BATLEY BULLDOGS coach James Ford wants to embrace the club’s no-frills principles while adding his own stamp on proceedings.
The 43-year-old is back in the game after a turbulent 21 months at Featherstone ended with his sacking in February.
While Featherstone, whom Ford twice took to the play-offs, the second time in 2024 on a reduced budget, are battling severe financial problems, the Heavy Woollen club has long had a reputation for cutting its cloth.
Long-serving Chairman Kevin Nicholas has been praised for the stability he has brought to the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium set-up.
And the 145-year-old club, for whom sustainability is key, benefit from the support of several former players who now have varying business interests as well as the Batley Independent Supporters’ Squadbuilder Association.
Former long-serving York coach Ford recently invited BISSA committee members to a players’ post-training breakfast.
And he explained: “There’s a real connection between the club, a lot of previous players and a number of supporters who go above and beyond to help, and I’ve been really impressed by that.
“It’s a sign of the integrity in the way Batley go about things, and I think it’s important to acknowledge the input a number of loyal people have.
“I’m appreciative of how the club is run and the work various people do to play their part in that.
“Like any coach, I have a way I like to do some things, but I don’t want to stray too far from the principles Batley have been built on and have had success with.”
Ford and his assistant Paul Couch, the former coach of leading amateur team Lock Lane, are building towards the Boxing Day Challenge match at Dewsbury, which has a noon kick-off.
There’s a home pre-season match against Sheffield, led by former Batley coach Craig Lingard, on Sunday, January 11, the week before the first Championship match – interestingly at home to Featherstone.