Former Salford Red Devils duo among quartet to depart Championship strugglers
James Shields (front) and Shane Wright (back) walk out ahead of a Salford Red Devils game in 2025
Former Salford Red Devils pair James Shields and Lucas Coan are among four players to have departed Championship strugglers Swinton Lions.
Shields featured twice in Super League for the now-defunct Red Devils last year amid the club’s financial woes, featuring in heavy defeats away against both St Helens and Wigan Warriors.
Coan meanwhile played a sole game, starting at centre in that 82-0 loss to Saints back in February 2025.
As Salford re-formed, the pair together made the short switch to rivals Swinton and made a combined five appearances across all competitions in a Lions shirt.
But they have now both been released.
Former Salford Red Devils duo among quartet to depart Championship strugglers Swinton Lions
Alongside the former Salford duo, both Hamza Butt and Brad Billsborough have also exited Heywood Road.
Burnley-born Butt is a product of Wigan’s youth system and is believed to have been the Warriors’ first-ever player from a British-Asian background.
He joined Swinton ahead of the 2026 campaign following a successful trial, and registered a sole appearance in their colours, featuring in an 84-6 defeat to London Broncos back in February.
Five-time Germany international Billsborough meanwhile only briefly linked back up with the Lions amid the financial issues experienced by North Wales Crusaders.
Having played ten games for Swinton in 2018, he played just once for them in the few weeks he was back at Heywood Road this term, and is now back at Crusaders having featured for them on Sunday afternoon as they were beaten 80-0 by Goole Vikings.
Swinton announced the departures of Shields, Coan, Butt and Billsborough ahead of their game against Whitehaven, which they went on to win 40-12, with that just their second victory of 2026 in the Championship to date.
Losing nine of their 12 league games so far this term, Anthony Murray’s side have five competition points on the board having also drawn a home game against Keighley Cougars 22-22 at the back end of April.
