Some pretty fair comments there. The current theory, and practice of "if you can catch em young, they will stay" is not guaranteed without some further effort. If you stand in the South stand at Leeds, there is a much younger age range than Cougar park.

I have discarded nothing mike, the only thing dropped was 1 piece of music because the fans on these very forums said it was too cheesy and they didn't like it.

If any thing we have retained the ethos of cougar mania by all players having their own piece of music, something done by no other club in rugby league. To be fair lately it's the same 3 or 4 players scoring so people have not really had chance to listen to all the players music.

Getting singers to perform at cougar park is something I did off my own back, if you would rather I didn't then speak up now.

I will when I get chance make a post on here listing every player and their tune so you can all give your opinions. If it was down to certain people you would have a robot on the pa system.

I will not get drawn into an argument with mike smith because I have better things to do with my time.

I think the bit of music Mike refers to is the Cougarillo tune.
I think I was the only person who liked it. Personally I thought it ok.

Some people I consider friends having heard it on a video I posted said they hated it.

Others off the forum put it a little stronger and I removed my video and I think Dave may have removed it from the play list for the same reason.

The knew music for coming out is good, I have heard nothing other than positives about that.

So many things are improving, Rome was not built in a day.

What was done in the 90s was so ahead of it's time it is untrue.

Without those great ideas Bradford Dulls would have nobody's ideas to steal.

I think some things have changed slightly and in particular our need for being
entertained as a crowd is different as is our disposable income.

It is a difficult balance between finding the thing which lifts the matchday experience
but at the same time not reinventing the wheel or becoming too cheesy.

I doubt we will get everything right first time, but with people like Mike Smith and others having an input and constructive and honest feedback then it can only continue to improve.

Like Stealth, I was a child when Cougarmania was launched first time around. I will never forget that first game in 1993. I know we've all matured since then (well I hope so), but honestly something just seems to be missing and I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it was new and innovative. I'm not sure what we are doing now is innovative and maybe we need to think out of the box so to speak.

I recall the back of last season bringing my two girls. Apart from the frustrations at the turnstile with having to go in separate to my two girls, once inside they got a balloon. Then they got a pencil case with goodies inside and they loved it. From the moment we walked in the ground it was buzzing and friendly. Now, some months on that doesn't seem to happen and it's flat from the start. I know the club can't give things away every week, but that's just an example of my experiences.

As far as 'Cougarillo' goes then it makes me cringe!

Roll-on Mike but it would appear that your comments will always fall on deaf ears!

By the way, for a supporter for over 50 years, who actually owns the Club at present? It would be nice to know!

I don't mind paying my money but, unlike the BSE sufferers from down the road, if I inject any of my 'hard-earned' then I would want a voice (which means that I would like to be a shareholder) instead of throwing my money into the abyss!

Most people around the age you mention are now irritating glory hunters.

They walk around in a new B***ford or Leeds shirt bought from JJB Sports every season and then watch the games on Sky Sports. This is the sort of fan who has been created by Sky's heavy involvement in the game.

I had the urge to vomit when I was on my way home on a train last season and it was full of people in Leeds and B***ford shirts on the way back from that game, most of whom got off the train at Keighley.

Rugby league is different to football in the fact that most large towns have their own team. To follow the likes of Leeds or B***ford would be to follow someone else's team in my opinion. I struggle to understand it.



All of them recorded songs are an embarrassment.

End of.

Same thing in Batley mate , walk round town on a saturday theres more wakey , bulls , leeds shirts than Batley ones out shopping

Where are the junior matches? pre game - Rugby in Keighley has dwindled at the junior game, not sure how many junior teams exist to be honest ?? (bob??) Rugby is dwindling altogether and has to compete with Euro football, Olympics, Tennis, BBQ`s, Queens Jubilee etc which have more of a pulling power. Not sure why fans go to Bradford Bulls from Keighley to be honest -. When we are on Tv a little bit of kiddology wouldnt go amiss, fill the stand opposite the cameras, make it look like a place worth having a visit too. High visibility in the town centre. I know a lot of work is being done at schools etc and with the Your Sporting Chance. Young people are the future of the club, as I have said before on this site for the price it has to be a day out, a happy day out, one you wish to have again and again. Entertainment has to be uplifting, building up to excitement. Cant wait for team to come out etc. Half time tug of war, kicking the ball, furtherst one away wins (juniors for a small prize) . Family stuff.

I miss stand up bingo... guessing there was a good reason they stopped it? It was a lot of fun as a younger supporter walking across the pitch until one of your numbers are called out

Love the avatar Soupy ..A real blast from the past !!!

Thanks, I found in my old bedroom. Must have saved it. Got it free I think at my very first game I watched.

Soupy you have hit the nail on the head with your avatar. A simple foam hand that costs next to nothing. Gimmicks and merchandise pull in crowds. Theres an advert for EDF energy at the moment and its some sort of blob creature. It gets people talking. Even in the pub last nite we had a big conversation on what it was and my freinds were saying they have never heard of EDF and now they have. (yes we lead an exciting life). Also two of my friends actually went on Ebay and paid £11 each buying a small toy version of it. Maybe the club should come up with some gimmick like they used too. They club may loose money to start with but maybe just maybe more people may come down to watch the team.

Keighley Cougars are by far the biggest sports team in Keighley and for a large town surley there is more support to gather down to Cougar Park. Bradford City manage to pull in at least 10,000 every match and their level of football is shocking but still fans turn up home and away.

We need urgantley to attract more younger fans because at the moment we have a large number of fans who have been there for years and all they want to do is have a go at the ref. If i went to my first game at Cougar Park and witnessed what i do every match from the same people i would think that its a very hostile enviroment so i wouldnt want to bring my Family and i would only go away telling people that all Keighley Cougars do is have a go at the ref.

Would kids like them being handed out around Keighley while people are watching the Olympic torch before the Batley game?... All takes time and money though, which are both at short supply at the club. Could make a difference though if it was possible?

Well thats it then. Is the kick off ahter the Torch run??? Maybe if we had a visable prensence in the town centre before the game and maybe hand out discounted/free ticket, merchandise, etc we may get more folk down. The club are saving their time and money by the people of Keighley allready been in one place rather that going around individual groups. On Sunday will be the first time in Keighley for a long while where everyone will be celabrating something together. It would be a shame to miss a publicity oppertunity like this

I really could not agree more that this is an opportunity for the Cougars to market themselves and piggy back the torch relay. If they really want to they could do so much to get some people down to the ground. I wouldn't think this would cost the earth. I agree that handing out discounted tickets/merchandise is a winner. The club are competing against many factors, the financial downturn being the main one in my eyes. The club could make the Batley game into a pre and post match spectacle to generate some fans, but there has to be something in addition to discounted tickets etc that makes them want to come back. The performance on the pitch is a factor, but what they see from the moment they walk in the ground with events, side shows etc. They need to reflect after the game and enjoy the experience. Just seeing the Cougars win with some free singer pre-match is not going to do that. I know the club doesn't have a blank cheque to throw at this, but a marketing/entertainment budget for the Batley game is a must and I would see as an investment.

I wouldn't expect much though because I do think the club are a little guilty of just expecting folk to turn up and don't want/can't afford to go that extra mile needed. I wouldn't expect on the merchandise side either as the club are unable to fulfill merchandise orders from fans in April!