New Beverley ARLFC head coach and Super League legend Stuart Fielden is targeting promotion from National Conference League Division 3 in 2023.
The four-time Grand Final winner has taken the reigns of the Blue & Golds after a turbulent year saw them relegated from Division 2.
Fielden, a former Bradford, Wigan and Great Britain prop, will take charge of his first training session on Monday 14th November when pre-season training begins.
Having met with club chairman Ian Pollard and other senior members of the club, the 43-year-old took the plunge to take on his first amateur coaching role.
Fielden, who lives in Beverley, told Beverley Life: “This is my first time coaching in the amateur game but I’m looking forward to getting started.
“I haven’t been involved with rugby league since a brief stint with Huddersfield Giants’ coaching team in 2014.
“I never envisaged becoming an amateur coach, however word got around that I was living in Beverley and (former Beverley ARLFC head coach) Scott Taylor contacted me through mutual friends.
“Having been introduced to Ian and other members of the senior set-up, we found a mutual interest was there.
“I’ve had little contact with most of the players so far, but those I’ve spoken to, I’ve made no bones about the fact that we need a good and consistent spine of players.
“If you haven’t got regular halves, you’re constantly improvising your play, so we need to start putting structures and processes in place as soon as possible.
“Obviously I’m not clear on each player’s individual ability yet, but from talking to people and looking at the results from last season, I think that promotion is achievable in 2023.
“There were a lot of games which Beverley lost by 12 points or less last season, suggesting that they weren’t too far away in most games and that a more consistent half-back pairing will help that.”
Fielden’s career ended in 2013 after a routine operation rendered him unable to play again.
During his time at Bradford Bulls, where he won three Super League titles, three World Club Challenges and two Challenge Cups, he was voted as the world’s best forward.
In 2006, he became the most expensive cash-only transfer in the Super League era.
Pre-season training for Beverley ARLFC will begin at 6:45pm on Monday 14th November at Longcroft School on Burton Road.
Fielden said players new and old are welcome.
He added: “Pre-season is for everyone, whether they played last season or not.
“We have a great backroom team in place which will help us through pre-season, which to begin with will mainly be fitness-based but with some ball handling skills involved as well.
“It’s long days for amateur players, who all work full-time as well, but the social side is a huge part of it too.”
Anyone interested in joining Beverley ARLFC is welcome to go along to training or can contact the club’s Facebook page.
