Ex-Lions coach Mike Ford back on the job market after sudden resignation

Mike Ford, the former defence coach of England, Ireland and the Lions, is back on the job market after suddenly quitting his role as Director of Rugby at Oldham RLFC.

Ford spent three years with the Roughyeds, having moved back to the 13-man code, where he made his name as a player, after a short spell in charge of the Belgium national men’s team.

The 60-year-old joined the Belgium setup in 2023 and is credited for laying the foundations for their push towards Rugby World Cup qualification, which ended at the final hurdle after a battling draw with Samoa.

Previously, the Lancastrian had worked at the very top end of the game, as defence coach of Ireland, the 2005 British and Irish Lions, and then England in 2006.

Ford left his role with England in the post-RWC 2011 fallout and joined Bath, becoming head coach in 2013. He led the West Country club to the Premiership final two years later but his final year at The Rec was tainted by the ongoing Sam Burgess saga.

A season with French giants Toulon followed before Ford was hired to lead Dallas Griffins in America, a project that never got off the ground.

Germany came calling and they were close to qualifying for the 2019 Rugby World Cup under Ford, only for their main financial backer to puill out. Leicester then reuinited Ford with his son George at Leicester, his final club appointment in rugby union – for now.

With George in the Sale Sharks playing squad and his older brother Joe acting as de facto head coach under Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson, Ford senior would no doubt relish the chance to work at the PREM team closest to him geographically if the opportunity ever arose.

Meanwhile, a fallout with controversial Oldham RLFC chairman, Bill Quinn, appears to at the heart of Ford’s latest departure.

In a statement posted on X, Ford said: “When we launched a new era for Oldham Rugby League Football Club in March 2023, our aim was to make the town proud of its team again. Oldham was to be at the centre of everything we wanted to achieve.

“Over the past three years, an enormous amount of work and commitment has gone into that vision, and I am incredibly proud of what has been achieved both on and off the field. From where the club was then to where it is now – with a youth pathway and a women’s team, our training facility and young people in the town wearing Roughyeds shirts again – this represents an extraordinary achievement built on the efforts of many people. Our club has been reborn.

“While we narrowly missed out on a return to Super League, I remain convinced that we were on the right track to bring rugby league at the highest level back to Oldham and to embark on the next chapter. However, over the past few months, it has become clear that the direction of travel of the club is not something that I feel I can be a part of.

“This is not a decision I have taken lightly, but with immediate effect I am resigning from my position as Director of Rugby at Oldham Rugby League Football Club after advertising the board on January 8th. Callum Irving, my Assistant Coach and lead of our pathway programme, has also stepped away from his role.

“I will be making no further comment other than to thank the players, staff and supporters for their incredible commitment and support over the past three years, and to wish the club every success in the future.”