Ford signed initially for the Featherstone Rovers as a youth in 1998, before moving on to the Sheffield Eagles, and then Castleford in 2008.
Ford made his first-grade début whilst playing for the Castleford Tigers in Super League in a 28–6 win away to the Warrington Wolves in 2009's Super League XIV, and he went on to make a total of eight appearances, scoring once.
During his playing and early coaching career, he was a lecturer at Wakefield College.
[6] In October 2022 Ford resigned from York to become assistant coach at Super League club Wakefield Trinity.
[8] He was later announced on 18 Aug 2023 to take over as head coach following the sacking of Sean Long.