If Brad Drew is still without a team would we not be better trying to bring him to the club. He must be a mate of Demetrious as they played at Wakefield together. His experience would work wonders this season for us and bring the young half backs on leaps and bounds. We did well to retain most of the squad we have had for the last few seasons, but to lose the best try poacher and one of the top 3 scrum halfs in the championship, do we have time to see how well our rookies do. If we dont go up this season we may well miss the boat on the new plans for the championship

Mr Hicks who would pay his wages? Are you offering? Back in real world the club would not be able to meet his wages. Whilst we lost Jones and Pres we have to move on. I have faith in the squad Barry left in place and with which JD seems happy with, do not get me wrong should chance to get Drew etc it would be great but sadly unrealistic at this time.

How do you know if the club can afford him or not?

Whilst I agree that a player with Drew's craft and experience would do wonders for the Cougars, he will not come cheap. If the club could afford him and he was a viable option maybe that would have happend before now.

There seems to be a lot of "fantasy" cougars coaches trying to JD's job for him at the moment. We are but 3 NRC games into what will be a long and hard season. Would the appearance of someone like Brad Drew solve the lack of creativity at half back like a magic wand. No, he too would need time to adapt to a new squad. Would we give him 3 games and then try and replace him with someone else?

JD has as much experience in SL as Drew so lets give him the time to work with these players and decide. I personally like what JD is doing and can see some improvements. I'm not saying these young lads don't have some work to do, but lets respect what our coach is doing and at least give them time and support. If in 5/6 games time we are still having the same debate then maybe there is an identified weak area that needs attention, but until then lets get behind them.

Safe to say there then that the super league in 5 years is unrealistic as well then cause you need to commit to quality players to be in super league i would of thought

P.S. Shouldnt Spencer or his son pay Brad's wages for all they milked out of the club

Ive watched Keighley since 1967 so im not someone who slags the club off at matches or in private. I think the club is going fine and certain people in charge have the club at heart. At the moment we seem to be a team of forwards with no backs to play behind them. There is the "5 year plan" which looks 20 years away. With Swinton and Oldham looking very strong, promotion is anything but certain. So lets gets realistic guys and keep our fingers crossed

Mr Hicks - I agree the 5 year plan looks anything but realistic. I, for one, raised a eyebrow when I heard it first mentioned. However, lets be thankful we have a chairman at the helm who wants the club to move forward. Lets not criticise his ambition, did the last Chairman have that same ambition? I would love to see the Cougars in Super League. We should never have been denied years ago, but don't get me started on that. Entry to SL is about so many variables these days. In 1967 it may have been a simple case of winning the league, but not anymore.

Would Brad Drew signing for the Cougars make that situation any different?......................NO.

The chairman you refer to with so much ambition never shows his face at any of the away games. Would a player of Brad Drews quality get us into Super League........NO, but it would go a long way to helping us out of this almost amature league we find ourselfs back in

"Amateur league" - I'm sure the players will have some issue with that comment. Would you give Brad Drew more than the 3 games you have given the other half backs. You state you don't slag the club at matches, or in private, but have just had a pop at the Chairman on a forum?

You'll have your own view and I'll have mine. We obviously don't agree on this matter and I think we need to stick with our young half backs for the next few games and see how they go, rather than throwing money at something that may not be broken. The jury is out of the half backs, but let's give them time.

Not really saying its a amature league, its a figure of speech. Gateshead, London, Doncaster and South Wales if we take away free tickets do not attract crowds of more than a few hundred and bring maybe a car full of people if were lucky to away games. How can this be good for any clubs average attendance. Im sure Albion vs Town would attract a similar crowd on a cold Saturday afternoon and they are amature.
Im not having a pop at the chairman im just stating a fact that "he never goes to away matches"

I've never seen 500 people at Albion Vs Town.

I don't often go to away matches myself so I can't comment, but at the end of the day when the club was in administration he was the one that took the club on and is now trying to move the club forward. That deserves respect alone.

It is not exactly rocket science!!

Spymaster, i think your the only one who knows where im coming from.

Dominance, if you read my last post i never mentioned 500 the term i used was a couple of hundred.
The reason i started the post was not to slate the club or directors, it was my thoghts on not having a recognised half back in the team and the fact that we need one

Mr Hicks - I think Spymaster was making a comment in relation to GW's comment, hence the quote.

I accept the reason why you started the post and it has prompted a good discussion. We obviosuly have different views. I think others factored the discussion re SL and the directors and I have merely given my view. At the end of the day that's what this forum is for.

Just a quick reply to the chairman not being at away games. Cougars have 3 main directors, they are all busy men, 2 of which with families with young children. We all know that supporting cougars is expensive and hard work, especially if you have other family commitments that happen at the weekend. Our chairman, tends to do other things with his family every other weekend. The 3 main directors take it in turns to make sure at least one of them is representing the club at all games. In the current times is anyone really saying that our chairman is not doing the right thing by spending time with his young children when the cougars are not at home.

Well put.

Indeed. Why shouldn't he spend time with his family.

Im afraid theres only one director that goes to away games theres no taking it in turns

Not sure what it matters which director goes to be honest intended or not it comes across as you have axe to grind with chairman, unfair to do it on forum like this as why should any official of club respond to what seems as a dig. Any questions of personal nature are best raised with the individual direct. Mr Hicks if I have misinterpreted what you meant accept my apology.

How come this thread has gone from 'Brad Drew' to 'Directors who do not attend away games'?

That said, I can't understand why any Director worth his salt cannot, or does not, introduce his family to the game that he must love!

Supporters do, so what makes them different from the rest of us?

You've simply got to look around the terraces today to see why EVERYONE, including our Directors, needs to introduce the next generation(s) to 'The Greatest Game'.

As far as I'm concerned, there's NO EXCUSE for families not to be together but, that said, THEY CAN BE TOGETHER at Cougar Park, or anywhere else where the Cougars are playing, just as I, my wife and our two children were for over 10 years, both home and away.

It's all part of life and keeping the family together with a common interest.

So, if attendances are to increase then our Directors SHOULD and NEED to set an example just as the 'Two Micks' did. The 'Cougar Family' needs to be resurrected.

Think you might find 666 ,that one of the reasons some of our our directors don't in
the main attend away fixtures is that they have youngsters who turn out for the local amateur junior sides on a Sunday and therefore need no introduction to the 'greatest game'

So long as there is representation from the club at each game which certainly is the case ( at Dewsbury there was at least two of the board in attendance plus every full time member of staff from Cougar Park was also there either involved on the pitch or sat in the stands) does it matter who it is ?

Everyone has their own priorities , I'm cutting short a weeks holiday down south so I can get back to watch the lads at York , but that's my choice, and everyone is entitled to make their own choices.

You have no idea of the finances of the club. Why not just say it.

You have no idea what I know so chill out, however I stand by my previous comments.

And i stand by mine.
You have no idea.