Former St Helens and Hull KR man Ian Hardman, who had been working as Featherstone Rovers’ assistant coach, has been appointed to a head coach role in the Championship.
Hardman played for Rovers almost 300 times during a nine-year spell from 2009 until his retirement in 2018, later taking on a role as an assistant at Featherstone.
Starting his career with St Helens, Hardman had loans with Hull KR and Widnes before joining Featherstone, for whom he scored 131 tries and cemented himself into Rovers’ history.
That continued post-playing as he served as the assistant at Post Office Road from 2021 to 2025, however, the club’s administration has seen him seek a new venture.
Hardman has been appointed as the head coach of Championship club Keighley Cougars with Keighley recently losing their own head coach Alan Kilshaw to Oldham, with Kilshaw widely expected to become the head coach of the Roughyeds following Mike Ford’s resignation.
Keighley Cougars land new head coach
That coaching carousel has seen Hardman make the move to Cougar Park with recent interim Danny Burton returning to the role of assistant.
Confirming Hardman’s appointment, Keighley said: “Keighley Cougars are pleased to announce the appointment of Ian Hardman as the club’s new Head Coach.
“Hardman arrives at Cougar Park with a wealth of experience in the game, both as a former professional rugby league player and as a respected coach.”
The Cougars noted Hardman’s nous for coaching disciplined side, adding: “Since transitioning into coaching, he has continued to build a strong reputation for developing players, fostering high-performance environments and delivering competitive, disciplined teams.”
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.”
Hardman will start his work with immediate effect meaning this weekend’s third round Challenge Cup tie will be his first match, with the Cougars set to host Midlands Hurricanes.
Check out the latest episode of The Serious About Rugby League Show on our YouTube channel here.
Important announcement –
Keighley Cougars Appoint Ian Hardman as Head Coach
Please read more on our website https://t.co/n9GDc5Mj6i #cougars #rugbyleague #cougarmania #keighley pic.twitter.com/ZBAkskbJ6Q— Keighley Cougars (@Cougarmania) February 3, 2026
