Trio To Hang Up Boots

[Cougars News]

Keighley Cougars can today confirm that the trio of Ash Lindsay, Paul Handforth and Paul White will retire from Rugby League following Sunday’s game against the York City Knights.

Ash Lindsay joined the Cougars in 2014 following a near decade spell with the Batley Bulldogs and Sunday’s game will be his 59th and last for the Cougars and his 262nd and final match in a career which has seen Ash lift the Northern Rail Cup in 2011 with the Bulldogs and the 2016 iPro Sport Cup in May with the Cougars on the back of winning the 2015 Player of the Year award.

Lindsay also enjoyed a spell with the Dewsbury Rams at the start of his career, helping them win the National League Two play-offs in 2004 and will be best remembered at Cougar Park for his humour and laughter off the pitch and his hard running and desire on it.

Paul Handforth also arrived at Cougar Park in 2014 after a two year spell with Halifax RL and will make his 69th and final appearance for the Cougars on Sunday which will mark his 369th and last appearance in a career which began in 2000 with the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

Handforth has also enjoyed spells with Castleford Tigers, Featherstone Rovers, Doncaster RL and Batley Bulldogs during his lengthy career and amongst his honours are the 2004 National League One title with Castleford, the 2007 National League Two play-off victory with Featherstone, Northern Rail Cup glory with both Batley and Halifax and the iPro Sport Cup this year with the Cougars, a final in which he was awarded the Man of the Match award.

Tiger will be best remembered at Cougar Park for his now famous Magnet & Steel half-back partnership with the late Danny Jones and his fercious leadership skills on the field that led the Cougars to some great victories and glory this past May in Blackpool.

Paul White joined Keighley in 2013 as one of Paul March’s first signings as Head Coach and Sunday’s game will be his 100th in the Red, White and Green and his 289th in his career.

Top try-scorer in the past three seasons, Whitey needs at least two this Sunday to be within a chance of retaining the crown for a fourth consecutive year, on top of that he scored the Cougars opening try in the iPro Sport Cup Final in May, one of 80 he has scored since joining the club from Halifax.

Whitey made his debut for the Huddersfield Giants in 2003 and has also had spells with Wakefield and Salford in his career and amongst his personal accoloades are the 2008 National League One and Northern Rail Cup double with the Red Devils, a season which he finished as the division’s top try-scorer, and being part of the Halifax squad that lifted the 2012 Northern Rail Cup.

Paul will be best remembered at Cougar Park for his attention and advice passed on to the young players at the club and a collection of eye-catching tries, the most memorable of which was his Superman effort away at Oldham last September.

Everyone at Keighley Cougars would like to thank the three for their services to the club and would like to wish them all the very best in their retirements.

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Excellent players ash an hanforth haven't seen much of white but his pedigree speaks for itself well done las