Houghton retakes Hull captaincy

Hull FC have announced that Danny Houghton will take on the role of club captain for the 2024 Betfred Super League season.

The veteran hooker becomes the first Hull FC player to retake the captaincy after a break since Ernie Lawrence in 1949, with Houghton most recently sharing the position during the 2021 campaign.

©? Danny Houghton will take on the role of club captain for the 2024 Betfred Super League season.

Brad Fash has also been named as the club's new vice-captain.

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Houghton is preparing to enter his 18th season as a Hull FC player, one of the longest spells as a representative in Hull FC's history. As a former Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel and with over 430 club appearances to his name, the influential and experienced hooker is held in high regard by all involved at the Hull club.

Speaking to hullfc.com after being named captain of the side in 2024, Houghton said: 

"It's a real honour to me to skipper my hometown club again.

"I'm really determined to give it absolutely everything in 2024, and I will be doing everything I can to lead by example for this great club.

"We have a lot of young players coming through the youth programme at the moment and they need a strong leader to look up, and that's exactly what I'm hoping to achieve.

"I'd like to think that I'm not only somebody who leads by example on and off the field, but also a very approachable member of the dressing room. As I say, I'm really honoured to have this responsibility again."

Hull's Head Coach Tony Smith has also said he had no doubts when selecting the captaincy roles for the upcoming season.

"Danny has had a couple of years off captaincy, and I think that was required. Captaincy can weigh heavily after a while, but he's ready to take that leadership role and give it his all this year.

"He's got the full support of his team mates and that because they enjoy working under him. He leads by example."

Another hometown Hull player will take on vice-captaincy of the club in 2024, and it has been confirmed that Brad Fash will take on the responsibility.

The proud, Hull-born forward has made over 150 appearances for his boyhood club, winning the club's Player of the Year Award at the end of the 2022 campaign, and has become an integral part of the Black and Whites' pack in recent years.

On Fash's appointment of vice-captain, Tony Smith commented:

"Brad Fash also leads by example and he's Hull FC through and through - that's why he will make a good vice-captain.

"He's one of the senior blokes now and I feel like he is ready for a leadership role. He's a great communicator and he would never ask somebody to do something to he wouldn't do himself."