Swinton tie down coaching team including 3 former Leigh stars

Championship outfit Swinton Lions have tied down head coach Anthony Murray alongside assistants Micky Higham and Alan Hadcroft: with the trio all inking two-year deals.

Former Whitehaven boss Murray arrived at Swinton back in March and initially took on a role as an assistant coach.

But within a month or so, he had taken charge of the Lions as their head coach following the departure of predecessor Paul Wood.

Together with assistants Higham and Hadcroft, Murray led Swinton to a 16th-place finish in the Championship this term, with 13 competition points claimed from their 24 league games.

And now, the club have moved to tie down all three coaches – with contracts penned which run until the end of the 2028 season.

Championship: Swinton tie down coaching team including 3 former Leigh stars

Swinton were among the clubs promoted into the Championship ahead of this season, with League 1 scrapped and a bumper merger division formed at second tier level.

Having endured a rocky start to 2026, the Lions had not claimed a single competition point prior to Murray taking charge: with their only win prior coming in the Challenge Cup against community club Ince Rose Bridge.

Former England and Great Britain international Steve Wild is the Championship outfit’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), carrying out that role alongside being the Vice President of the Rugby Football League (RFL).

Wild said: “We have been extremely impressed with what Muzza has already brought to the club in recent months, not just in terms of results and performances, but in terms of the way he inspires and drives his players and support staff with the highest of expectations.

“Micky, of course, is a legend in the sport. His knowledge and experience are on a level most of us can only dream about.

“Alan has also come in and quickly made his mark, and is someone that Muzza trusts implicitly.

“They are all three fantastic people as well as accomplished coaches.

“We trust that all Swinton Lions fans will be as thrilled as we are to have secured the extended services of such a top class coaching team.”

Notably, all three coaches share the connection of having starred for Leigh during their playing career.

Head coach Murray chalked up 74 appearances between 1998 and 2001, while assistant Hadcroft spent the bulk of his career with the Leythers and played over 150 games in their colours throughout the 90s and early 00s.

Higham’s impressive CV meanwhile boasts 154 games across all competitions for Leigh, with three separate stints culminating in him hanging up his boots at the Leigh Sports Village back in 2019 and taking on a role in the club’s backroom team.