Keighley Cougars have announced the appointment of Matt Bramald as head coach for the 2027 season. Bramald returns to the club after holding coaching roles at youth and first-team level during previous spells.
Bramald's Playing Career
During his time as a player, Bramald represented Featherstone Rovers, Dewsbury Rams, Batley Bulldogs, Hunslet and Keighley Cougars, giving him extensive experience at Championship level.
Coaching Background
After retiring from playing, Bramald moved into coaching and previously led the Cougars' reserve and Under-21 setup before joining the first-team coaching staff. He worked as assistant to Barry Eaton and remained with the club when Jason Demetriou became head coach.
Bramald later developed his coaching experience at Featherstone Rovers and Castleford Tigers, working within their youth and development systems. He worked alongside coaches including Daryl Powell and Ryan Sheridan, and also returned to Hunslet as part of their Championship coaching team.
The Appointment
The club said Bramald's knowledge of the Championship, previous connection with Keighley Cougars and experience of developing players made him the outstanding candidate following a thorough recruitment process.
"I'm absolutely delighted to be returning to Keighley Cougars as head coach," Bramald said. "It's a club I know well and one that means a great deal to me. There is plenty of hard work ahead, but that challenge is exactly what excites me. I'm looking forward to meeting the players, getting onto the training field and beginning to build a team that works hard, represents the club and the town properly, and gives our supporters something to be proud of."
Bramald will now begin work on preparations for the 2027 campaign, including assembling his coaching team and building next season's playing squad.