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WIGAN CONFIRM NOBLE CAPTURE By Ian Laybourn, PA Sport
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Brian Noble has ended a week of intense speculation by quitting Super League champions Bradford Bulls to take over as head coach of ailing Wigan.
The 45-year-old Great Britain boss becomes Wigan's 10th coach in as many years, succeeding Australian Ian Millward, who was sacked nine days ago following the Warriors' worst run for 24 years.
Noble met with Wigan chairman Maurice Lindsay at the weekend and finally split with his home-town club - after virtually 28 years unbroken service - following a two-hour meeting with Bradford chairman Peter Hood.
It followed a breakdown in his relationship with recently-appointed chief executive Gareth Davies.
Noble, who was contracted to Bradford up to the end of next season, takes over a Wigan side rock bottom of the table with just one win from their first 10 matches.
He will be in charge for the game at Huddersfield, ironically his last opponents as Bradford coach, on Saturday when Wigan will be seeking to avoid losing eight successive league matches for the first time since 1899, when they lost a club record 14 spread over two seasons.
Noble will be succeeded at Bradford by his assistant Steve McNamara, who recently turned down the chance to become head coach of his former club Hull.
At 34, McNamara will become the youngest head coach in Super League and takes charge for Sunday's visit to Warrington.
Noble said: "Wigan is both a great challenge and a great opportunity. "The club has a special place in rugby league history and most people in the game would like the opportunity to be in charge.
"I have had the most wonderful time at Bradford, both as a player and a coach, and I have enjoyed my time immensely. "The club has wonderful fans and we have also had some great players and it has been my privilege to have been involved with them."
Wigan chairman Maurice Lindsay said: "This is great news for the club. We were pleased to get the opportunity to secure the services of a coach of Brian Noble's calibre.
"I have known Brian since his days as a player and his commitment to the game is second to none.
"We have told him that he will have all the support in the world, including time, to restructure the side and make Wigan competitive again."
Noble, who will be introduced to the media at Wigan on Friday, made more than 400 appearances for Bradford since joining them from local amateur rugby in 1978 and was been on their backroom staff for 10 years.
He guided the Bulls to the Super League Grand Final in each of his five seasons as head coach and took them to a clean sweep of Challenge Cup, Grand Final and World Club Challenge triumphs in 2003.
He added: "It is obviously a big wrench to leave a club where I have been involved for such a long time.
"I feel sure that the team is in good shape and they will be very difficult to beat. The club is set for a successful future.
"I would not have dreamed of leaving for any other normal coaching role but Wigan means a lot in rugby league and I would like to help the club to return to winning ways.
"It is not too long ago that they were regular finalists and we will try to recover that position.
"I cannot wave a magic wand and fix things overnight. The club understand that and everyone will be working together to gradually improve."
Bradford confirmed that Noble had been released from the 18 months left on his contract and that McNamara would step up immediately into his role.
A club statement read: "The board of Bradford Bulls wishes to record its sincere appreciation for Brian's contribution to the club, both on and of the field, for more than three decades, and for the unparalleled success he has brought to the club during his time as head coach.
"The club also wishes to make it clear that every effort was made by the board and chief executive Gareth Davies to persuade Brian to see out the rest of his contract with the Bulls.
"However, it was Brian's wish to leave at this time."
Brian Noble factfile
1961: Born, Bradford, February 14.
1978: Joins Bradford Northern from local amateurs Queensbury and makes the first of 400-plus appearances for the club.
1980: A member of Bradford's championship-winning team under Peter Fox.
1982: Makes his Great Britain debut against Australia at Leeds on November 28
1984: Captains the Lions on the tour to Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, winning the last of his 11 caps in Mount Hagen on August 5.
1994: Joins Wakefield and makes nine appearances.
1995: Returns to Bradford, joining the backroom staff under head coach Brian Smith and fellow Australian Matthew Elliott.
2000: Takes over as Bradford head coach on October 5 following Elliott's return to Australia.
2001: Wins the Super League Grand Final at the first attempt with victory over Wigan.
2002: Guides Bradford to the first of three victories in the World Club Challenge.
2003: Named Super League Coach of Year after winning Challenge Cup, League Leaders' Trophy and Grand Final.
2004: Promoted from assistant to head coach of Great Britain, in succession to David Waite.
2005: Signs a new contract in May keeping him at Odsal until the end of the 2007 seasoncelebrates by engineering a 12-match winning run that culminates in a third Grand Final triumph.
2006: April 7 - Made a freeman of Bradford. April 20 - Leaves Bradford to take over as coach at Wigan.
http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyle...STORY_NAME=rleague/06/04/20/RUGBYL_Wigan.html
Click here for rugby league fixtures
Click here for rugby league results
Click here for more rugby league news
Brian Noble has ended a week of intense speculation by quitting Super League champions Bradford Bulls to take over as head coach of ailing Wigan.
The 45-year-old Great Britain boss becomes Wigan's 10th coach in as many years, succeeding Australian Ian Millward, who was sacked nine days ago following the Warriors' worst run for 24 years.
Noble met with Wigan chairman Maurice Lindsay at the weekend and finally split with his home-town club - after virtually 28 years unbroken service - following a two-hour meeting with Bradford chairman Peter Hood.
It followed a breakdown in his relationship with recently-appointed chief executive Gareth Davies.
Noble, who was contracted to Bradford up to the end of next season, takes over a Wigan side rock bottom of the table with just one win from their first 10 matches.
He will be in charge for the game at Huddersfield, ironically his last opponents as Bradford coach, on Saturday when Wigan will be seeking to avoid losing eight successive league matches for the first time since 1899, when they lost a club record 14 spread over two seasons.
Noble will be succeeded at Bradford by his assistant Steve McNamara, who recently turned down the chance to become head coach of his former club Hull.
At 34, McNamara will become the youngest head coach in Super League and takes charge for Sunday's visit to Warrington.
Noble said: "Wigan is both a great challenge and a great opportunity. "The club has a special place in rugby league history and most people in the game would like the opportunity to be in charge.
"I have had the most wonderful time at Bradford, both as a player and a coach, and I have enjoyed my time immensely. "The club has wonderful fans and we have also had some great players and it has been my privilege to have been involved with them."
Wigan chairman Maurice Lindsay said: "This is great news for the club. We were pleased to get the opportunity to secure the services of a coach of Brian Noble's calibre.
"I have known Brian since his days as a player and his commitment to the game is second to none.
"We have told him that he will have all the support in the world, including time, to restructure the side and make Wigan competitive again."
Noble, who will be introduced to the media at Wigan on Friday, made more than 400 appearances for Bradford since joining them from local amateur rugby in 1978 and was been on their backroom staff for 10 years.
He guided the Bulls to the Super League Grand Final in each of his five seasons as head coach and took them to a clean sweep of Challenge Cup, Grand Final and World Club Challenge triumphs in 2003.
He added: "It is obviously a big wrench to leave a club where I have been involved for such a long time.
"I feel sure that the team is in good shape and they will be very difficult to beat. The club is set for a successful future.
"I would not have dreamed of leaving for any other normal coaching role but Wigan means a lot in rugby league and I would like to help the club to return to winning ways.
"It is not too long ago that they were regular finalists and we will try to recover that position.
"I cannot wave a magic wand and fix things overnight. The club understand that and everyone will be working together to gradually improve."
Bradford confirmed that Noble had been released from the 18 months left on his contract and that McNamara would step up immediately into his role.
A club statement read: "The board of Bradford Bulls wishes to record its sincere appreciation for Brian's contribution to the club, both on and of the field, for more than three decades, and for the unparalleled success he has brought to the club during his time as head coach.
"The club also wishes to make it clear that every effort was made by the board and chief executive Gareth Davies to persuade Brian to see out the rest of his contract with the Bulls.
"However, it was Brian's wish to leave at this time."
Brian Noble factfile
1961: Born, Bradford, February 14.
1978: Joins Bradford Northern from local amateurs Queensbury and makes the first of 400-plus appearances for the club.
1980: A member of Bradford's championship-winning team under Peter Fox.
1982: Makes his Great Britain debut against Australia at Leeds on November 28
1984: Captains the Lions on the tour to Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, winning the last of his 11 caps in Mount Hagen on August 5.
1994: Joins Wakefield and makes nine appearances.
1995: Returns to Bradford, joining the backroom staff under head coach Brian Smith and fellow Australian Matthew Elliott.
2000: Takes over as Bradford head coach on October 5 following Elliott's return to Australia.
2001: Wins the Super League Grand Final at the first attempt with victory over Wigan.
2002: Guides Bradford to the first of three victories in the World Club Challenge.
2003: Named Super League Coach of Year after winning Challenge Cup, League Leaders' Trophy and Grand Final.
2004: Promoted from assistant to head coach of Great Britain, in succession to David Waite.
2005: Signs a new contract in May keeping him at Odsal until the end of the 2007 seasoncelebrates by engineering a 12-match winning run that culminates in a third Grand Final triumph.
2006: April 7 - Made a freeman of Bradford. April 20 - Leaves Bradford to take over as coach at Wigan.
http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyle...STORY_NAME=rleague/06/04/20/RUGBYL_Wigan.html
