List of Widnes Vikings coaches

This is a list of Widnes Vikings coaches since the 1964 season to present.

Name Nationality From To Record
P W D L F A W%
Thomas Shannon  England 1949 195? - - - - - - -
Joe Egan  England 1964 1964 - - - - - - -
Vince Karalius  England Jan 1972 May 1975 - - - - - - -
Frank Myler  England May 1975 May 1978 - - - - - - -
Doug Laughton  England May 1978 May 1983 - - - - - - -
Colin Tyrer  England Mar 1983 May 1983 - - - - - - -
Harry Dawson  England May 1983 Mar 1984 - - - - - - -
Vince Karalius  England Mar 1984 May 1984 - - - - - - -
Eric Hughes  England Jun 1984 Jan 1986 - - - - - - -
Doug Laughton  England Jan 1986 May 1991 - - - - - - -
Frank Myler  England Jun 1991 May 1992 - - - - - - -
Phil Larder  England May 1992 May 1994 - - - - - - -
Tony Myler  England May 1994 Aug 1995 - - - - - - -
Doug Laughton  England Aug 1995 May 1997 - - - - - - -
Graeme West  New Zealand May 1997 Aug 1998 - - - - - - -
Colin Whitfield  England Aug 1998 Mar 2000 - - - - - - -
David Hulme  England Mar 2000 Mar 2001 - - - - - - -
Neil Kelly  England Mar 2001 Jul 2004 - - - - - - -
Stuart Spruce (caretaker)  England Jul 2004 Oct 2004 - - - - - - -
Frank Endacott  New Zealand Oct 2004 Oct 2005 - - - - - - -
Steve McCormack  Scotland Oct 2005 Feb 2009 - - - - - - -
John Stankevitch (caretaker)  England Feb 2009 Mar 2009 - - - - - - -
Paul Cullen  England Mar 2009 Nov 2010 20 11 0 9 649 438 .55
Denis Betts  England Nov 2010 May 2018 - - - - - - -
Francis Cummins (interim)  England  Ireland May 2018 Oct 2018 - - - - - - -
Kieron Purtill  England Nov 2018 Oct 2019 - - - - - - -
Tim Sheens  Australia Oct 2019 Oct 2020 - - - - - - -
Simon Finnigan  Ireland Nov 2020 Apr 2022 - - - - - - -
Ryan O'Brien (Interim)  England Apr 2022 Jun 2022 - - - - - - -
John Kear  England Jul 2022 Jun 2023 - - - - - - -
Neil Belshaw (Interim)  England June 2023 Sep 2023 - - - - - - -
Allan Coleman  England Oct 2023 Present - - - - - - -

Source: rugby.widnes.tv.[1]
Win Percentage is worked out as number of wins, divided by total number of games.
Table currently only lists records from league games.

History

On 16 February 2009 Widnes declared that they had parted company with coach Steve McCormack, through 'mutual consent'.[2] The news came 3 days after Widnes were controversially beaten 22-20 at home to Co-Operative Championship 1 side Oldham in the Northern Rail Cup Stage. Vikings' chairman Steve O'Connor was quick to announce that the decision wasn't made on the back of the Oldham defeat alone.[3] John Stankevitch was appointed as caretaker coach after McCormacks exit from the club.[4]

Paul Cullen was appointed as Head Coach on 8 March 2009,[5] Cullen first aided John Stankevitch in his final game as caretaker coach, beating French side Toulouse Olympique 70-0[6] in the first game of the 2009 Co-operative Championship.

Cullen had a successful first season with the Vikings, finishing in 4th position in the 2009 Co-operative Championship and winning the 2009 Northern Rail Cup.

References

  1. ^ "Coaching Register - Since 1972". rugby.widnes.tv. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  2. ^ "McCormack leaves Widnes Vikings". BBC. 16 February 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
  3. ^ "End of the road for Widnes boss". Liverpool Echo. Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2009.
  4. ^ "Vikings in no rush to act". Liverpool Echo. Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2009.
  5. ^ "Paul Cullen appointed head coach by Widnes Vikings". Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
  6. ^ "Vikings thrash Toulouse". Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News. Archived from the original on 18 January 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2009.