Danny Houghton to remain at Hull FC with new off-field role explained

Hull FC legend Danny Houghton will remain with his boyhood club in an off-field role after hanging up his boots at the end of last season.

Houghton and Jack Lazenby will support the club’s academy coaching team for the 2025 season.

Houghton, who retired from playing at the end of the 2024 campaign following an illustrious 18-year professional career with the Airlie Birds, has taken up a voluntary coaching consultancy role with the Under-18s, where he will pass on his advice and support to the club’s youngsters.

The former Man of Steel winner, who won back-to-back Challenge Cups with Hull in 2016 and 2017, will act as a mentor to the academy group and support the coaching department in a wide range of on and off-field roles.

Meanwhile, Lazenby returns for his second season as assistant to Hull’s academy head coach Francis Cummins for 2025.

Lazenby, who is the Centre of Excellence’s head of education, has been part of the Airlie Birds’ youth setup for several years and will continue in his position for the upcoming campaign.

Hull FC head of youth Richard Tate said: “We are really pleased to have Jack and Danny onboard to help support Francis Cummins and help develop our next generation of potential.

“Franny has a real love for the game and a drive to develop our club’s junior players. That drive and desire is infectious and it’s fantastic to see that same mindset in both Jack and Danny in the early weeks of our academy pre-season.

“Jack provided some valuable ideas and insight for last years junior playing groups, whilst he was combining his ever-growing coaching enthusiasm alongside playing for West Hull ARLFC in the NCL Premier Division.

“And Danny has been an ideal role model for so many aspiring rugby league players in and around the Hull area for so many years, and it’s great to see that he has volunteered to take his playing and leadership experience and transition that into the coaching environment.”

Hull reached the Academy Championship semi-finals in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and are well into their pre-season preparations.

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