Former Featherstone coach Ian Fairhurst has joined former Keighley team-mates Gary Moorby and Paul Moses on the Cougar Park coaching staff.

Fairhurst had a distinguished playing career at Keighley and also served as the club's reserve team coach. Following coaching stints at Hunslet and Huddersfield, he took over from Peter Rowe as head coach at Featherstone but was harshly sacked, said Moorby.

"Ian was a little bit disillusioned with getting the bullet at Featherstone but he feels he has a quite a lot to offer the club and the game and will maybe prove one or two people wrong along the way," he said.

"He is a very, very good coach. He is very good technically and tactically. I've been really surprised that he has been out of the game for so long.

"We are all from the same era and we all go back over 20 years, so it's nice to be reunited.

"I'm delighted that he has joined us. He's got a load of experience coaching in National League One, which will be advantageous for us."

Moses, who had been struggling to balance his Cougars workload with other commitments, is to take charge of the under-21s, with Fairhurst to join Moorby in charge of the first team.

"I see it as a real benefit all round on the coaching side," said Moorby.

"He will help bring on the 21s in leaps and bounds. I know they will be very well coached and very well looked after with Paul in charge."

The Cougars have signed Australian goal-kicking half Craig Nipperness, who trained with the club last season but could not sign due to immigration restrictions. Changes to the working visa regulations have allowed Moorby to finally get his man.

"He's actually played in Newcastle Knights reserve grade, so he's no dummy," said Moorby.

"He's played New South Wales Country representative football as well.

"We moved fairly quickly to bring him on board when I realised the criteria had changed. He trained with us last season and he just looked the part. He's got a very strong physique and is a very good footballer. It's a real good move to get a guy like him."

Moorby confirmed that Paul Ashton and Ian Sinfield would be leaving the club to join Swinton.

"I'm disappointed but I don't see it as the end of the world. It's sad to see them go but it was their choice and at the end of the day I don't want anybody at Keighley that doesn't really want to be here. They've got to have their hearts and souls in the club. Several of my players have been approached by other clubs and the majority of them have re-signed with us.

"The guys that have gone, I wish them luck, but at the end of the day I only want players here who have a 110 per cent commitment to Keighley Cougars."