Ex Super League player leaves Academy Head Coach role

Hull FC have confirmed that the team’s Academy Head Coach, Michael Shenton, has left the club and will now take up a role with recently relegated Wakefield Trinity in a first-team coaching role.

Shenton had retired from playing in 2021 after a long and successful career with both Castleford Tigers and St Helens. He then moved into coaching with this most recent role at Hull FC seeing him operate as Academy Head Coach.

The news of Shenton’s departure was confirmed by the Black and Whites via their club site and social media channels.

“Hull FC can confirm that Academy Head Coach, Michael Shenton, will leave the club to take on a first-team coaching role at Wakefield Trinity.

“The club has recognised Shenton’s desire to work closer to his family home in West Yorkshire and the opportunity to take up a senior coaching position at another club.

“Hull FC have already identified several suitable candidates to replace Shenton in the role and the formal recruitment process will commence next week.

“This will be led by the club’s Head of Youth, Peter Riding, who oversees the club’s youth programmes.

“The club look forward to announcing a new coaching staff member soon.”

It marks a busy period for Wakefield Trinity with the club having undergone a serious stage of transition since their relegation from Super League. That has seen a new owner take over in local businessman Matthew Ellis who has indicated plenty of ambition for the Belle Vue side.

That ambition has seen the appointment of former Warrington Wolves and Castleford Tigers head coach Daryl Powell, with Powell joining on a four year contract ahead of the upcoming season.

The club have also gone about a number of re-signings including forwards Josh Bowden and Renouf Atoni signifying their intent to perform well on the field. That’s been paired with recruitment featuring the acquisition of Frenchman Mathieu Cozza who joins after spending the 2023 season at Featherstone Rovers.

Further good news for Trin comes through their impressive IMG grading, released on Wednesday, that saw the club graded 11th among the 35 professional clubs and therefore potentially in line for a Super League return in 2025.

Trinity confirmed the appointment themselves via their own social media channels with the following statement.

“Wakefield Trinity is thrilled to announce the appointment of Michael Shenton as Assistant Coach to Head Coach Daryl Powell.

“This appointment adds considerable strength to the support team that Daryl is putting together at the club.

“Michael joins us from Hull FC where he has had much success over the last 12 months in his role as Head of Emerging Talent.

“In his playing career Michael was one of the outstanding centres of the Super League era representing Castleford mainly and Saint Helens with great distinction.

“Michael gained International honours representing England on 12 occasions.

“He teams up again with Daryl Powell who was his coach when Michael captained the team in their successful period at Castleford Tigers.”

Head Coach Daryl Powell said: “Michael Shenton is the most impressive young coach in the game I believe. Everyone I have spoken to about him since I got the Wakefield job was gushing in the praise of the job he has done in developing young players at hull, and also the way he presents himself.

“Obviously I know him having worked with him as a player, he’s one of the best professionals I have seen and he will bring all of that knowledge that he developed to the coaching table. I have no doubt he will be a head coach of the future and will be an outstanding acquisition for Wakefield Trinity in the coming years.”

As for Hull FC it marks more change after a less than ideal year for themselves, the Black and Whites finishing 10th in Super League in Tony Smith’s transitional year at the club.