I couldn't agree more losing the likes of JD, Obst & Korkidas was always going to leave a big void this season was always going to be a tough order for you. Lets hope Korkidas' butchers shop gets shut down in another horse meat scandal & he comes out of retirement & back to Cougar Park Chins up guys you did play some decent rugby in the first half good luck for the season & I hope to see you at the LSV

Can I be 'devil's disciple' here and put another point? I would suggest the call for Marchie's sacking is useless as he is a proven coach whose record speaks for itself. Looking back who can remember criticisms about Phil Larder when we got a tonking up at Whitehaven, the team was bood off the pitch and he eventually left in the wake of relative failure? Jason Demetriou's ability was questioned when we lost at London Skolars and South Wales. We were within 40 minutes of a disastrous season in the 2011 play-offs but came back in the second half against Rochdale. Some people look back to the 'golden days' of 2012 season but many others considered it a failure that the 'Manchester City' of the Championship could not mix it with the Featherstone's and Halifax's.
Looking back at yesterday's game, for twenty minutes we had Leigh rocking and I would suggest that it was only when Buster Feather went off that Leigh began to run through our defence; have a look at the stats. Marchie's recruits such as Paul White and Sean Hesketh to name two, have been in my opinion the stand-out successes this term and it is only some of the long-standing players who have still to step up to the mark.
I am sure that the gloom on the terraces transmits to the players and we may be partly responsible for some of the results. Marchie's dismissal can only destabilize the club when we need it the least. Lets get behind Marchie and our team and give them all the support we can – in any way we can.

Some pretty fair points there.



This is just what we said - our game changes markedly when we hit the interchanges. Is this a tactical issue or a player issue?

Times like this are difficult for fans, players, coaches and directors alike. We have not only lost players from last year but we have a significant injury list too. I'm not a fan of "knee jerk" reactions and would much sooner sort this internally, we would emerge a much stronger team if we could. The only problem is the clock is ticking and no one wants relegation to the division of death.

It's never been easy being a Keighley fan, this year more than most.

Seems to me that cougar fans are looking for a scapegoat, rather than supporting the team and the club. A lot of things on the forum are aimed at Mr Fawcett and Paul March. I will say one thing before Mr Fawcett can do anything he will have to talk to board of directors and it has to be agreed just like most board of directors of any company does, nothing else you can do!! Paul is trying his best for his team esp we have lost a few good players such as Korki, JD, Obst, etc but we have to get this team up to where we was last year or better. A lot of these players feel the lost of the game when we do lose, but do most of you actually support the players? stay behind wait in the bar and chat to them BECAUSE thats when they do feel the support as well as being out on the terrences. I didnt see many of you staying behind, can name a few! very quick to be on here seems to be the important thing at the mo for some of you!
Yes i agree Lawkholme Len with what you have put, but some people are quick to slate coach, team, and board!
Well Thursday we know we are going to lose as Fev are a good team, but get over it, we will get there if we just continue to give out postives to the team rather than the negatives!

here is a postive from Leigh Coach,
Rowley added: “Keighley aren’t a bad side. They’ve been through a big transition and they’ll get better over time. They’ve some good personnel.

“Everyone talks about Paul March being rugged, but he’s also a smart footballer and people forget that at times. He epitomises what Keighley are all about.”

Right, lets sit back and 'give them time ' ,see what happens , let them gell etc etc etc,
the only problem is we don't have time,,the league of doom is stood on it's tiptoes
peering over the wall at us ....... ending up back down there would be total disaster.

Also about the comments about supporting the players , I and 99.9% of others do, I have done
for over 35 years that's why I do not want ti see them relegated to the basement division.

thinhs must change and quick.

Yes you are right things must change, but new team, new coach, takes time, working as a team doesnt happen overnight, yes good point of sit back and give them time, and it will get better over in time as we go along. After all its the players and coach that play on that pitch and do all the hard work!

Well Burleycougar support them instead of slating coach and directors then!

Maybe instead of the gloom that you are bring with you to Cougars, maybe bring a bit of sunshine

I do support them,to the tune of every home and away match this season except one,
I have supported them most of my life, it isn't gloom I bring it is reality ....... we are not performing,
not getting the points and to be honest it won't be just the 'big' teams we struggle against ,
we have not got the right coach and we have not got a leader on the field either..... things will he tough
all season due to the shambles of the link up with the Super League teams.
We can all debate on here 24/7 but the matter of fact is if we do not improve both on and off
the field we will be going down.

This site really cracks me up some sometimes It really is like been in a school playground. As we all know this forum is for anybody no matter if there a fan or not, young or elderly and no matter if they have been a fan for a week or 50 yrs. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but the stuff that gets on my nerves is the petty comments of how long someone has been a fan, a true fan, loyal fan, who supports the team the most, axe to grind, hidden agendas oh and now you have to go into the bar after the game to speak to the players to show your support Well as the saying goes if you can't beat them join them so this is for you dkmcougars and mystery which I have a feeling I know who you are

I am now in my 20th year of supporting the cougars and apart from this year and the games where we have played in france I have always gone to nearly every home and away match to support the boys. I have also up until a couple of seasons ago due to finances sponsored the club through a player, I have also given my time to repaint all the red steal work around the ground a couple of seasons ago, last year I donated about £260 worth of ply to fix up the boarding around the pitch in certain areas and have always spent money on a replica or 2 apart from this seaason as I don't like all the green or the design. So as you can see I or anybody else on hear as I know there is and has been a lot of good people over the years that has bent over backwards for this club have to explain there support. Yes this is pathetic but its a point that I have had to make.

Now onto the shambles, I have spent sometime looking at the squads from last year and this year just to see what real change has happened. Please feel free to add any info that might be missing or correct anything thats wrong. Last years squad looked like this, Craig Moss, Jamaine Wray, Brendan Rawlins, Olly Pursglove, Gav Duffy, Danny Lawton, Richie Barnett, Ben Sagar, Neil Cherryholme, Danny Jones, Sam Obst, James Haythornthwaite, Danny Snowden, Jy-Mel Coleman, Korkidas, Feather, Lewis Reed, Shepherd, Josh Lynham, Jonny Storton, Clough, Richard Jones, Jonny Simpson, Jesse Sheriffe, Jodie Sheriffe, Paul March, Semi Tadulala, Shickell, Ryan Smith, JD.

This years squad, Craig moss, Duffy, Barnett, Lawton, White, Williams, D Jones, Leatherbarrow, Shickell, Feather, Hesketh, Pursglove, Rawlins, March, Wray, law, J Sheriffe, J Sheriffe, Sagar, Reed, Shepherd, Smith, Peltier, Mathew Bailey, Jo Chandler, Cherryholme, Lynham, Snowden, Ben Stead, Charlie Ecclestone, Jack Copperwaite, Ryan Patchett, Jordan Aitchison, James Haley, Walker (cas).

Now when you look at the teams in my opinion apart from Mossy who I think can add something to the team at the minute, who else have we got out that will honestly hand on heart come in and win games for us or if you look at it in the way that everyone else is who are we missing that can come in and be the leader that we all want and need In my opinion no one. I totally agree with the post that Rach put on about our young local lads and I definately agree that they should always be included within in the 1st team squad but when the time is right. You could field a very good young local team along with our Sagar, Duffy, Feather and Pursglove but would they win games in the championship, no. Like I said I am no coach but I think a team like last year that had a mix of local lads playing along side proven, quality and experienced players is the way to do it.

One more thing I would like to clear up if I can, there is a lot of talk about how the big players last year was a drain on our club and did we really need to spend all that money. I don't want to reveal figures because that would break confidentiality and wouldn't be fare on the players but Tadulala was only paid when he played basically match terms so he didn't really cost the club anything as he rarely played and as for Korki and Obst they were looked after by Squad Builder. I have spoken to Mrs Proctor today and asked her if she would like anything putting on here for members and fans to see and she has asked me to put the following, If anyone has any questions then I'm sure Mrs Proctor would be more than haoppy to answer them. The only reason I am doing this is because Mrs Proctor does not do computers.

Mrs Procter "I have sent out letters to all SB members previously on the 12th Nov 2012 and then on the 14th Jan 2013 updating everyone about where the money is being spent and what is been planned. I have also asked for some help to organise events and other ways to raise money but have had no response. I would like to clear up where the money has been spent previously and what is happening at the minute. Last year under JD SB paid for Danny Jones, Korkidas, Obst and Cherryholme. It also helped to bring Coleman. This year it is paying for Danny Jones, Brendan Rawlins and Sean Hesketh. There is currently no money in the pot to bring in new players as everything that comes in is just paying for the 3 players mentioned. I am finding it harder to get monies in from members as a few have decided to cancel direct debits. It is a very dificult job to get new members to Join SB at the minute and unfortunately we get little support from the club in promoting SB. I would also like to add that every penny within the membership that is for Manorlands is always handed over to them"

Mrs Proctor is a lovely lady and has worked very hard to build SB to what it is which currently has about 55 members and she does it all for nothing. It would be really good if she could get a little help in supporting some of the events she arranges or even just by offering the time to help out with what ever she might need. One thing I have noticed from this is with the same amount of money for both JD and Marchy it is interesting how the 2 have spent the money on the calibre of players they have chosen. I don't enjoy going on about Marchy as the pressure must be immense around him but the balme does land with him and no one else, for some reason the team isn't working together. I am just looking at this realistically for example in simple terms if a team are making constent mistakes and losing as they are now then the blame has to fall on one person and that is the coach, it is Marchys responsibility to over look and be in control of the team and coaching staff. Now if this is allowed to continue, the board aren't seen to be doing anything and we continue to lose and get relegated then the blame has to fall on the Board. I can't see how anyone is looking for a scapegoat as far as I can see we are just stating the obvious that Unfortunately we are running out of time and a BIG decision has to be made sooner rather than later.

You've voiced some pretty well reasoned thoughts there, but if you think this forum is like a playground you should visit some of the others on this site )

The other question is "how are we going to afford an experienced, proven coach and all the new signings he would want to make"?

Great post Mr Terrace,sort of says it all doesn't it.

With regard to Squad Builder, Mrs Proctor does a fantastic job and her position in the
Cougar Community should be right up there at the top,the question of support by the board
of directors should not even be an issue .......SHAME ON YOU GARY FAWCETT & CO ,
Is it not time this issue was sorted out Mr Fawcett , Mrs Proctor should be given 100%
Support from the club as it would be in a much worse state without her.

One other point I would like to add is that the beginning of last season and the closed season before
this season I offered to provide totally free of charge items of club promotional memorabillia
( keyrings button badges fridge magnets etc) and also offered to sell them on match days
but never got answers back despite 3 direct emails and 4 phone calls to the club.
Another phonecall about another money maker I offered to finance ,promote
and run was never returnred. Not great housekeeping eh ?

Come on Mr Fawcett et al let's all have some sort of input, if we can't have your
head on a plate then can we have support for Mrs Proctor and other fund raising
ideas ?????

Without being pedantic, it does not say it all - it says it from one persons perspective