St Helens owner Eamonn McManus insists not offering Paul Wellens a new contract was ‘the most difficult decision’, with a heartfelt tribute paid to the club’s departing head coach.
One-club man Wellens, who played just shy of 500 games for Saints during his playing career, took charge of Saints ahead of the 2023 campaign.
By then, he had worked in a number of coaching roles for the club, both at youth level and in the first-team, and had been Kristian Woolf’s assistant during the historic four-peat of successive Super League Grand Final victories.
A club legend, the 45-year-old led Saints to glory Down Under in the World Club Challenge against Penrith Panthers in his very first competitive game in charge.
But no trophies have followed since then in his three seasons at the helm, and after their play-off semi-final defeat to Hull KR this term, the decision has been made to go in a different direction.
St Helens owner opens up on ‘most difficult decision’ as Paul Wellens’ exit confirmed
Saints confirmed Wellens’ departure in a press release shared on Thursday afternoon, with owner and chairman McManus paying tribute to a man he knows better than most.
McManus said: “Paul’s contribution to the history of our club has been without equal.
“As a player, he won every honour available in our sport and was at the epicentre of our incredible success story during his seventeen-year playing career at the Saints.
“Who can ever forget his on-field reaction as our captain at the end of our 2014 Grand Final victory over Wigan? It epitomised his devotion to the Saints and encapsulated his lifelong passion and dedication to our club and to this town.
“As head coach, he started his career with the greatest achievement in our over 150-year history when he led us to victory over Penrith Panthers to win the World Club Challenge on Australian soil in 2023.
“He has since committed his life in every way to the club as our head coach. He has always done so with professionalism, dignity, and class. He’s been a supreme ambassador to our club and to our sport.”
Wellens twice took Saints to the play-off semi-finals in Super League, with Catalans Dragons their conquerors back in 2023 and Hull KR this time around.
2024 saw his side beaten in Golden Point extra time in the eliminator stage away at Warrington Wolves, and throughout this year having only been handed a 12-month extension for 2025, pressure has been heaped on his shoulders constantly.
McManus continued: “It has therefore been the most difficult decision to make, but we have now decided to move in a new direction and to appoint a new head coach. We now begin that search.
“Paul will still be part of the fabric of our club and will always be warmly welcomed by everyone and at all times.
“We wish him every success in his future career and wish him and his family only well.”
