‘I was shocked’ – Lee Radford opens up on Hull FC sacking him live on Sky Sports

It seems a long time ago now since Lee Radford’s infamous sacking live on Sky Sports.

Regarding as a Hull FC legend for guiding the club to their first ever Challenge Cup triumph at Wembley, Radford was brutally relieved of his duties by chairman Adam Pearson back in March 2020 following a home defeat to Warrington Wolves.

Pearson was criticised for his handling of the situation, as he blindsided Radford by sacking him immediately after the game in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

Now in charge at Castleford Tigers, Radford has his coaching career back on track, but speaking to former Sky Sports commentator Eddie Hemmings on the Eddie & Stevo Podcast, he has opened up on his feelings immediately after the decision was made.

“It was more shock [than anything],” said Radford. “My only concern that evening was my missus who was at the game. She never came to watch me as a player, first and foremost, and she never came to watch me as a coach.

“She had maybe been to five or six games to see me as a coach and as a player in finals, and that’s because I forced her because everybody else’s partners were going so, ironically, for whatever reason she came to that game – now you’ll never see her at a rugby league game again.

“When we look back on it and talk about it we can’t say it was fate or it was meant to happen, but for whatever reason it happened like that. But I am better for the experience.”

As mentioned, Radford is now in the Castleford Tigers hot seat. Though his first season ended in disappointment after missing out on the play-off places, ‘Radders’ is still confident about what the future holds.

“I want to build on what we’ve done,” he said. “This year wasn’t a transitional period, I just wanted to improve on the work that had been done previously. We had a crack and unfortunately some key injuries derailed us and stopped us getting to where we wanted to get to.

“Hopefully this time around I can be better for knowing the group, and they can be better for knowing me as well.”