Keighley Cougars have already started to lay the foundations for a swift return to the Championship after their relegation was confirmed last week.

Next year the Cougars return to Championship One after just one season in the second tier but coach Barry Eaton is confident of a strong title challenge.

Those ambitions have been bolstered by the retention of key quartet Andy Shickell, Ryan Benjafield, Jamaine Wray and captain James Feather after all four committed to the club for 2011.

Fellow front-rowers Scott Law and Brendon Rawlins are expected to quickly follow suit before Eaton begins to fill the remainder of positions.

"It's really good news," said Eaton.

"There will be another handful of players signed next week and the process of building a squad for next year is well underway.

"We want to bounce straight back and there's no doubt those four are key players for us but everyone's played a key role for us this year. I am just getting the front row out of the way before moving on to the rest.

"The squad of players we have now is there or thereabouts the squad that got us promotion to the Championship.

"I have no doubt they are far better equipped now than they were last year. They can go back down and win Championship One."

Eaton's playing budget will remain almost unchanged next year despite relegation, with the club keen to build a winning team capable of restoring the feel-good factor at Cougar Park.

To cover the costs, Keighley are making a huge push on ticket sales, with a focus on rekindling the passion among stayaway fans throughout the town.

Eaton said: "We've got to have a big drive on increasing gates next year.

"We are very grateful to the support we've had this year but we've not had many floating fans return.

"A winning team will help us get people back and we've aalready been out and around the town looking to drum up support, and we're carrying out surveys to find out where those fans have gone."