Michael Shenton loving Hull FC challenge after embracing life after playing

Replacing the buzz of playing Super League on a weekly basis was always going to be difficult but Michael Shenton insists he is loving life in his new role with Shenton made the difficult decision to call time on his playing days at the end of last season after a lengthy career divided between spells with Castleford Tigers and St Helens.

However, just a week after playing his final game for the Tigers, he was appointed as FC’s new head of emerging talent, taking charge of the club’s reserve and academy sides. The 35-year-old seems to have made an immediate impact in East Yorkshire and as it stands, his under-18s have won all six of their games this season.

Shenton will be in charge this evening as the club’s second string take on their Wakefield Trinity counterparts at Belle Vue, with senior names such as Cam Scott, Jordan Johnstone and Josh Bowden set for a run out, and ahead of that clash Shenton spoke to Hull Live about his time in the role so far.

“I love it,” he said. “It helps that I’ve got a good group and good staff around me, that makes my job a bit easier.

“I really wanted a challenge coming out of playing, I needed one and it was going to be hard to find something that rivalled playing Super League and playing rugby for a job. I’ve been fortunate and it’s been special but I’m not one to just say that’s me done, I wanted to find something else to get my teeth into. I know I needed that really.

“The club has been great, giving me this opportunity and I love it, working with young men and seeing a difference. Something I spoke to James (Clark) and Adam (Pearson) about when I was interviewing for the job was I’ve just seen something over the last few years at my club, we complained that we weren’t getting enough