T'Other Side: Widnes Vikings

Head Coach: Allan Coleman

 

 

Allan Coleman took over as head coach at Widnes at the end of 2023 following on from Neil Belshaw who had been acting in a caretaker capacity since John Kear was sacked in June.

Allan Coleman joined Swinton as assistant coach in 2019 having previously coached Leigh Miners Rangers in the3 National Conference League and the English Community Lions.

In July 2021 he was made caretaker head coach following the departure of Stuart Littler and, just a month later, was confirmed as head coach.

Last season he guided Swinton Lions to second place in League One and promotion to the Championship after beating Doncaster 16-10 in the play-off final.

We have no record of Allan Coleman having played in the professional ranks.

 

Captain: Jack Owens

 

Jack Owens made his professional début with Widnes in 2011. In 2015 he played one game for Whitehaven on dual reg and then he joined St. Helens in 2016 playing 28 games in his first year.

After a few games for Saints at the beginning of 2017 he went on loan to Sheffield Eagles in May and signed for them in late July (in order to be able to play for them in the Championship Shield). He spent 2018 at Leigh and returned to Widnes in 2019.

In 2011 he played for the England Academy.

He usually plays at fullback but he has also played on the wing and as a halfback. In 2013 he played four games for Workington on dual reg.

Whilst at St. Helens he played two games for the England U18 team.

 

 

Loans and Dual Registration

 

In 2025 Widnes have a dual reg agreement with Warrington. So far, this year, six Warrington players have appeared for Widnes: Ben Hartill (hooker), Alfie Johnson (winger), Oli Leyland (fullback), Cai Taylor-Wray (fullback), Luke Thomas (prop) and Max Wood (prop).

Widnes also have Josh Hodson (centre) on loan from Castleford.

 

 

 

The Fev Connection

 

  

Widnes and Fev have been together in the professional ranks since 1921 but we have only found 35 players who have appeared for both clubs.

 

 

Craig Hall is now in his 19th season as a professional rugby league player. He made his début with Hull FC in 2007 as an 18 year-old. In 2009 (his last season at Hull FC) he had a loan spell at Widnes playing 5 games, scoring 1 try, kicking 31 goals and 1 drop goal. In 2011 he crossed from West to East to join Hull KR and in 2015 he joined Wakefield Trinity.

In 2017 he joined Toronto Wolfpack for their inaugural season but moved back to England in 2018 with Leigh. In July of that year, he went back to Hull KR, on loan and then re-signed for them in 2019

In 2020 he joined Fev, at the age of 31 and stayed for 4 years during which time he played 77 games, scoring 61 tries, 328 goals and 1 drop goal, for a total of 901 points.

In 2021 he scored 5 hat tricks and a further 1 in 2022. Those included 5 tries in a game against Sheffield Eagles and 4 against York.

In the lists for Fev’s top scorers in a season he appears in the charts for tries (8th with 28 in 2021), goals (5th with 157 in 2022) and points (3rd in 2022 with 394 and 8th in 2021 with 339).

Craig is in 13th place for points in his Fev career with 901, and also 13th for goals with 328, a remarkable feat for someone who was only with Fev for four years!

In 2024 Craig joined Doncaster and is still there at the age of 37. He played a pivotal role in them gaining promotion to the Championship and then establishing their place there.

 

 

Also, in the list of players who appeared for both Fev and Widnes, is Ian Hardman. Ian started out with St. Helens in 2003. In 2007 he had a loan spell with Hull KR and in 2008 he spent the entire season on loan at Widnes (his hometown club) making 29 appearances and scoring 9 tries.

In 2009 he signed for Fev where he spent the rest of his career until he retired at the end of 2018, although he is still at Fev as assistant coach.

For Fev he played 281 games, scored 131 tries, kicked 151 goals and 1 drop goal for a total of 827 points.

Ian was a vital part of the team that finished in first place in the Championship for 4 years from 2010 until 2013 and was the Featherstone captain in his last two seasons.

Like Craig Hall, Ian has a prominent place in the lists of Fev’s top scorers. He is in 3rd place on the list of career tries with 131 and is in 14th, just one place below Craig Hall, on the list of top points scorers with 827.