Keighley Cougars' centre Simon Irving is to take over as player-coach of Huddersfield Rugby Union Club.

The 31-year-old joined Cougars in September, 1994, and was an integral part of the side which clinched the double of the Second Division title and the Premiership later the same season.

Irving left Cougars last summer for Leeds Rhinos, but returned at the start of this season when he was also appointed the club's commercial manager.

However, he has now agreed to join Huddersfield and will be unveiled next week by the North Division Two club.

Irving was football manager at Cougar Park when Daryl Powell was in charge of the side, and was keen to return to coaching. He will stay as a Keighley player until the end of the 1998 campaign.

He said: "This will be my last season at Keighley, and hopefully we can finish off with a bang. Coaching is something that I wanted to do and wanted to get back into it.

"The best parts of my rugby career have been spent with Keighley and I have enjoyed it immensely. I am struggling to play at the moment, but I hope to be fit soon."

Powell and Irving's rein at Cougar Park was one of the most difficult in the club's history as they were seriously hamstring by financial problems.

Several key players had to be sold as the crisis deepened, but Cougars still managed to finish third in Division One - a tremendous achievement. However, despite the off-field problems, Irving said: "Unfortunately we signed our contracts three weeks before the club went into Administration. We cut the contract bill in half, but still finished third after a sticky start to the season.

"It was a credit to a lot of people who were fighting for the club. Daryl will go on to be one of the top coaches in the future. Full credit to the lads at the time as well. Under difficult circumstances, they pulled through with every place meaning an extra £50,000 to the club."

Irving scored 22 tries and kicked 152 goals when Keighley stormed to the Second Division championship in 1994-95 under Phil Larder. He has proved a great servant to the club and is one of the best goal-kickers Keighley have ever had.

Irving started his rugby career with Cleckheaton in the same team as British Lions star John Bentley, while last season, as well as returning to Cleckheaton, he also played union for Wakefield.

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