NORTH WALES CRUSADERS will be led by Martin Fisher for the remainder of this season – then another former assistant coach will take reins of a club increasingly confident of making the start line in 2027.
Fisher steps up to replace Mike Grady until the end of a tumultuous year in which the Crusaders have now had five head coaches as well as two ownership groups.
A new group led by former owner Jamie El-Kaleh received only temporary Rugby Football League membership in May following an insolvency event, with Championship participation beyond this season dependent on a comprehensive business plan being approved by the governing body.
If that happens, Stuart Simmons (pictured) will take charge, having signed a two-year contract to return to the club he served as an assistant coach for three years under Carl Forster, culminating in last season’s League One title triumph.
“Stuart knows this club inside and out and has already played an important role in some of our greatest recent successes,” said El-Kaleh of the former England Community Lions Under 17 head coach.
“He understands our values, our supporters and the standards we want to set. We are delighted to give him the opportunity to lead the team into this exciting new chapter.”
In the meantime Fisher, who joined in May and has assisted Sean Long and Grady (North Wales were led by Dean Muir then Krisnan Inu earlier in the season) alongside working for Warrington Wolves as a development coach, will see out their final five fixtures of the year, starting on Sunday with the visit of Goole Vikings.
While the Championship’s bottom team have lost all nine games since reforming, they have been working hard to raise their profile and establish stronger links within the local community.
They have also appointed Ben Evans, the former Warrington, London Broncos, Bradford Bulls and Wales prop who retired at the end of last season after a two-year stint with the Crusaders, as their new chief executive officer.
Evans, who will be tasked with leading the club’s strategic development, said: “There are some exciting changes ahead, and I genuinely believe this is the start of a new era for North Wales Crusaders.
“Success won’t happen overnight, but with the backing of our supporters, players, volunteers and community, we can build something everyone can be proud of.”
The club have announced plans to launch a new Reserves team, which will be based in South Wales.