Ian Millward has applied for the post of assistant coach with the Salford City Reds.

Millward, the former St Helens and Wigan coach, is currently in charge of Championship club Leigh Centurions.

Salford are increasing their backroom staff and have invited applications for the role of assistant coach alongside Shaun McRae.

Millward clearly sees this as an opportunity to return to Super League and will be among the leading contenders for the job.

The successful applicant will work closely with McRae, football director Steve Simms and Mal Alker who has recently retired from playing to concentrate on a full-time coaching career.

Leigh bosses are fully aware of Millward’s interest in the job with the City Reds and are unlikely to stand in his way if he is offered the job.

Millward has worked as an assistant coach in the past at Canberra in Australia alongside David Furner.

He also fulfilled a similar role with the North Queensland Cowboys before being enticed back to England to rejoin his first club Leigh.

Millward is familiar with a number of Salford players. He coached Aussie stars Ray Cashmere and Mark Henry at the Cowboys and played a key role in their arrival at the Willows.

He also brought new signing Feka Paleaaseina to Wigan and recruited Vinnie Anderson when in charge of Saints.

Shaun McRae still has one year of his current contract to serve. He helped the club return to the top flight and was an influential figure in helping the club gain a franchise Super League licence.

Reds are still on the lookout for another utility player but have dismissed reports linking them with Huddersfield’s Martin Aspinwall and the Castleford winger Michael Wainwright.

Meanwhile, McRae was delighted with Matty Smith’s man-of-the-match performance on his return to Saints for the play-off clash with Warrington.

McRae said: “I fully encouraged Matty to go back for the play-offs and do his best for Saints.

“He was absolutely outstanding against Warrington and playing in the play-offs will round off what has been a good season for him.

“I hope he can go all the way to Old Trafford. “He certainly linked well with the Saints pack and created well having a big part to play in the victory.

“He came to me and asked me what I thought was best and I urged him to go and enjoy himself. “It’s good for Salford and we wish him well.”

Smith will definitely be going to Old Trafford for the Grand Final, but he is not yet sure in what capacity.

The 23-year-old scrum-half made his fairytale return after being recalled from his season-long loan spell at Salford after Saints lost both regular half-backs Leon Pryce and Kyle Eastmond, as well as the versatile Jonny Lomax, and had James Roby suffering through illness.

“Who knows? Kyle might not play in the next game but I’ve come back and played and I’ll do it again for St Helens,” he said

“Hopefully, I’ll play. I’m a Saints lad and I love the club.

“If I don’t play, so be it, I’ll come watching. I’ll probably go to the Grand Final if they get there.”

Contenders for the Super League Man of Steel accolade are expected to be announced today.

Warrington skipper Adrian Morley is expected to be shortlisted along with Wigan’s Pat Richards. Tweet