COUGARS chairman Gary Fawcett has been advised he has a “strong case” for a legal challenge against the RFL following the club’s relegation from the Kingstone Press Championship.

Fawcett met with leading sports lawyer Richard Cramer of Leeds-based Front Row Legal on Thursday as the Cougar Park outfit consider a legal fight with the governing body.

Cramer told Fawcett the club has three options to pursue: Sports Resolution, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, or outright litigation for damages in the High Court.

Fawcett said: “We had a good meeting with Richard Cramer on Thursday morning and he believes we have a strong case with options regarding the way we can pursue it.

“We are awaiting for a proposal from Front Row Legal and then we will decide on the best course of action for the club.”

Paul March’s side were condemned to the fifth and final relegation place on Sunday with a dramatic 26-24 defeat by Featherstone, who scored a last-gasp try.

Rivals Batley preserved their status courtesy of a 34-10 win over Doncaster to stay up by a solitary point.

Fawcett is adamant the decision to not punish Batley for fielding an ineligible player has led to Cougars’ relegation from the Championship.

He is questioning how the Bulldogs were effectively unpunished for breaching dual-registration rules and fielding an ineligible player during a win against Sheffield on July 27.

John Kear’s side were deducted three points by an RFL operational rules tribunal for playing Jacob Fairbank, who had failed to meet the minimum requirement of three matches on dual registration to make him eligible, with the second-row scoring a try in the 28-18 win.

But that sanction was quashed on appeal after the club had provided “fresh evidence relating to previous historical breaches of operational rules by other clubs which had not faced similar sanctions”.

Fawcett is reluctant to take the matters to court but is urging the RFL to consider a “solution” that would see Cougars restored to the second tier in a potential 13-team Championship.

He said: “Litigation is the worst course of action for our sport and it is with a heavy heart that I even consider it.

“I have appealed to the RFL to come up with a solution that is just and equitable for all concerned.

“There have been some sensible suggestions made since Sunday by people who love our game. We're happy to talk.”