KEIGHLIANS are celebrating the club's most successful season for years tonight -- but the edge has been taken off the event by the injury of key player Carl Smith.

Smith, 29, was taken to hospital after being injured in the club's last league game of the season, when they beat Northallerton 48-13 after already securing promotion to Yorkshire Division One.

At first the full extent of the injury was not appreciated, but the influential full back had shattered his hip and has had to have the joint reconstructed at St James' Hospital in Leeds.

The injury is expected to have ended his rugby playing career.

"Carl was a key member of the team and played a big part in their success," said club chairman Bob Swift.

Smith was a mainstay of the club's success this season with his running from defence and solid tackling. During the capaign the team has won 27 games and lost just five, scoring over 680 points in the season.

Among the highlights was a double victory over neighbours Skipton in which Keighley scored 98 points in the two games and conceded just 10.

"It has been the best season for the club since the Second World War, and it is still a very young side," Mr Swift said. There is still room for improvement in the years to come."

Team secretary Alden Phillips added: "The best wins of the season were away at West Park Bramhope and away at West Leeds when we needed to win to ensure promotion. the biggest disappointments were the injury to Carl and being knocked out in the first round of the Yorkshire Cup when I thought we had a real chance of winning it -- we just had an off day.

"Probably the best thing about the season is that it was a real team effort. We have no real stars, but everyone worked together and produced a superb team spirit."

The club is holding a celebration buffet lunch on Sunday to mark the success, which has also seen the club's A team enjoy their campaign. They hoped to put the icing on the cake for the club last night (Thursday), when they were playing Otley 3rd XV in the semi-final of the Skipton Properties Aire-Wharfe Cup. The winners of that match will meet Ilkley A in the final.

Keighley beat West Park Bramhope 22-7 in the first round and followed up with a thrilling 27-25 victory over Baildon in the quarter-finals.

Keighley have reached the finals of the competition five times, but have yet to win.