Salford Red Devils have appointed a coaching trio that will lead the Elite Academy into the 2025 campaign.
The club will see a new Elite Academy head coach with Danny Barton stepping into the role.
Danny who has been affiliated to the club since being a ball boy will now rise into the new position.
The new head coach was able to find success within the Reserve grade and took the Development Academy squad to the Grand Final last year.
The new position will be an exciting one for the newly appointed head coach, as Danny said: “It is a great honour to coach the Elite Academy in an exciting new era for rugby league in Salford.
“I look forward to seeing the new players representing the Club and achieving their goals.”
The new head coach will be looking to make sure that the club is the best environment to be a part of – but he won’t be doing it alone with the club appointing the coaching trio.
Danny will be joined by assistant coach Sam Bardsley, who trained with the squad as a young player.
Sam will be useful as a role model for many members within the elite academy, as he was able to work his way up the ranks and train with the first grade squad during our Grand Final season of 2019.
Following the appointment Sam said: “It’s a full circle moment for me as I’ve been involved at Salford since I was 16 years old in the Scholarship system.
“In these environments, I’ve been like a sponge, learning every day from elite level players and coaches.
“I’m aiming to pass on what I’ve learned throughout my experiences onto the next generation.”
He continued: “I am hopeful my experience playing the game, alongside my coaching experience over the last six years, will help mould these young players full of potential into smart athletes.”
As he aims to support the next generation of young players and help them “achieve their end goal of playing in the Super League for Salford.”
He will be joined by Neil Belshaw, who has previous coaching experience at both first-grade and academy level with Widnes Vikings, and teaches Sport at Eccles Sixth Form College.
The appointment will be exciting for Neil, who will be able to combine his coaching philosophy with the style of the club.
Neil added: “It’s a hugely exciting time to be joining Salford Red Devils, and I’m proud to be given this role as part of the academy coaching staff.
“The style of rugby that Salford play is a perfect match with my coaching philosophy and how I like to coach.
“I’m really looking forward to working with the other staff and helping the players develop and achieve their potential, this year and beyond.”
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