Former St Helens and Hull KR star named as Keighley Cougars’ new head coach
Ian Hardman in action for Hull KR in 2007
Championship stalwart Ian Hardman has been handed the reins at Keighley, being appointed as the Cougars’ new head coach.
Whiston-born Hardman enjoyed a 15-year playing career which began with Super League heavyweights St Helens, who he made his first-team bow for in August 2003 against Castleford Tigers.
Also donning a shirt for Hull KR in Super League as a loanee in 2007, and Widnes Vikings in the Championship the following year, the versatile back would go on to join Featherstone Rovers ahead of the 2009 campaign.
He never departed Post Office Road after that, eventually hanging up his boots in 2018 having played 288 games across all competitions for Rovers to take his overall career appearance tally above the 380-mark.
And having been involved as an assistant with Fev for the last few years, he’s now landed his first role as a head coach: joining Keighley.
Want more Love Rugby League? Add us as a preferred source on Google and ensure you never miss our exclusives and breaking news!
Former St Helens and Hull KR star Ian Hardman named as Keighley Cougars’ new head coach
Hardman, who turned 40 in December, replaces Danny Burton in the hotseat at Cougar Park having seen his time at Fev come to an end amid Rovers’ ongoing financial issues.
Burton reverts to his role as assistant having been thrusted in as interim head coach on the eve of the new Championship campaign following the departure of Alan Kilshaw to Oldham.
The Cougars’ co-owner Ryan O’Neill said: “We’re very pleased to welcome Ian to Keighley Cougars.
“He brings vast experience from both his playing and coaching career, and we’re excited about what he will bring to the club.
“His knowledge, standards and ambition align perfectly with where we want to go.”
Keighley travel to Midlands Hurricanes in the Third Round of the Challenge Cup on Sunday in what will be Hardman’s first game in charge.
He inherits a side which have won one and lost one in the Championship so far this season, beating Goole Vikings on home soil in their opener before narrowly being beaten away at Dewsbury Rams last weekend.
