James Ford (rugby league)

As a player Ford played in the Super League for Castleford Tigers and the Widnes Vikings, as a fullback but also played at centre, and on the wing. Ford signed initially for the Featherstone Rovers as a youth in 1998, before moving on to the Sheffield Eagles, and then Castleford in 2008. Ford made his first-grade début whilst playing for the Castleford Tigers in Super League in a 28–6 win away to the Warrington Wolves in 2009's Super League XIV, and he went on to make a total of eight appearances, scoring once. In late 2009, he left the club for Widnes. During his playing and early coaching career, he was a lecturer at Wakefield College.^[4]

After retiring as a player in 2014, Ford took over as head coach at York, and became the club's first ever full-time coach in 2018.^[5] In November 2021, he extended his contract with the club until the end of 2024.^[6] In October 2022 Ford resigned from York to become assistant coach at Super League club Wakefield Trinity.^[7]

On 16 May 2023 he was announced as the new Director of Rugby at Featherstone Rovers.^[8] He was later announced on 18 Aug 2023 to take over as head coach following the sacking of Sean Long.^[9]

On 26 February 2025 it was reported that he had left Featherstone Rovers after just two games of the 2025 season.^[10]

On 25 August 2025 it was reported that he would take over as head coach for 2026, once John Kear retired at the end of the 2025 season.^[11]