A FORMER Keighley Cougars player is celebrating a personal promotion.

Matt Green has landed the manager’s job at a plumbing depot eight years after joining the firm as a driver.

The 40-year-old earned his transfer to the Skipton branch of James Hargreaves Robin Depot after a successful spell as assistant manager at the company’s Keighley branch.

Matt said “It was certainly a nice surprise. I was always looking to make the step up, so to be offered the manager’s position was just the job.”

A one-time hooker for Keighley Cougars and Hunslet Hawks, Matt attended Tong Upper School and Bradford College before starting his working life as an electrician.

He later moved into window and conservatory fitting and finally into exterior boarding where he worked on some huge projects including student accommodation, colleges and Hope Hospital.

It was after his switch to the plumbing and heating industry that his career started to blossom.

Now leading a team of four, the Leeds United fan is keen to further improve the Skipton branch which is located on the Jaycee Business Park, on Keighley Road.

Father-of-two Matt said: “We have a really good team here and everyone mucks in together. It is already a busy branch, but I am aiming for a month-on-month increase in business.

“My primary role is to look after customers and give them the best possible service; if you do that the rest tends to follow.”

Bill Davies is the sales director with James Hargreaves Plumbing Depot which has a number of branches across Yorkshire.

He said: “To be able to promote from within is always pleasing and Matt has earned his chance; we are confident he has what it takes to make a name for himself as a manager.”