old masterminded a 10th-place finish, ending the 2024 campaign nine points above 11th-placed Hull FC having won seven and drawn one of their 27 league games on a shoestring budget.

Despite that, he was deemed not to be the right man for the job by new Tigers owner Martin Jepson when he took control of the club, with Danny McGuire promoted up from assistant to head coach at Cas ahead of 2025.

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Craig Lingard lands first role following Castleford Tigers exit with Championship move confirmed

Lingard himself admitted he wasn’t sure when he’d get back into a job following his exit from The Jungle, and even suggested he’d be open to returning to a job in the ‘normal’ world outside of sport.

It’s only taken a few months for him to land his next role though, with Championship side Sheffield announcing his arrival on Monday evening.

In the Eagles‘ press release, he said: “I’m really pleased to be here, I’m excited to get going and see what next season can bring for the club.

“I want to be at a club that is ambitious, and at a club that can see themselves in the longer-term pushing for Super League.

“I really feel that my ambitions align along with the club, and I can’t wait to get going and meet the boys.”

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