COUGARS this week named the new management team which will take command following the departure of managing director Nick Crossland and other senior managers.

Marketing manager Gary Murgatroyd, who has worked at the club for almost two years, is to take over as General Manager and other members of the management committee will be Steve Deakin, football manager, Jason Ramshaw, community manager; Jeremy Potter, financial manager and former shop manager Gillian Ogden.

The Cougar shop in Cavendish Court is to close completely this weekend, but will be open today, Friday and Saturday. It will then return to the ground for the immediate future.

"The aim is to find a shop in a more prominent position before the start of next season," Gillian said.

Former director Mike Smith has also returned to the club as an advisor after spending the winter near Marbella in southern Spain.

"Despite what some people have said he is not a director and neither is Allan Clarkson. Mike Smith is helping out as we go through a period of restructuring.

"Management strategies have been put in place over the last few months and that means we now do not need very expensive officials. They have done a job for the club and Nick is now returning to the bank, but will continue to help us on match days," Gary Murgatroyd said.

The club has also refused to release details of their meeting with officials of Yorkshire Co-op last Friday. It is understood that Cougars planned to put forward a plan which would allow them to buy back the freehold of the ground, they would then be able to make progress with new plans for development of the ground.

Gary Murgatroyd said: "Understandably they do not want to negotiate through the Press and we will not be making any comments."

Steve Deakin is concentrating on getting his team back on track following their defeat at Whitehaven on Sunday. "It is going to be tough playing two games over the weekend, with Swinton Lions coming to Cougar Park on Friday evening, and then making the journey to Hull KR on Monday. We are certainly having to do it the tough way at the moment and it doesn't look as if any of our injured players will be back.

"It would be foolish to risk Nathan on Friday night because another ankle injury could set him back a month. Daio Powell has broken his arm, but fortunately it is not the same one he broke before. But he will be in plaster for 2-3 weeks followed by 4-6 weeks rehabilitation."

Deakin is planning to bring former Cougar, Joe Berry, back into the first team squad over the weekend and his will be joined by Jimmy Walker and centre Gareth Hooson.

"The one thing about Sunday's game was that it looked like we had run out of petrol. After very physical games against Workington, Widnes and Leigh, coupled with the injury situation, we looked a tired side.

"It takes time for new players to settle into key positions and we are going to have to grind out results over the next few weeks. The spectators, the players and myself want to see exciting rugby but the results are what count at this stage of the season.

"I've been through the video of the Whitehaven game and we have looked at what went wrong and how we can put it right. Although we didn't play well we had two good tries disallowed and almost every decision seemed to go against us," he said.