Key Points:
- Brian Barry-Murphy, Cardiff City head coach, has named Craig Samson as the new goalkeeping coach of the football club.
- Samson, who is 42 years old, has previously worked with Barry-Murphy when the latter was at Rochdale for a short while in 2020.
- The Scottish coach has worked in some significant coaching positions with Hibernian and Aberdeen, ending his second stint with Hibernian in September.
- The football club had been seeking a new goalkeeping coach since May as their former goalkeeping coach Gavin Ward left them after two years.
Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) October 16, 2026 – Cardiff City Football Club have officially appointed 42-year-old Craig Samson as their new goalkeeping coach, bringing an end to a five-month vacancy in their backroom setup. Samson reunites with manager Brian Barry-Murphy following their previous working relationship at Rochdale. Having recently departed Hibernian, Samson brings extensive coaching experience from top-flight Scottish clubs including Aberdeen. The appointment addresses a pivotal void left by Gavin Ward, who exited the Welsh capital club in May.
Why Has Brian Barry-Murphy Appointed Craig Samson at Cardiff City?
Cardiff City manager Brian Barry-Murphy has re-established his professional relationship with Craig Samson after appointing the 42-year-old Scot as the Bluebirds’ new goalkeeping coach.
The move comes after a prolonged search by the Championship club to fill the backroom role. Cardiff City had been without a dedicated first-team goalkeeping coach since May, when Gavin Ward departed the club upon the conclusion of his two-year tenure.
Samson and Barry-Murphy previously worked together during the 2019/20 season at English Football League side Rochdale, where Samson spent six months as part of Barry-Murphy’s backroom staff before moving on to Hibernian in the summer of 2020.
As reported by BBC Sport, Samson’s arrival at the Welsh club ends a lengthy search for a candidate to oversee Cardiff’s senior and academy goalkeeping setup. Furthermore, Glen Williams of WalesOnline reported that Barry-Murphy confirmed the appointment ahead of Cardiff’s Championship fixture against Blackburn Rovers.
As reported by Glen Williams of WalesOnline, Barry-Murphy stated:
“We’ve finally made some progress and everything’s in order, I think”.
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What Background Does Craig Samson Bring to the Bluebirds?
Craig Samson boasts extensive experience within both playing and coaching roles across Scottish and English football. During his playing career as a goalkeeper, Samson represented numerous Scottish clubs including Kilmarnock, St Mirren, Dundee United, and Motherwell, alongside a spell in England with Hereford United.
Upon transitioning into coaching, Samson served as goalkeeping coach at Sunderland under Jack Ross in 2018 before taking up his role at Rochdale in January 2020 under Barry-Murphy.
Following his brief stay at Rochdale, Samson spent two years at Hibernian before joining Aberdeen in February 2022. At Aberdeen, he worked under several managerial tenures including those of Stephen Glass, Jim Goodwin, Barry Robson, and Neil Warnock. He subsequently returned to Hibernian for a second stint as goalkeeping coach under Nick Montgomery and David Gray, which concluded in September.
Background of the Particular Development
The position of goalkeeping coach at Cardiff City became vacant in May following the departure of Gavin Ward. Ward had served the club for two years, having initially joined under former manager Erol Bulut.
Following structural changes within the football department and the arrival of Brian Barry-Murphy as head coach, the club prioritised adding experienced backroom personnel with familiarity in Barry-Murphy’s coaching philosophy.
Samson’s existing familiarity with Barry-Murphy’s tactical demands and training methodologies made him a primary candidate for the position. Having completed his departure from Hibernian in September, administrative details and contractual agreements were finalized to allow Samson to join Cardiff’s first-team coaching staff.
How Will This Development Affect Cardiff City and Their Goalkeepers?
The appointment of Craig Samson is anticipated to bring much-needed stability and specialised instruction to Cardiff City’s goalkeeping department. Having operated without a dedicated goalkeeping coach since May, the club’s senior goalkeepers and emerging academy prospects will benefit immediately from Samson’s daily tactical and technical guidance.
For head coach Brian Barry-Murphy, securing a trusted colleague reinforces his backroom infrastructure. Samson’s background in Scottish top-flight football and English league football equips him to handle high-pressure environments, which could directly translate to improved defensive metrics and set-piece organization for Cardiff City.
For the Cardiff squad and supporters, the completion of the coaching team signals structured management and operational focus as the club seeks consistency in their domestic campaign.
