Hull FC and Hull Kingston Rovers have announced that James Webster will take charge as head coach of the new-look City of Hull Academy.
The former Hull and Rovers player and coach, who later went on to become head coach at Super League rivals Wakefield Wildcats, will take charge of the clubs’ brand-new joint Under 19s side for the 2016 season.
Webster will now work closely with the academy management team to implement new structures and oversee all aspects of training and on-field performance as the academy looks to develop Super League stars of the future.
“It’s a great challenge and one I’m extremely looking forward to. The academy is a huge project and to head it up was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down,” said an excited Webster.
“In today’s market, it is very difficult to acquire top-end English players from other clubs so to be able to have the resources to produce them for ourselves is brilliant.
“Our aim is to produce players to help the first teams win matches. Hopefully, in the new system, we can produce more high quality players.”
He continued: “I’ve had a tour around Bishop Burton College where the academy will be based and the facilities are outstanding.
“It is somewhere I was already familiar with having worked down there whilst I was at Hull FC but since then it has come on leaps and bounds. The hard work starts now.”
