Cougars: Club set to launch Super League bid

The surprise move will take place despite last week's defeat by Leigh which prevented the club going to the top of the Northern Ford Premiership table.

"I was disappointed with the result. but thought our performance was fantastic. Any team in the country would struggle if they lost three of their key players and we competed despite being without Nathan Antonik, Martin Wood and Darren Carter.

"Now we are confident we can take on - and beat - anyone in the division and the time has come to declare publicly that we want to get into Super League," SteveDeakin said.

The move comes despite a previous decision not to apply for promotion until at least the end of the next NFP season.

"We believe we have the team and the structure for development in place to go for Super League now if we win the play-offs and want to be in a position to go ahead," Deakin said.

This week there has also been a shake-up among the backroom staff at the club which will see the departure of Chief Executive Nick Crossland, finance chief David Farrar left several weeks ago and bar manager Robin Jaques and administration assistant Rachel Chapman is also set to leave.

Marketing manager, Gary Murgatroyd, who is due to take on the role of General Manager was keeping tight-lipped about the 'restructuring' and the Super League move yesterday.

"All I can say at this time is that some ambitious plans have developed and if everything comes together it will be a very exciting time for the club and for Keighley," he said.

But the biggest stumbling block to any application to join Super League will be the state of the Cougar Park ground. Although some clubs in the top flight have yet to meet the demands of Super League's own ground criteria the present Keighley set-up will fall far short.

Although several ambitious improvement plans have been drawn up over the years they have all come to nothing. Hopes to develop the ground further have been held up by problems over ownership of the site.

At the end of the 1980's the rugby club's land was sold to Yorkshire Co-op who built their vehicle repair workshop on the former Royd Ings Road training ground and used an area on Hard Ings Avenue for a petrol filling station. But it is understood the club is due to meet with Co-op officials in a bid to buy back the freehold of the ground.

Speaking about the Super League bid Steve Deakin said: "It is a great opportunity for local businesses to foster good relations, not only with the only professional sports club in Keighley, but also with a vast number of people in the district."

He added: "Part of the criteria which Super League will look at is the average gate of the club and I would like to make a personal plea for the 3,000 Cougar fans who attended on Sunday to give us their backing every home game, they can also play a big part in making this bid a success."

On the field he was delighted with his team's performance against Leigh after Nathan Antonik was injured in the opening minutes.

"I was disappointed with the result but over the moon at the performance of the team. The game went right down to the wire and I couldn't have asked for any more, one thing we have to remember is that every game is just another step on the way to the play-offs."

This weekend the team travels to Whitehaven and a late decision will be made on whether Nathan Antonik or Darren Carter can return to action.

Chris Ross could also be called up from the A team to make his debut with Carlos Sanches also likely to make the trip to Cumbria.

"It will not be an easy game as Whithaven have improved considerably under coach Paul Cullen but we have taken a close look at their game and believe we can beat them," Deakin said.

n Keighley and Craven School's Under-15 team is to play London Schools tomorrow in a arm-up game before Cougars A team take on Whitheaven at Keighley.

The Schools match will kick off at 12.30 with the A team game due to start at 3.00pm.