KEIGHLEY Cougars co-owner Ryan O’Neill has called the club’s relegation from the Betfred Championship “heartbreaking”, and admitted he has made mistakes in a disastrous campaign.

He appeared to question the attitude of some of the big names the club brought in and feels that if Cougars had made the necessary changes sooner, they would have stayed up.

Keighley started brightly, winning five of their opening 10 league games, but after Rhys Lovegrove was sacked and big-name players departed, a disastrous middle of the season saw the side plummet down the table.

They recovered somewhat under new boss Matt Foster but went down on points difference on the final day after losing 24-16 at London Broncos.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Charlie Graham scores in a brilliant home win over London earlier this season, but it was a defeat to the same opposition on Sunday that sent them down.Charlie Graham scores in a brilliant home win over London earlier this season, but it was a defeat to the same opposition on Sunday that sent them down. (Image: JT Sports Media.)

Asked by the Keighley News if he and the board had any regrets this year, O’Neill conceded: “A lot of mistakes were made this season, because we wouldn’t be in the position we are otherwise.

“We probably thought we could buy our way up the league and that took priority over building a team of players who gave 100 per cent for the club.

“That’s my biggest regret, that we went too expensive and too quick and it just didn’t work.

“Matt has brought a new dynamic and leadership and our recent games have been more exciting than those earlier in the season, like us beating Batley and Barrow and those narrow defeats to Halifax and London.

“My biggest regret is that we didn’t bring Matt in sooner, as he’s had an exceptional impact, and I wish the team had bonded earlier.

“Life is a learning curve, and I’ll come back wiser and stronger as a co-owner.

“I’ve learnt more in the last eight months than I did in six years at university.”

Many felt Cougars wasted too much time and were distracted by rallying so fiercely, yet ultimately fruitlessly, against IMG’s ‘Reimagining Rugby League’ proposals earlier this year.

But O’Neill insisted: “We felt it was a fight worth fighting, but it didn’t distract us.

“We just feel that promotion and relegation is integral, and with four of us still fighting to stay up on the final weekend, it was very exciting, so I hope people see the impact that has.

“But we accepted the vote and we’ll work with the proposals from IMG, a lot which are exciting.

“We’re building our new stand, which will increase attendances, and it’ll be good to have modern LEDs and a big screen installed.

“There are a lot of areas where our points score will be going up, despite us being relegated.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Keighley Cougars are modernising their old school Cougar Park ground, and not before time.Keighley Cougars are modernising their old school Cougar Park ground, and not before time. (Image: Stephen Barnes.)

That does not mean O’Neill has not been hit hard by seeing his beloved club go down, saying: “It’s beyond disappointing, it’s heartbreaking and frustrating.

“So much has been put in by so many people, but that move up from League 1 was a big one and we’ve not done enough to stay up.

“We’re still positive and we’ve just got to crack on with next season now.

“We’ve got to keep working on building a great team on and off the field.

“But off the field already, I can’t sing the praises of Matt and (director of rugby) Jake Webster highly enough.

“We’re looking to build a team in their mould and I hope that helps us go up again next season.”