Former Leeds Rhinos player and Castleford Tigers assistant-coach Ryan Sheridan has been appointed team boss at Championship club Sheffield Eagles.

Sheridan succeeds ex-Castleford coach Craig Lingard who left Eagles earlier this month after two seasons at the helm. Now 51, the former scrum-half began his playing career with Sheffield - scoring 40 tries in 97 appearances - before signing for Leeds in 1997.

A Challenge Cup winner two years later, he moved to Widnes Vikings in 2003 and also had spells as a player at Castleford and Dewsbury Rams, where he began his coaching career. He was assistant to current Wakefield Trinity boss Daryl Powell at Featherstone Rovers, Castleford and Warrington Wolves, held a similar role with London Broncos and spent the past three seasons at Catalans Dragons, including a stint as interim-boss last term.

Ryan Sheridan seen in April when he was assistant-coach of Catalans Dragons. Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com.

Sheridan said, “I am really excited to be back at the Eagles where I started my playing career over 35 years ago, so this is a full circle moment for me. This club gave me an opportunity and a start all those years ago, it gave me what was to become an unbelievable journey in rugby league.

“This is a new journey for me now. After speaking with Jeremy [Levine, club director] about his vision for the Eagles and his passion to see the club grow and become successful, it was something I wanted to be a part of. To become the head coach of the Eagles is a huge honour for me, I can’t wait to get started and help the club move forward into an exciting future ahead.”