ANGRY fans have accused Keighley Cougars’ owners of decimating the club’s heritage.

Supporters hit out following the removal of the Hall of Fame from the bar area at Cougar Park.

Framed photographs, biographies, cuttings and memorabilia relating to some of the rugby league club’s stars from across the years – which adorned the walls – have gone.

Michael Ford, who set-up the Hall of Fame about two decades ago with fellow supporter David Kirkley, said he was “deeply saddened” to hear of its removal.

“The basis behind setting it up was that there was nothing in the bar area relating to the history of the club or even suggesting you were at a rugby club,” said Mr Ford.

“Former players were ‘elected’ to the Hall of Fame by fans.

“The first two to be inducted were Terry Hollindrake and Norman Foster. About 16 followed in the next couple of years and there have been more ceremonies since.

“It’s important to recognise – and have pride in – your club’s heritage.

“The Hall of Fame was instituted to pay respect to that heritage, but it appears the respect is not there now which is very sad.”

Mr Ford, 70, who attended his first Keighley rugby league game when he was just eight, hopes the public acknowledgement of the club’s stars and history will be restored.

“The Hall of Fame was purposely created in a public area where fans could see it and there was every expectation that it would be there for perpetuity,” he added.

There has been strong condemnation on social media of the club's actions, with furious fans hitting out.

In a statement issued on its Facebook page, Keighley Cougars – responding to what it described as “rumours” circulating about assets being stripped – said the Hall of Fame was "safe".

And it spoke of plans once the club comes out of special measures, which were imposed last November after wages went unpaid.

The club said: “The Danny Jones collection, Hall of Fame and the historical programmes are at the ground and safe.

“Heritage is important, and we understand this.

“One of the first tasks after we come out of special measures is to work with the fans and club historian to set-up a museum and work with local schools on a history project.

“This will showcase the proud heritage we have and we are confident moving forward we can add to this heritage in a positive way.

“We understand we have bridges to build with the community and we are planning work to do this.

“We’re working with the Rugby Football League to come out of special measures and are hoping this will be solved within days.

“Once this has happened we will release to Cougar fans and the wider rugby league public our plans to move the club forward.”

The special measures have embargoed Cougars from signing any new players.

A deadline imposed to allow the club to draft in a squad of 17 players on trialist forms was extended for a second time until Thursday (Jan 24).

A takeover bid for Cougars has been rejected.

A financial offer for the club from a consortium led by ‘Cougarmania’-era figures Mick O’Neill and Mike Smith, for an undisclosed fee, was refused by Austria Holdings representative Shane Spencer.