KEIGHLEY COUGARS have appointed Matt Bramald as their head coach.
Bramald replaces Ian Hardman as number one, with the former Featherstone great leaving the club earlier in the month.
Hardman himself took over after Danny Burton was in interim charge for the first three games, two of them in the league, following the departure of now Oldham boss Alan Kilshaw.
Bramald’s coaching career began as head coach of the Cougars’ reserves and under-21 side before joining the first-team coaching staff.
The 53-year-old, who had spells as a player with Featherstone, Dewsbury, Batley, Hunslet and Keighley, worked as an assistant to Barry Eaton and Jason Demetriou.
Bramald would later work in the youth set-ups at Featherstone and Castleford before making the move to Hunslet as their assistant coach.
Bramald said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be returning to Keighley Cougars as head coach. It’s a club I know well and one that means a great deal to me.
“There is plenty of hard work ahead, but that challenge is exactly what excites me. I’m looking forward to meeting the players, getting onto the training field and beginning to build a team that works hard, represents the club and the town properly, and gives our supporters something to be proud of.
“I’d like to thank everyone involved in the appointment for putting their trust in me. I genuinely can’t wait to get started.”