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9 head coaches · 34 assistants and staff

Coaches & Staff

The head coaches who have led the Hurricanes since the 1993–94 friendlies, and the assistants, team managers, physios and supporters around them, as far as the archived club websites, season reports and the founder’s memory record them.

Jim Messenger
Photo: Hertfordshire Hurricanes club archive (2002 club website)

In this photo: Jim Messenger · Who’s in this photo?

Featured coach

Jim Messenger

Jim Messenger joined the Hurricanes as defensive coordinator for the 1997–98 title season and was head coach from 1998–99, winning four of the club’s five national titles in that role. Away from Hatfield he coached Great Britain teams, led the British American Football Coaches Association and served the sport’s national and international governing bodies.

With the Hurricanes
Defensive coordinator 1997–98
Head coach 1998–99 to 2015–16 and 2021–22 to 2025–26
National titles
4 as head coach (1998–99, 1999–2000, 2003–04, 2011–12); 1 as defensive coordinator (1997–98)
Coach of the Year
BCAFL Coach of the Year 2002–03
Club’s figure, c. 2014
116–25–3 over 15 seasons to about 2014As stated on the club’s own coaching staff page (source)
Archive record
104–22–3Regular season, counted from the 17 of his 23 seasons as head coach whose results the archive knows
His career with the Hurricanes →

Head coaches

Records are regular-season results from the archive, counted only for seasons whose results are known.

  1. 1993–94 · friendlies

    Jez Brown

    1–1 in friendlies · 30–59 points

    Co-founder and first Club Secretary, a former Lincoln Saints player who played safety and wide receiver.

  2. 1994–95

    Chris Cook

    2–4–2 regular season · 80–101 points

    Former Warwick offensive lineman who also played for the Coventry Bears.

  3. 1995–96

    Duncan Leslie

    1–6–1 regular season · 38–181 points

    Head coach in 1995–96 (1–6–1) with an almost entirely rookie squad, many of whom became the club’s veterans.

  4. 1996–97 · co-head coaches

    Matt Coppinger & Giles Hider

    5–3 regular season · 168–70 points

    Matt Coppinger started at the University of Hertfordshire in September 1992 and, after winning the BYAFA Youth Championship with the Southend Sabres that October, founded the Hurricanes in 1992.

    Club Chairman and co-head coach with Matt Coppinger in 1996–97, the club’s first winning season (5–3).

  5. 1997–98

    Beau Riffenburgh

    8–0 regular season · 300–8 points

    Former Cambridge Pythons head coach and the first head coach of the GB Bulldogs, he led the Hurricanes to an unbeaten 1997–98 and victory in College Bowl XII.

  6. 1998–99 to 2015–16

    Jim Messenger

    99–18–3 regular season (15 of 18 seasons known) · 3375–786 points in 13 seasons

    Joined the Hurricanes as defensive coordinator in 1997, building the defence of the unbeaten College Bowl XII side, and took over as head coach from Beau Riffenburgh for 1998–99.

    2014–15, 2015–16: from the club founder’s recollection; confirmation from alumni welcome.

  7. 2016–17 to 2018–19

    Simon Hatcher

    16–7 regular season · 566–368 points

    Coached the Hurricanes’ defence from 2006, was defensive coordinator from 2007–08 and later deputy head coach.

    2016–17 to 2018–19: from the club founder’s recollection; confirmation from alumni welcome.

  8. 2019–20

    Franco Arellano

    1–6–1 regular season · 64–218 points

    American coach whose appointment as head coach of the American Football Performance Programme was announced by Herts Sports Village.

  9. 2020–21

    No head coach on record. Season cancelled (COVID-19).

  10. 2021–22 to 2025–26

    Jim Messenger

    5–4 regular season (2 of 5 seasons known) · 168–143 points

    Joined the Hurricanes as defensive coordinator in 1997, building the defence of the unbeaten College Bowl XII side, and took over as head coach from Beau Riffenburgh for 1998–99.

    2021–22 to 2023–24, 2025–26: from the club founder’s recollection; confirmation from alumni welcome.

Assistant coaches by era

Coordinators and position coaches, from the club’s staff lists and season reports. Each person appears once per era, with every role they held in it.

Developing a Team · 1994–1997

  • Jez Brown
    • Defensive Coordinator (player-coach) (1994–95)
  • Anthony FitzpatrickIn memoriam
    • Offensive and Defensive Lines (player-coach) (1996–97)

The Three-peat · 1997–2000

  • Jason Pearson
    • Defensive Assistant (1997–98)
    • Defensive Backs (1998–99)
    • Defensive Coordinator (1999–2000)
  • Jim Messenger
    • Defensive Coordinator (1997–98)
  • Keir Macree
    • Assistant Coach (1997–98)
  • Matt Coppinger
    • Linebackers Coach (1997–98)
    • Defensive Coordinator (1998–99)
  • Phil King
    • Offensive Line (1997–98, 1998–99)
  • Surjinder Johal
    • Running Backs (1997–98)
    • Offensive Coordinator (1998–99, 1999–2000)
  • Steve Dennis
    • Linebackers (1999–2000)

The Messenger Years · 2000–2007

  • Jason Pearson
    • Defence (2000–01)
  • Steve Dennis
    • Defensive Coordinator (2000–01, 2001–02)
    • Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers (2002–03)
  • Anthony FitzpatrickIn memoriam
    • Defensive Line (2001–02)
    • Special Teams (2001–02)
    • Offensive Line (2002–03)
    • Offensive Line / Special Teams (2003–04)
    • Offensive Coordinator / Running Backs (2004–05)
    • Assistant Head Coach / Offensive Coordinator (2005–06)
  • Neil White
    • Linebackers (2001–02, 2003–04)
    • Defensive Coordinator (2004–05)
    • Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers (2005–06)
  • Ricaldo McDonald
    • Running Backs (2001–02, 2002–03)
  • Bertram Browne
    • Defensive Backs (2002–03, 2005–06)
  • Matt Coppinger
    • Defensive Line (2002–03)
  • Mike Butler
    • Quarterbacks and Receivers (2002–03)
  • Owen Powis
    • Offensive Line (assistant), then Running Backs (2004–05)
    • Offensive Line (2005–06)
  • Solomon Rogers
    • Offensive Line (2004–05)
    • Defensive Line (2005–06)
  • Aston Ellington
    • Running Backs (assistant) (2005–06)
  • Chris Gill
    • Wide Receivers (assistant) (2005–06)
  • Lloyd Buxton
    • Linebackers (assistant) (2005–06)
  • Matt Meyer
    • Offensive Line (assistant) (2005–06)
  • Nick Piper
    • Wide Receivers (assistant) (2005–06)

BUAFL Champions · 2007–2012

The BUCS Era · 2012–today

Support staff & supporters

Allan Smith

Team Manager (1999–2000)

Team manager in the 1999–2000 title season, he then played seven seasons on the defensive line, including the 2003–04 title win, and later coached the defensive line, giving him national championships as manager, player and coach. Also the University chaplain, he appears in a 2002–03 club report as the Reverend Allan Smith.

Teresa Bidgood

Trainer (2003–04)

The team’s trainer for several seasons up to 2003–04, when she received the Stacey Sideline Award for her contribution.

Katie Matthews

Team Physio (2005–06); Physio (2007–08)

Team physio in 2005–06 and 2007–08.

Dee Gladden

Medical Advisor (2007–08); Medical Coordinator (2013–14)

Medical adviser in 2007–08 and medical coordinator around 2014.

Lara Inge

Head Therapist (2013–14)

Head therapist around 2014.

Lianne Shaw

Team Manager (2013–14)

Team manager around 2014.

Roger Stacey

Supporter · Hurricanes Hall of Fame

Supporter and photographer whose pictures illustrate the club’s early websites and match reports from the late 1990s to 2004. Inducted into the club Hall of Fame in 2002 with Eldwyth Stacey, listed under “Support, 1997–2002”.

Eldwyth Stacey

Supporter · Hurricanes Hall of Fame

Supporter of the club, inducted into the club Hall of Fame in 2002 with Roger Stacey, listed under “Support, 1997–2002”.