Daryl Powell: Castleford Tigers appoint Featherstone coach

Daryl Powell has been appointed head coach at Castleford Tigers following the departure of Ian Millward.

Powell, 47, has left his role as head coach of Championship side Featherstone Rovers to take over the Tigers.

"I've been proud to coach all the teams I've been at but this is a special moment," he told BBC Radio Leeds.

Powell will take over from assistant coach Danny Orr, who had been in temporary charge since Millward's departure in April.

Millward parted company with the club, along with assistant Stuart Donlan, with the side bottom of the table after a disastrous start to their Super League campaign.

The side have since moved up to 12th in the table, most recently recording a 32-24 win over Hull KR on Sunday.

Tigers' chief executive Steve Gill said: "We have taken our time over the appointment of a new head coach because we wanted to ensure that we brought the right man on board and I'm convinced that Daryl Powell is that man.

"He is an excellent coach who has proven his skills at Featherstone Rovers over several seasons. He is at the cutting edge of coaching and his previous role as assistant coach of the England side shows how highly regarded he is."

Former Leeds boss Powell added: "I used to watch games here and I was a big supporter of the club in my youth.

"There's a lot of challenges out there and we'll be looking to climb the table bit by bit but there's so much positivity here.

"I want to build the club and I want to be involved form the top to the bottom."

Powell was appointed Featherstone boss in 2008 and went on to lead the side to three Championship Grand Finals, securing the title in 2011. He also famously led the side to a Challenge Cup fourth round win over Tigers in 2012.

Rovers currently sit in second place in the Championship but Powell feels the move to the Super League strugglers is one that makes sense.

"I don't think it's a gamble," he said.

"You go into coaching jobs with your eyes wide open, obviously it's in a development stage but I don't see it as a gamble I see it as an opportunity.

"It's ripe for growing all across the board with everything the club does and I feel I can have a big part in that."

Featherstone chief executive Craig Poskitt said: "We thank Daryl for his outstanding services to Featherstone Rovers. It was our duty to allow Castleford the opportunity to speak with Daryl and he decided that the move was the right direction for him to take.

"I would like to state that the club will now be on the lookout for a replacement that shares our vision and wants to be a part of the long-term future of the club in Super League."