Ainscough joins Bulls revolution

Bradford have signed winger Shaun Ainscough from Wigan for next season.

Ainscough, 20, moves to Yorkshire on a one-year contract after scoring 27 tries in 28 first team appearances for Wigan, Castleford and Wigan over the past two seasons.

He was voted “Player of the Tournament” in the Floodlit 9’s last week, in which he scored five tries including one against the Bulls in the final.

Ainscough said: “It’s a fresh start for me. There are going to be some good signings coming in and I know Mick Potter is a good coach from what he’s done with Saints.  Everybody’s going to be fighting for their places and starting with a clean sheet. It’s a big chance for me to impress.”

After scoring 17 tries in 12 appearances for the Warriors last season, Ainscough found his progress limited under new Warriors coach Michael Maguire, and he joined Championship side Widnes on a dual-registration contract.

He helped them record a dramatic Northern Rail Cup victory over Barrow, and was soon recalled to Wigan and then sent out on loan to Super League rivals Castleford, before returning to Widnes later in the season, where he appeared in the Northern Rail Cup final.

Bulls Chairman Peter Hood added: “We are delighted to have captured Shaun.  He is a player with tremendous strength and pace and anyone who saw him last week in the Carnegie Floodlit 9’s will have been impressed by his ability to score from anywhere on the field.  We feel he will quickly become a very valuable member of our squad for the 2011 season.”