North Wales Crusaders have appointed Dean Muir as their new head coach following the departure of former boss Carl Forster, whose ‘full-time Super League role’ is yet to be confirmed.
Crusaders, who were crowned League 1 champions at the end of the 2025 campaign, announced the departure of Forster earlier this month.
The 33-year-old – who represented both St Helens and Salford Red Devils during his playing career – had been in charge for three seasons, first joining as their player-coach ahead of the 2023 campaign.
In the club’s press release announcing his exit, it was stated that Forster would ‘take up a full-time position at a Super League club’.
And while details of his new job are yet to be confirmed, just under a fortnight on, Crusaders have locked in their new head coach in the shape of Muir.
League 1 champions appoint promotion-winning coach following former boss’ Super League move
Somewhat of a promotion specialist, Muir led community outfit West Bowling to a title in 2023 having also been the assistant coach at Keighley Cougars back in 2022 when they were crowned League 1 champions at the end of an unbeaten campaign.
Taking the reins at Hunslet ahead of 2024, he then led the Parksiders to the Championship at the first time of asking against the odds as they first came through the League 1 play-offs before winning a promotion/relegation decider away at Swinton Lions.
Muir eventually departed the South Leeds Stadium back in June after a disappointing start to life in the second tier, but four months on, is back in the game.
As Crusaders announced his appointment from 2026, their owner Arun Watkins said: “What made Dean stand out from the plethora of applications was his energy and passion for our project.
“We aim to support Dean’s initiatives as we start the next phase of our journey to make the Crusaders the best we can be.”
Providing all goes to plan, Muir will head up the Welsh outfit as they compete in a 21-team division next year, with the Championship and League 1 set to merge.
Full details of that merger, including the name of the newly-formed competition, are still to be confirmed by the RFL.
The coach added: “I am delighted to be here with Crusaders and I look forward to building the club further on the back of a successful 2025.”
