GARY MOORBY has returned to the club he loves most to take over as coach of the Cougars -- and is already making an impact.

The local boy who reached the top of the sport as a player signed as senior coach at the club on Tuesday, making it the only club in rugby league with an all-local line-up in the boardroom and on the coaching staff.

Chairman Neil Spencer and Colin Farrar, both Keighley-based businessmen, rescued the club late last year and Gary completes the Keighley 'top team' with his friend and former playing colleague Paul Moses continuing as his No2.

"It's a tremendous honour to be given the chance to come back to the club which gave me a start in the professional game and I think that with everyone pulling together we can really make an impact with the Cougars again," he said.

For Neil Spencer the opportunity to sign a local man as head coach was a dream come true.

"We set out to make it a truly local club for the people of Keighley and Gary is well known as both a player and a coach.

"He will have learnt a lot working alongside coaches in the Super League in recent years, and can bring all that experience to Cougar Park. He is a great guy, and his aims are exactly the same as ours - to give the people of Keighley pride in their club," Mr Spencer said.

Gary played his early rugby with the Keighlians rugby union club and moved to Lawkholme Lane in the 1978-79 season before moving to top clubs St Helens and Leeds.

After reaching the top of the sport, and picking up a John Player Trophy winners medal, he returned to Keighley for his last three seasons as a player.

He later turned to coaching, working alongside Peter Roe as coach of the Under-21 team at Featherstone Rovers. He spent a spell coaching Keighley Albion in the National Conference league, where Paul Moses was also his assistant, before being asked to join Super League club Halifax Blue Sox as coach of their Under-21 side.

"It was good to come back to the club and help out as a player, and it is even better to come back now in my first job as chief coach. I wouldn't have applied for the job if I didn't think I could make a positive contribution -- but I don't have a magic wand," Moorby said.

He will certainly need the magic touch to drag the team back from their 66-0 defeat by Huddersfield Giants on New Year's Day.

He was sat in the stands for that match and as the Giants ran riot against the smaller Keighley outfit it became clear he needed to add to the Cougar Park squad.

And he hasn't wasted any time.

Twenty-year-old Richard Moore, another home grown talent, who signed for Leeds and is now with Bradford Bulls is set to sign on a month's loan deal.

"He was a superb talent with the Cougar Cubs and the town's youth team, but was snapped up by Leeds. He is now a giant and should really lift the squad," Gary said.

Negotiations were also close to being finalised to bring Danny Ekis, 20, from Halifax to Keighley. He is 15 stone and a whisker short of 6ft and also plays at prop forward.

Both are expected to make the squad for Sunday's game against Sheffield Eagles at the Don Valley Stadium.