I also have not posted for a long time on here as I try to bite my tongue as far as things at Cougars are concerned after I voiced my concerns last year and have been verbally attacked and threats made towards my friends and family by people connected to the board of directors last season when I simply said that people needed to stand up to the mark or walk away, but I feel I need to speak out after yesterday.

It breaks my heart to see the downward spiral this club is in. Its like a whirlpool and building up speed and momentum as each week passes.

The time for changes in now. These changes need to start from the top and right the way down. I am not asking for anyone to go in particular, what I am saying is it needs running correctly. The ground should be manned every day. Season tickets should be sold from an office, from behind a desk. Away travel should be able to be booked there too, along with private parties, functions, weddings etc. Club merchandise should be available to order, collect and buy.

The ground needs cleaning. Rubbish needs to be removed. Bin liners of glass bottles, food waste and toilet rubbish should not left in the car park. Its a disgrace, an embarrassment and totally uninspiring to anyone coming to use the ground, whether that be players before training/game, fans coming to support the team, or people coming to book the bars for a venue. I will happily give up a Wednesday during the day to help with tidying the ground, but I will not do it without the directors getting me the tools, paint bin bags required first. I could also do a Saturday too.

The bars are looking better in certain areas, the chairs are tidy, tables fine and its not as dark in the hall of fame since the walls were painted cream, but the available drinks is shocking. How can people stay behind and spend money over the bar when there is nothing to buy. Players and people left yesterday due to not having the alcohol of choice available. On a Saturday evening when the club advertised on Facebook, bring your ladies for a valentines day treat and there was two thirds of the bar pumps empty. The bars need to be a place people want to stay, have a drink with mates and enjoy a great beer. We are in Keighley - one of the best places around to get real ale with loads of microbreweries within the town and nearby town of Skipton. The bar should have food such as pie and peas, chip butties, sausage sandwiches available to fans after a game, not just during it. Whatever the players have for tea, make extra and sell it in the bar for £1.50, don't over price as people with food will stay for beer.

I then think around 45 mins after a game there should be events or bands on to keep people there, but these need to be well advertised and suitable for all. Race nights, Beetle drives, Bingo, live bands. Its not hard and its not rocket science, if the club looks after the fans, then the fans will stay and bring more with them.

The team needs a good shake up too. The team yesterday was a mixture of young, old and too old, but as Dean Hanger proved, if the mindset is correct age is not a barrier. The fact that one of our own young players who hurt his shoulder at the same time as when Paul March scored his great dummy try in the first half, was shouted at by Handforth and told "To get the Fook up and out of the way" or very near to that, which was heard on the terracing by the fans is just appalling and totally inappropriate. He is a rugby player and if he is injured, hurt, then that is what he is, rugby players do not fake pain and fellow team mates should help, aid and inspire each other. Then the discipline is horrendous, I totally agree we should not take things from other players, we should not be pushed around on the field and the players should not be dominated by other teams, but they is a difference in being physical and in being stupid, idiotic thugs, and at times yesterday the players were more like thugs. Our most senior, experienced players should not be sin binned and red carded. At this rate the club will be spending more money paying players fines then their wages.

I have offered my time, and skills to this club time and time again, and I will always be there to offer it again to help in ways which I can, I am happy to help clear the ground and prepare activities for children on a match day. I do believe that if everyone helps in a little simple way, then the club can pull itself back up and turn things around, but it needs to start quickly and people need to pull together not apart.

Jeff,understand what you say but like

next poster says it's getting rid of

someone on the basis of the whole time

He's breen at the club not like you say

a few friendless.Nice post Sam.

Tiger Handforth is possibly worse than P march in my opinion. Not just yesterdays game but in nearly every single game i hear him swear.



However yesterday was absolutely disgusting. He swore at the touch Judge and then called him a Bast*rd right in front of a ball boy and a ball girl that must have been around 10/11 years old. At that point someone either on the pitch or off the pitch should have told him to calm down.



1 minute later he assaulted one of the All Golds player for no reason. It could of been any player. He was intent of fighting with someone as he was so worked up. I suppose though what can you expect when you have the March brothers in your squad. A disgrace to RL them two. They where before they joined Cougars and still are now.

We need a team to be proud of.

We can only do this we a coach who is a leader.



We have a Coach unfortunately who leads by example.

Sadly that example is a total disgrace and embarrassment to Club when it comes to discipline.



The fans appear to not only woken up and smelt the coffee but are articulating real concerns.



I hope a constructive appropriate response and action comes from the Club to restore the fans faith and the Clubs repeatedly damaged reputation.



I will not hold breath as I could turn blue.

I understand Tony, it just seems wrong to get flustered by friendlies, as dire as they have been.

Swearing at family events is a pet hate of mine but usually involves someone in the crowd.

Now that we have smaller crowds, we can hear the players over the background noise. I seem to remember Barry Eaton being a real swearer even JD wasn't immune. If you go down to A team or academy games the swearing coming from the dugout can be quite embarrassing. Again, you can hear it all because there is no background noise to cover it.



However, I can understand an adrenalin filled player in a heated moment letting rip, it's human nature.



I think the favourites tag we have been given by the bookies will mean more games like this week where sides deliberately wind us up. If that's the case it could be a very long and scrappy season.



We can't allow sides to try to rough us up or push us around, sometimes you have to "push" back.

I am reminded of some of the quotes from Dad's Army - 'were all doomed' springs to mind let alone 'they

dont like it up em' and not forgetting 'don't panic'!



As a fan I will support the current team and regime,warts and all, (what other choice is there?) and I (hopefully) will still be here when they are all long gone. Being promoted this year would be great but if it doesnt happen we have another go next year - its not the end of the world. Not going bust again is for me the most important thing.



Nothing I say will I am sure have any influence anyaway, but with hindsight giving Marchy a two year contract may have not been the right thing (but still too early to say) and I can't see how the Board could back out from this now. Without money coming into the club we have to make do with what we have. I am really looking forwrad to the Season proper. Come on Cougars!!

Hi Dreamer , it is not just about the friendlies , it is the whole picture.



Last season when I was posting comments about the same subject I was constantly berated by various members here , now most of them have

seen the same problem and are just as angry with the situation.

,

Let's not mince our words here , the club is at it's lowest ebb for years ,

We have been relegated to the league of doom with what looks like no chance of

getting out. So maybe Sundays appauling show of aggression and indicipline was

the straw that broke the camels back.



Do we want to keep watching crap rugby against carp teams with crap attendances or do we want better ?

Some interesting comments.



[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18331352This Is Being Tried - Despite Critics,Cynics,and Those Against It[/url





[url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2948224/Derby-s-success-term-no-swearing-policy-says-coach-Paul-Simpson.htmlProof In The Pudding?[/url

I can forgive poor commitment to the ball, self preservation, the odd missed pass, move gone wrong, defensive error, attacking error, comedy moment in friendly games. This is what they are for.



They are not an excuse for the other behavior and indiscipline.



It needs gripping quickly and dealing with before small crowds become no crowds or club.



I have been talking to 2 families who will not bring kids due to the language.



I am sure there are more.

Great Post Sam, couldn't agree with you more, yours and Rachel contribution and others like you to the club over the years has been invaluable, its what the Cougars were always about, a good family community based club. I was more than willing to give the BOD, time to find there feet. But they appear to have lost the fans, lost the ability to communicate with the ordinary fans, and basically lost there way. My advice to you Gary listen to the likes of Sam, Rachel and other's they have a lot to offer, there is more to the Cougars than just the sponsors bar, Sponsors like directors, coaches and players will come and go, but the fan on the terrace will still be there, yes we are few in numbers but we are still there.

Too right , involve the community ....