Brian Noble
Personal information
Full name	Brian D. Noble
Nickname	Nobby
Born	February 14, 1961 (1961-02-14) (age 48)
	Bradford, England
Playing information
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1978–84	Bradford Northern
1985	Cronulla-Sutherland	7	1	0	0	4
1986–95	Bradford Northern
1995–96	Wakefield Trinity
	Total	7	1	0	0	4
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1982–84	Great Britain	11	1	0	0	4
Coaching information
Club
Years	Team	Gms	W	D	L	W%
2001–06	Bradford Bulls	80	65	2	13	81
2006–09	Wigan Warriors	91	49	4	38	54
2010–	Celtic Crusaders
	Total	171	114	6	51	67
Representative
Years	Team	Gms	W	D	L	W%
2004–06	Great Britain	14	6	0	8	43
Source: RLP

Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble (born 1961) is an English former rugby league footballer, who is currently head coach of the Welsh side Celtic Crusaders. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia.

[edit] Playing career

Brian Noble's early rugby league career was as a member of the Police Boys' Clubs before he signed for Bradford Northern (now Bradford Bulls). His début came in the 1978-1979 season and was the beginning of almost 15 years and over 400 games with the club, concluding in the centenary season of 1995-96 following a spell at Wakefield Trinity.

Brian combined his professional career with his job as a policeman, and captained Great Britain on the Lions' tour of Australasia in 1984. He played in all seven tests on the tour, including the test in Papua New Guinea.

[edit] Coaching career

[edit] Bradford Bulls

A Bradford stalwart as a player, coaching always seemed to be the natural progression for Brian Noble. After 6 years of serving in the backroom staff at the club following his retirement, he finally got his big shot when appointed as Bradford head coach in 2001. After initial confusion regarding chairman Chris Caisley's appointment - the tabloids reported that the new coach was Radio 4 comedian Ross Noble! - Brian was a hugely popular choice to succeed departing coach Matthew Elliott.

Whilst head coach of Bradford Bulls, 'Nobby' guided the Bulls to two Minor Premiership titles, victory in three Grand Finals in 2001, 2003 and 2005, the Challenge Cup in 2003 and to three World Club Championships in 2002, 2004 and 2006. He was named Super League coach of the year in 2003 and was appointed head coach of Great Britain in 2004.

In July 2002, Brian Noble received an honorary doctorate from the University of Bradford for his achievements as a rugby league player both at national level, with Bradford Northern and in recognition of his contributions to the Bradford Bulls as first team coach.

[edit] Wigan Warriors

On 20 April 2006 Brian took up the position of Head Coach at Wigan Warriors; nine days after the sacking of Ian Millward. Brian took over at the club during a relegation battle which at one point looked as though Wigan would lose, however he has been credited for keeping the Warriors in the Super League following a number of impressive performances.

On the 17th January 2007 it was announced that his contract as head coach of the British National team would not be renewed.

In June 2009 there was speculation that Wigan Warriors chairman Ian Lenagan had approached New Zealand national rugby league coach Stephen Kearney in relation to succeeding Brian Noble as head coach at Wigan.^[1]

In October 2009, after the defeat to St Helens in the semi-final play-off game, Noble announced he would be leaving to club after a meeting with the chairman, Lenegan, the week before.^{[2] [3]}

[edit] Celtic Crusaders

After much media speculation about his future, in part through long standing knee problems and the departure of John Dixon in September 2009, on 14 October, 2009, Noble was confirmed as the new head coach of the Welsh side Celtic Crusaders.^[4] Jon Sharp will be first-team coach, and Iestyn Harris, who is also Wales coach, as an assistant.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Brian Noble Wigan Coaching Career Page
• July 2002 Bradford University press release
• Bull Masters - Brian Noble
• Team Of The Century