Hull KR boss Tony Smith discusses secret friendship with Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom

Hull Kingston Rovers head coach Tony Smith and Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom are backing each other’s bid for glory through their close friendship. Smith has numerous contacts in football and during his time in charge of Warrington Wolves he built a strong relationship with England legend Stuart Pearce.

He became acquainted with Blades boss Heckingbottom through his work with the LMA (League Managers Association) and the pair regularly tap into each other for ideas on best practice. Smith sees some of his own personality traits in 44-year-old Heckingbottom, the former Barnsley, Leeds United and Hibernian manager who is aiming to take Sheffield United back to the Premier League this season.

Smith, for his part, is bidding to take Hull KR to the Challenge Cup final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 28 – they face Huddersfield Giants in the semi-finals at Elland Road on May 7.

“Paul and I support each other and became friends during my time out of rugby league, after I had left Warrington at the end of 2017,” he told Hull Live. I loved him when I met him and we just clicked straight away. He was at Leeds United back then and he was having a tough time.

“We met up a few times because I could see he needed some help and support when he finished at Leeds. He was then in between jobs and when he went to Hibernian, I followed him up there for an overnight visit. We had quite a few meet-ups while I was out of rugby league, originally on behalf of the League Managers’ Association.

“I’m good mates with Stuart Pearce and I got Stuart to come and sit down with Paul, which was a great three-way conversation. We’ve got that sort of relationship where we keep an eye out for each other’s results – me at Hull KR and