Keighley Cougars have shared a statement confirming that owners Ryan O’Neill and Kaue Garcia will step away at the end of the season, with the next few months shaped around finding suitable new owners of the West Yorkshire club.
In an emotional statement that detailed the highs and lows of their seven years in charge, the pair confirmed that ultimately they had made the ‘difficult decision to step away’ from their roles as custodians of the club.
January 2019 is when a consortium led by former owner Mick O’Neill, the father of Ryan, bought out the club as they were saved from special measures, with the club going on to have success in League One, when they won the competition in 2022.
That saw them promoted to the Championship and despite spending heavily, they finished 13th and were relegated with both O’Neill and Garcia vocal in their opposition to the introduction of IMG grading and what they deemed ‘spreadsheet rugby league’.
They felt that effectively closed the door on promotion to Super League for ambitious clubs and after confirmation that a salary cap will be imposed in the Championship from 2027 onwards, that belief will have surely only strengthened.
Their statement explained: “In the light of the changes made by the RFL, specifically making promotion almost impossible, over the last year we made the difficult but necessary decisions to reshape the club into a sustainable operation. That meant reducing expenditure and ensuring our budget reflected the revenues the club generates. We knew this would mean we would no longer spend at the levels we had in previous years when promotion was a possibility, but we firmly believe it was the right thing to do.”
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Keighley Cougars owners explain decision to walk away
The statement also pointed to the many recent examples of clubs either going under or having financial difficulties and not wanting Keighley to become another example, however, the statement also pointed to the vitriolic and homophobic abuse that the pair have received over the last seven years as playing a key factor in their decision to step down.
They explained: “No matter what decisions we make, there are always voices claiming we are ruining the club. Much of that criticism centres around our commitment to inclusion, our support for the LGBT+ community, and the accusation of “not knowing what we are doing” because we are a gay couple who supposedly know nothing about rugby. We heard countless times that we should “focus on rugby” rather than other initiatives.
“Yet despite the noise, we remained focused on our commitment and belief that Keighley Cougars should be a place where everyone feels welcome, regardless of background, religion, sexuality, or gender identity, we wanted our club to be a home for all.”
They added: “We have never apologised for standing alongside the LGBT+ community, and we never will. However, the constant personal attacks have taken a toll bit by bit.
“Every defeat, every difficult decision, every player departure or coaching change often triggered another wave of abuse. While we fully respect every supporter’s right to express their opinion and hold us accountable, there is a difference between criticism and personal attacks.
“After the 2023 season, the volume and intensity of the abuse became overwhelming. It affected our sleep, our wellbeing and our mental health. We both experienced periods of immense stress and emotional exhaustion, to the point where we both were prescribed anti-anxiety medication. At times, the pressure became incredibly difficult to cope, so much so that we just wanted to up and disappear.
“In 2024, we released a video highlighting some of the abuse we receive. It sparked important conversations and brought attention to an issue that exists not only in rugby league but across sport and society. Yet the cycle continues.”
As such, O’Neill and Garcia have opted to walk away with their next few months dedicated to finding new ownership that can continue to progress the Cougards.
After a lot of reflection we have made the difficult decision to step away from our roles as custodians of Keighley Cougars at the end of this 2026 season.
Their statement concluded: “Keighley Cougars has been a huge part of our lives for seven years. We have celebrated unforgettable moments together, faced challenges together, and poured our hearts into building something with incredible people by our side.
“To the supporters, volunteers, staff, players, coaches, and sponsors who have stood by us throughout this journey – thank you.
“Your loyalty, passion and dedication are what make this club special.
“Our commitment between now and the end of the season remains unchanged. We will continue to work hard every day to ensure the club is left in the strongest possible position and to identify the right people to carry Keighley Cougars forward.
“This club existed long before us and will continue long after us.
“We will leave knowing that we gave everything we had, always with the best interests of Keighley Cougars at heart.
“Thank you for allowing us to be part of this remarkable story.”
Very important message from Ryan and Kauehttps://t.co/gQT6TYZBgx#cougars #cougarmania #rugbyleague #keighleycougars pic.twitter.com/M3Aq2hJ94L
— Keighley Cougars (@Cougarmania) June 21, 2026
The Joker
June 22, 2026 at 11:42 am
Sad, but the bigots who won’t part with their cash, have won again!
Eric T Cat
June 23, 2026 at 1:12 am
What an absolute disgrace! A young couple with a love of our sport hounded out of the sport by ignorant cowardly bigots. They won’t step up, they won’t invest anything, they’ll just skulk in the shadows, undermining and abusing anyone who tries to help out their club and community in a positive ways. I’d suggest they should be ashamed of themselves, but they don’t have the intelligence to be ashamed, or even understand what they’ve done. These young men were running the club using their own money, losing money! Now how will the club move forward? It won’t, it will stagger on until the bank pulls the plug, and then the HMRC step in to put an end to it, and the end of Keighley Cougars. Where will the bigots go then to spread their nasty petty minded hatred? Where are these brave bigots? What do they have to say for themselves, let them explain and justify their actions, oh but they won’t cowards and bullies never do that, they’re cowards and bullies! I hope the couple find success and happiness in their future ventures and life together.