Keighley Cougars chairman Mick O’Neill in hospital

Drew Darbyshire
Mick O'Neill Keighley Cougars chairman

Photo: keighleycougars.uk

Keighley Cougars chairman Mick O’Neill has been hospitalised following a recent positive test for Covid-19, the club have confirmed.

He is currently being treated in hospital after recently testing positive for Covid-19.

The club tweeted: “The club can this morning confirm that chairman Mick O’Neill has been admitted to hospital following a recent positive test for Covid-19.

“All our thoughts and best wishes are with Mick, and we can’t wait to welcome him back home to Cougar Park!”

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Keighley Cougars chairman awarded MBE in 2020

In late 2020, O’Neill was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.

He was one of the originators of the Cougarmania era, along with Mike Smith, back in the 1990s. He returned in 2018 to save the club from extinction.

O’Neill was awarded an MBE for his services to the sport of rugby league, the community in Keighley and to charity in during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A club statement at the time read: “On behalf of us all here at the Keighley Cougars, we’d like to both thank Mick for his service to both the club; and the town and offer our congratulations on this well-deserved honour.”

The Cougars will play their first League 1 game of 2022 on March 27. They will travel to the Vestacare Stadium to face Oldham, who suffered relegation from the Championship last season.

Keighley played their first competitive game of 2022 on January 30. They were knocked out of the Challenge Cup in the second round by Hunslet, with the Parksiders running out 22-6 winners at the South Leeds Stadium.

Meanwhile, Keighley full-back Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e has returned to Championship club Sheffield on a one-month loan deal.

The 37-year-old former Samoa international joins the Eagles to fill in for injured full-back Josh Guzdek.

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League 1 Keighley Cougars