One of the few winless rugby league clubs in the top three flights have hired a new head coach to kickstart their season.
League One side Keighley Cougars have appointed Alan Kilshaw, the former Swinton Lions boss, after his return from a spell working in rugby league Down Under.
Kilshaw was the former head coach at Swinton Lions but was subject to a lengthy RFL investigation in 2024 following the Lions game against Widnes Vikings in July.
The RFL’s investigation went on until December and they handed Kilshaw a three-month ban, suspended until 1st December 2025.
Kilshaw had already left the Lions following their relegation from the Championship and had headed back to Australia, where he was appointed Director of Coaching and Development with Queensland-based club Oakey Bears.
He has previous League 1 experience with Rochdale Hornets and Hunslet RLFC, getting the first promoted and the latter up to second place in 2023, their best finish for 10 years.
The Cougars currently sit second-bottom of League One having lost their first four games of the 2025 campaign so far, with only Newcastle Thunder sitting below them on points difference.
On Kilshaw’s appointment, Keighley’s board of directors were keen to get someone in with plenty of League 1 experience as they bid to kickstart their season.
In a statement on their website, the club said: “Alan has all the attributes and knowledge of the UK game to take this group and club forward.
“It’s been a rocky start to the 2025 Season and we, more than most, are not happy with how things are shaping out on the field, but there’s plenty of time to get things right.
“With the group of players we have at the club, we are sure we will be fighting towards the back end of the season when it really matters.
“We thank Jordie Hedges for stepping in as Interim Head Coach who has held himself impeccably and to the highest of standards, who now reverts back to his role as Assistant Coach.”
Kilshaw’s first game in charge at Keighley will be against his former side Swinton on Sunday afternoon.
