By Ben Dirs

Millward sacked by St Helens

Former St Helens coach Ellery Hanley says the club were within their rights to sack his successor Ian Millward.

Millward succeeded Hanley in March 2000, but the Australian was dismissed on Tuesday for gross misconduct following three charges of swearing.

"Coaches have to abide by particular rules. You cannot step over the mark," league great Hanley told BBC Sport.

"Regardless of how successful you are - and who you are - you have to treat everybody in a fashion that's fair."

Saints claim Millward used foul language to a Saints employee, who subsequently tendered his resignation.

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The club also claim he swore at Warrington's press officer Gina Coldrick and at a fourth official at the Super League game between St Helens and Bradford on Easter Monday.

Millward has already announced that he intends to appeal against his sacking.

If the coach knows from an early stage that swearing is unacceptable there can't be any divider between rules for one person and another Ellery Hanley

But Hanley - who has also held coaching roles in rugby union with Bristol, Bath and England and with Castleford in last year's Super League - says that if the allegations are true, Millward has little defence.

"If the allegations are true, I don't think anybody can talk to anybody else in such a manner," he added.

"I'm sure Ian Millward has enough words in his vocabulary to refrain from using such words.

"If the coach knows from an early stage that swearing is unacceptable there can't be any divider between rules for one person and another."

Millward guided Saints to five major trophies during his five-year tenure at Knowsley Road and they are currently second in the Super League table.

Fans divided over Millward exit

But former Great Britain skipper Hanley believes the club will not be derailed by the 44-year-old's exit.

"St Helens will be OK. The players will build the bridges and they'll stay strong, they're professional enough," said the former Bradford, Wigan and Leeds star.

"It's fresh in everybody's mind just now. If you've got a bunch of guys who are some of the top players in the Super League, you'll no doubt finish in the top four anyway.

"There's only five clubs who are going to contend anyway - St Helens, Wigan, Bradford, Leeds and Hull.

"Saints will be all right because they've got a strong base of players."