Batley Bulldogs have named club legend Craig Lingard as their new head coach.
Lingard, the club’s record try-scorer with 142 tries in 206 appearances for the Bulldogs over a ten-year period, joins his former club after most recently coaching League 1 side Keighley.
The 42-year-old, who played for the Bulldogs up until 2008, has one of the terraces at Mount Pleasant named after him to recognise his achievements for the club.
He left the Cougars midway through the season despite starting the campaign well, bringing a two-and-a-half-year spell at Cougar Park to an end. He joined the Cougars ahead of the 2017 season after a spell at Batley as John Kear’s assistant, with the club securing a top four finish in 2016.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have also confirmed former coach Karl Harrison will act as consultant advisor to the coaching staff next year.
Harrison, who also spent time as coach of Salford and Halifax, was the Bulldogs head coach between 2009-2011, winning the Northern Rail Cup.