Keighley Cougars, who face Oldham in Sunday's Co-operative Championship
One Grand Final at Warrington (Kick off 3.05pm), will have a big
following of Cougar fans cheering them on.

The Cougars expect slightly more than 1,000 fans to follow them to the
Halliwell Jones Stadium as they bid to win the Grand Final, and earn
promotion to the Co-operative Championship in 2010.

Helen Carter, the Cougars' General Manager, said: "We've sold more than
700 tickets at Cougar Park and Keighley fans have also bought their
tickets via the RFL's Ticket Office.

"That'll mean we'll have in excess of 1,000 fans in the stadium and
shouting for the team. It'll certainly make for a fantastic atmosphere
because Cougar fans always make their presence felt by making plenty of
noise."

And the Cougars are also appreciative that their Championship neighbours
Halifax have urged their fans to take their seats early and cheer for
the Cougars.

Halifax play Barrow Raiders in the Co-operative Championship Final and
that game kicks off at 5.30pm, just after the Cougars v Oldham showdown.

Added Carter: "We're really grateful to Halifax for asking their fans to
support us and, in return, we'll call on the Cougar fans that stay on
for the Championship Grand Final to lend their support to Halifax.

"Its part of being in the Yorkshire Rugby League family and it builds on
the friendly rivalry that exists between the two neighbouring towns".

About 4000 from Fax making the trip so will make plenty of noise between us!

Apparently we sold more in 3 days than you lot had done. Wonder how many we'll be taking over then.

that's because your very wealthy in the leafy suburbs of oldham.

You've got at least double our town's population and then there's the surrounding areas aswell.

Rugby league fans in Oldham are always going to follow Oldham, are they not? Do you have many Wigan or St Helens fans around your way?

Most in Keighley seem to completely blank their local team and look towards The Super League with Bradford and Leeds being the usual choice.

We've 4 Super League sides within a 20 mile radius of Keighley. (Leeds, Br*dford, Huddersfield and Wakefield) Who have all nicked a load of the Glory Hunters we had in the 90's

Then there's Halifax, Batley, Dewsbury and Rochdale from Semi-Pro Ranks

Oldham have 2 Super League teams (Salford, Huddersfield) within 20 miles of them and 3 Semi-Pro sides (Halifax, Swinton, Rochdale)

It's no wonder why we aren't bringing as many?

I would agree there, you worded it better than me.

To be honest, I wouldn't really imagine people from Oldham following the likes of Salford or Huddersfield and so I'd expect that the majority of rugby league fans in Oldham are usually going to follow Oldham. I suppose Wigan isn't too far away, but I don't know too much about the rugby league fans in Oldham. We are unfortunate in the fact that we have two of the better rugby league teams nearby in Bradford and Leeds.

We're down to our hardcore support in my opinion and most of those who jumped on the bangwagon in the 90s have fallen away. We could of course do with a few more fans and I think that if we get promoted, we might raise more interest. I've always just wanted Keighley to be a stable team in the second tier personally with crowds of 1,000+ every week.

You'd be suprised how many "Glory Hunters" live in Oldham

I know a few that follow Leeds, Saints and Wigan.

Another problem we have regarding support like your goodselves is the Football fraternity that follow United or City.

Bit sad that people are'nt prepared to follow their home town teams. look on it as their loss cause thir missing a good craic

Wigan and Warrington are about 25 miles away and Cas is about the same from us.

The demise of the Bulls may see a few of those glory hunters come back.

It doesn't help when certain elements of the media are against us. The Target, which goes through most doors for free round here, haven't even mentioned us making the Grand final. The back page the last 2 weeks has been Sami Tadulala going to play kick and clap and Ben Burgess going to Sydney.

Fans are never going to come back (or come for the first time) if they don't know how well we're doing.

spot on Mick.