John Kear special: Retiring rugby league legend on memorable Challenge Cup final wins, being born down Wheldon Road and importance of family

Kear oversaw his last ever game as a head coach in Batley Bulldogs’ final fixture of the 2025 Championship at York Knights earlier this month - ending an extraordinary six-decade career in the sport.

And there have been plenty of cherished memories for the popular figure, who famously led Sheffield Eagles to, arguably, rugby league’s greatest ever shocks by beating the mighty Wigan Warriors in the 1998 Challenge Cup Final.

He followed that up by guiding Hull FC to a thrilling Cup triumph over Leeds Rhinos just seven years later.

But what sticks out for Kear?

“There are too many to list to tell you the truth without sitting down and having a good think about them,” he replied. “Obviously there have been Challenge Cup wins, Grand Finals, Middle 8s, escaping relegation in Super League with Wakefield. And there’s been international rugby.

“I will treasure them all. The good thing about memories is sharing them with people who have been involved with you at that specific time. So I suppose it depends on who I am speaking to at the time.

“If I was speaking to Paul Cooke, it would be about the Hull era. If I was speaking to Jason Demetriou, it would probably be about the Wakefield era.

“I have really got some special memories and I have made some special friends and I have met some special people.”

Asked if he thought if there would be a similar repeat of a massive underdog overcoming a Super League giant in a Challenge Cup Final ever again, Kear said:

“There has only ever been one in the history of the cup so they are quite rare! I believe we were 14/1 on the day of the game, in a two-horse race. It was a heck of an upset.

“I would like to see something similar again because that is what the romance of the cup is. But it is more and more unlikely I feel.”

Kear was born in Castleford, in 1954. And he was always destined to get involved in rugby league - as well as to play for his hometown club.

He explained: “I was born down Wheldon Road and we could throw a stone into the Cas ground from our house. It just followed that if you were born down Wheldon Road then you are going to be involved in rugby league.

“It is just that I have had a very special involvement as a player and as a coach.”

He was a one-club man as a player, before bringing success and memorable moments to a host of clubs as a head coach. But he never managed to get the gig at The Jungle.

“It would have been nice but it never came about,” Kear reflected. “In parts, it may have been the club’s decision, although there was certainly one time when it was my decision.

“The stars never aligned for that particular job. But it matters not, especially in the fullness of time. I enjoyed many years playing there and those memories won’t be tainted.

“I have no regrets whatsoever.”

Behind the scenes, and away from the game, Kear has had a supportive family life. Giving praise to his wife, Dawn, he said:

“You can’t achieve anything without a very supportive family. Anybody who succeeds in such an all-consuming job as a sports coach will have to have a supportive family.

“I have been very lucky to have that.”

We wish John Kear all the best in his retirement as a head coach.