Hi I'm the guy who wrote the original letter so let me first say that I too am very appreciative of everyone who works on behalf of Cougars whether in a paid capacity or not so you won't hear me knocking them. Let me also say that I wish the current Directors every success as that will also mean success for Cougars; it may also stop them being vilified by ill-informed people in the way that Neil Spencer has been should their stated intention of Super- league in 5(?) years not be achieved.
I totally support the right of any supporter to express a view, I accept that they may,or may not, agree with me but can we please get the facts right.
Talk of burning photographs in the middle of the pitch because of "what he has done"? Come off it!
Lets get the facts first.
Neil Spencer has devoted literally thousands of unpaid hours, over a period of 26 years to Cougars. He has invested tens of thousands of pounds of his own hard earned cash to Cougars. He has been, and remains, a lifelong supporter of Cougars and is still working for Cougars and the Keighley community in his role with the Academy/Foundation.
Cut him open and it will read Cougars all the way through from top to bottom.
Neil Spencer has stuck by Cougars through thick and thin when others have walked away. He deserves rather better than people sniping from the shadows anonymously.

Let's bring some other facts to the table then, not just the carefully selected ones that you have posted in order to construct your contribution to this debate.

Neil Spencer presided over the club when it went in to administration on more than one occasion.

Neil Spencer misled fans, the very life blood of this club, by telling them after winning the Grand Final a couple of years ago that the clubs finances were in good shape and we were in a position to make all the signings necessary in order to make us a competitive outfit in the Championship. The truth was we were hundreds of thousands of pounds in debt and 10 weeks away from going in to administration and receiving a 9 point penalty condemning us to almost certain relegation. Many fans have walked away from the club for good because of this. He's never apologised.

Neil Spencer would fail the RFL's fit and proper person test for being a director of the club, so why then should he be considered fit and proper to be a club president?

To be honest I could go on and on and probably break half the AUP whilst I'm at it. The fact is that his time has been and gone, his guardianship of the club was fraught with turmoil and strife and we nearly went out of business altogether. We need to move on and move forwards. Appointing him as a club president would, in my opinion, be a backwards step.

My final twopenneth word on this, to the best of my understanding one of the conditions set by the rfl before the current directors could be allowed to run the club was that Neil Spencer cannot hold any role in the club as has been alluded to the rfl deemed him not fit and proper person so I cannot see how even if the directors were considering Neil that they would be allowed.

There are in my view others that have been mentioned by posters far more well deserving people at the club.

Franka you seem to be missing the point you must be only fan that I am aware of that actually believes Neil brought club to oblivion and I for one after hearing all the crap after grand final win that financially the club was ok, clearly this was misleading to say the least and the way he treated Barry Eaton and the players and fans is unforgiveable and I almost called it a day at going to watch the club.

The time Neil spent at the club was a personal choice and has no relevance to the fact regardless of the actual sums involved destroyed peoples and rfls faith in his running of the club, remember this was not the first time.

By even considering Neil for this role is rewarding failure and as Stealth said previously Neil liked all the back slapping when things were looking good and when things went wrong has never apologised to the club, fans or anyone so it is an insult to anyone who has supported the club and would alienate everyone bar yourself.

Using your logic why not employ Andy Coulson as communications director.

Can I just add a few words.? First I note that the points I made about what Neil has done for Cougars is not challenged and I am pleased about that because they are irrefutable facts. Secondly, I don't know where the information that Cougars owed hundreds of thousands of pounds came from as I understood it to be considerably less than £100k owed to the tax man. If I am wrong then you must have a direct line into Cougar finances...
Regarding the RFL; the post of Life President is an honorary role and he or she is not involved in the running of the club. Neil has, with others, tried to make Cougars successful. I believe it is better to attempt something, no matter how difficult it may be, than to not take up the challenge.If everyone just stood by Cougars would have been gone years ago.
I might also add that over the years many players have enjoyed life as part of the extended family of Neil and Maureen, at no cost to the club, and they keep in touch because of their warm memories.
Finally, Neil has gained nothing personally during 26 years of supporting Cougars except a quadruple bypass amongst the highs and lows. Disagree if you must but please don't knock a man for trying.

As a supporter of the cougars man and boy since i was 9 (33 years ) i remember lots of highs and lows during Neil spencers time at the club both on and off the field..... We may do well to remember that he has personally ploughed a small fortune into the club and stood firm while many many others (players supporters and other staff members) just walked away.
Yes there was trouble with the inland revenue , but , to be honest is there any club doesn't owe money to them ????
I have spoken to Mr Spencer on numerous occasions and found him to be very friendly and approachable at all times , and a true supporter of the club. So , don't just remember bad times - give him credit for the good times too !!!

Paying his family a fortune and bringing loads of them for free meals etc so he has got something out of it as well.
He cost the club our place in Championship if he gets this role i would consider my support for the Cougars, this guy is a JOKE.

I can't dispute those facts because they are fair and valid points. Although your final point regarding Neil's heart problems is a hypothetical argument.

I can't deny there are positives regarding Neil, we even won 2 grand finals although it could be argued that they were pyrrhic victories as far as the club was concerned.

As regards the debt, although it was HMRC calling in what they were owed that did for us, it wasn't the only debt that the club had.

do you know what, its people like you tht r nobodies n think u know everything when really you dont have a clue wht u are talking about one little bit."US to forgive him" [edit by guess who, no need for swearing]?? a minority down there that think u own the place!!...u need to get a life, ur nothing but cowards saying things that r untrue n not even having the balls to put ur name to it! u know nothing....pathetic, jealous, sad people n u need to grow up n get a life.......id love to know what all these bad things r that neil has sposed to have done??.....

there would have been no cougars if it wasnt for him and not to forget colin also, but u forgt all tht! so maybe u either need to shut up with ur twisted nasty words n wake up!! if u knew the truth then ud realise but hey u sad people make ur own stuff up n believe wht u want!!! dont know wht u think is so high n mighty about that thats running "ur" club now,- u dont know them at all bcoz if u did u wudnt be saying what u r! i could list a few home truths about them n her that has now left....but oh no u think the sun shines out of her backside too!!.....

n rach i thought u out of anyone u wud have had enough decency to know different n know that yes he does deserve that title!!....

you make me sick that you can say that about his picture......you know nothing!

Excuse me ...but where did I get dragged into all this... personally I find it all a bit embarrassing ..

I'm distancing myself now from any comments made by ANYONE on this thread ...NUFF SAID

seriously u dnt have a clue what u r talking about at all......why dnt u try asking helen herself...see if she will speak abit of honesty for once!!....she is one that knows what went on. neil has nothing to apoligise for, hes done nothing but put his life, soul n ALOT of money into that crappy club!! . he was cheated. i wish u would share ur identity bcoz i would tell u to ur face.....ur a sad loser, n y ud think u cud break half the AUP list haha...does tht make u feel special saying things like that!!!!! ur talking alot of [edit by guess who. No need for swearing] about something u know very little about........get real n knw th facts b4 u go shouting ur filthy mouths off. or have the guts to bear ur name.

and as for u saying hes not a fit n proper person, i couldnt think of a nicer more honest n genuine man..... is gary??? do u know anything about him n what he has done?? or are u once again making things up to believe, so u feel btter about urselfs......

Nice to see the education system worked on Sadpeople, spilling and gramma veri pour.

Ok, there are reasons for and against for Spencer, however, there have been a great selection of other people named in this thread who have given to this club, continue to give to this club and have NEVER taken from this club and NEVER been associated with or directly put this club in major jeopardy and therefore MUST be head and shoulders above Spencer in the run for this position

Only one thing left to say - GAME OVER

As they would say on Facebook, I like this posting!

As we can all see. There are people for Neil and people against Neil.

There is no doubting Neil has done a lot for the club. He has also done things to alienate fans.

I would not vote for Neil, for the way the two groups of people wanting to help raise funds for the club. In the form of the independent associations were treated.

James McGrath.

Now this is getting locked. Some people have stopped the chance of debate by using this site to air views the wrong way.

If people cannot post in a civil manner, without trying to disguise swearing then in future don't bother.